ASHWATER PARISH WALKS GUIDE (No.1)
 The Church and Bell-Tower Cottage |
The 13th Century church of St Peter ad Vincula
Ashwater has Saxon origins although the parish
contains several early Bronze Age Tumuli.
The Domesday entries (1087) confirm Alwyn
and Bror held Aissa (Ashwater) and Hindefort
(Henford) at the time of the Norman Conquest.
Geoffrey Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances, in
Normandy was given the Manor by William the
Conqueror. |
Ashwater Facts
The Village Inn is not as old as it may seem having been built after the previous pub burned down in 1989.
 |
Ashwater Railway Station was beside
the River Carey at Ash Mill. The rail link to Launceston opened on July 18th 1886 and closed in October 1966 following the ‘Beeching Cuts’. |
Hampden House Academy a boarding
school in 1878 was the subject of a
court case at Holsworthy County Court
when the father of an articled pupil
sought and at first won damages from
the proprietors for negligence in
looking after his daughter. The next
month however, she was charged with
perjury. After much conflicting
evidence both cases were dismissed but
the school closed shortly afterwards.
Tucked in next to this building today is
the Post Office and Shop.
 Ashwater Village Post Office |
Ashwater Post Office and Store | |
|
The present Village Primary School was
built |
 Ashwater Primary School |
WALKS AND FOOTPATHS
Walk Number 1
Ordinance Survey Explorer Map 112
A circular walk beginning and ending at the
Village Inn; taking in the quiet hamlet of
Quoditch and crossing the River Carey.
(Distance: 6 miles - allow 3 hours)
NB: Wear stout shoes or boots, as parts of the route can be waterlogged and muddy. Keep all dogs on a lead as the fields contain stock. This walk is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Start with your back to the Village Inn and walk over the green towards the church. The lane and church wall bear to the right, but follow the sign posted footpath on the left through the metal gate. Admire the slate lined hedge/banks containing wild violets under the fine Beech Trees.
At the bottom of the hill pass through the metal kissing gate. Go straight along the track then turn right onto the lane. Walk to the cross roads and go towards Quoditch. (Signposted - 1¼ miles).
After passing the Methodist Chapel on your left look back to enjoy a view of Ashwater Church or visit the small well tended graveyard. The banks contain Bluebells in spring and Marsh bedstraw in summer.
Stay on the lane passing Woodpark Cottage on your right as the route continues to wind between the fields, watching for Skylarks and then down a wooded hill to the stone bridge across Drury Water.
Pause here as a Dipper sometimes feeds amongst the shallows before you climb steadily up the other side passing Drury Cottage and Farm to enter the hamlet of Quoditch. The cottage was once the Police House.
Keep on the lane until reaching South Quoditch Farm and then turn right at the ‘Footpath Sign’ into the farm yard and head in a straight line for the small exit gate beyond, to join the way marked path.
Keeping between the hedges carry straight on to the open fields ahead. These slope steeply down towards the river (as yet unseen) and by starting to descend in a straight line, aim for the wooden style that stands alone on the terraced hillside. Continue descending to the next style and enter the woodland that abounds the river from where you will see a large wooden bridge over the River Carey. Listen here for the Woodpeckers, Jays and Nuthatches.
Cross the bridge and walk straight ahead towards the gate on the far side of the field. This section of culm grassland can be very boggy, but contains fine orchids and other plants plus butterfly species and damselflies.
Once through the gate cross what used to be the old railway line and head straight up hill keeping the hedge on your left. At the top of the field there are three gates to negotiate, please ensure you close them afterwards.
The track follows the course of a small stream, which runs down its centre. After the third gate join the concrete path and bear left to skirt the buildings of Lower Beckett Farm, immediately after which turn right and follow the cement lane up hill passing High Beckett Farmhouse on the left before meeting a lane. Here turn right and proceed down hill with distant views of Ashwater to the front.
The hedges and verges of this lane contain an abundance of summer wild flowers. Proceed to follow the lane as it winds and descends into some pretty woodland and across a small stream. Watch for the Peacocks at Thorne.
The lane then gradually gets closer to the river, which at one point can be seen across the water meadows where there is a weir and a fish ladder. Watch for the almost resident heron fishing nearby. Note how the old woodland clings to the valley side on the far bank.
Remnants of the railway bridges are also visible as it was here the track once crossed first the river and then the lane before arriving at Ashwater Station.
The river is now close to the lane and you may be lucky enough to see a kingfisher as you continue towards the road junction at Ash Mill. The derelict building on the left is an old shop and there is still a Victorian Post Box set in the wall.
The stone building over the road is the old station house, now a private dwelling and across the way are the coal yards, which are still used.
Turn right and cross over the river bridge then at the junction immediately bear left to begin the ascent towards Ashwater Village.
The steep roadside banks harbour slow worms and a variety of wild shade loving plants. The house halfway up on the right is the Rectory.
At the hilltop retrace your steps past the church, the green and the ‘listed’ red telephone box for refreshment at the Village Inn or simply take a rest on the benches by the War Memorial.
 Primroses on the vicar's path |
 Bluebells in Ashwater Woods |
 Violet on the vicar's path |
Website designed by Anthony Williams and Henriette North.
Comments and Submissions to webmaster@ashwaterparish.org.uk
Last modified: Sunday December 13, 2009