{"id":210,"date":"2009-11-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=110"},"modified":"2011-01-24T21:42:43","modified_gmt":"2011-01-24T21:42:43","slug":"import110","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=210","title":{"rendered":"Tarr Steps, Exmoor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.onload = setupZoom; function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk;\nvar walkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=700,width=800,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script>First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('TarrSteps.jpg');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089486250_4a28a1e31a.jpg\" title=\"West Anstey Common\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089486250_4a28a1e31a_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089486000_8e7b328978.jpg\" title=\"in Hawkridge\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089486000_8e7b328978_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485718_91793f4e6a.jpg\" title=\"after fording Dane's Brook!\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485718_91793f4e6a_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485520_06765d3bdf.jpg\" title=\"Lyshwell Farm\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485520_06765d3bdf_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485438_59dfca9bd3.jpg\" title=\"fording Dane's brook\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4089485438_59dfca9bd3_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4088725601_4254538bb4.jpg\" title=\"Tarr Steps\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4088725601_4254538bb4_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4088725309_27f3696ca2.jpg\" title=\"Christopher on Tarr Steps\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/images-global\/4088725309_27f3696ca2_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFacebook Link: <script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=210\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" width=\"200\" colorscheme=\"dark\"><\/fb:like><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">A dawn \tstart on West Anstey Common, watching a magnificent red deer stag \troaring rivals away from his harem of hinds. How to follow that? A \tpint and a sandwich at Tarr Farm Inn didn&rsquo;t hurt at all, and \twe strode out across Tarr Steps among the gold and green oaks of the \tBarle Valley just as if the western sky were not heaping with \tominously slaty clouds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">No-one \treally knows how long the ancient clapper bridge of Tarr Steps has \tspanned the nut-brown River Barle in its narrow combe. Saurian in \tshape, resistant to flood waters yet built to allow them free \tpassage, this subtle old bridge might have been placed across the \triver by medieval monks, or it could have been carrying travellers \tdryshod over the Barle for as long as three thousand years. Its \tflagstone decking rang underfoot, and the swollen river rushed \tthrough the rough piers in curling trails of bubbles.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">High \tabove the valley an enthusiastic dog came to meet us at Parsonage \tFarm, drawing his black lip back from his teeth in an ingratiating \tgrin. At Hill Farm it was the hens that greeted us with fat volleys \tof clucks; at Cloggs Farm, a sweet smell of hay from the barn. From \tfarm to farm we pursued the path, dipping to cross Dane&rsquo;s \tBrook among rushes and thorn hedges, climbing to Lyshwell Farm and \tsight of a scattered herd of hinds on the canter. Some Exmoor \tfarmers detest the red deer for the damage they do; others, such as \tRaymond and Sarah Davey of Lyshwell, rejoice in the sight and sound \tof them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">On \tAnstey Rhiney Moor the weather caught us a smack. There were smells \tof wet bracken and turf, sodden grass and sedges. The rain-slick \tpath fell away to a flooded ford over Dane&rsquo;s Brook. Take the \tdetour to Slade Bridge and forgo the pleasure of splashing across? \tNot on your nelly. The brook came up to our knees, and sent \timpertinent scouting parties higher still. On the far bank we tipped \ta good pint of peat-stained water out of each boot, and squelched on \tup past Zeals Farm, up the lane and field slopes to Hawkridge on its \tcrest.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">A mile \tor so along the heights, then a final plunge down through dripping \ttrees to walk up to Tarr Steps against the brown tides of the Barle; \ta beauty of a walk, all in all.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>Start \t&amp; finish<\/u>: Tarr Farm Inn, Tarr Steps, Dulverton TA22 9PY (OS \tref SS 869322)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>Getting \tthere<\/u>: Bus: service 401 (<font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.somerset.gov.uk\/media\">www.somerset.gov.uk\/media<\/a><\/u><\/font>), \tsummer only<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\">Road: M5 \tJct 27, A361 to Tiverton; A396, B3222 to Dulverton; B3223 towards \tExford; Tarr Steps signposted in 5 miles; minor road to car park \t(872323)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>Walk<\/u> \t(7&frac12; miles, moderate, OS Explorer OL9): From car park, down \tpath to cross Tarr Steps (868321); bear right off road up Two Moors \tWay\/2MW (&lsquo;Withypool Hill, Hawkridge&rsquo;). In 50 yards at \tprivate gateway, keep ahead uphill on stony lane which doglegs \tright. In field above, left along hedge, and on with hedges on your \tleft. At end of 3<sup>rd<\/sup> field, through gate; follow yellow \tsquares through farmyard of Parsonage Farm (857320). On down lane \t(2MW) to sharp left bend; right (854318) across stile, diagonally \tleft up slope, aiming for 3<sup>rd<\/sup> telegraph pole to left. \tFollow hedge up to top corner of field; through gate; on to gate \tabove. Don&rsquo;t go through, but turn left with hedge on your \tright. Through left-hand of 2 gates close together; in 50 yards, \tright through gate; left along hedge; through next gate. Skirt below \tHill Farm (847320); through another gate, and on to road. Left to \tWithypool Cross (845315); right (&lsquo;Molland&rsquo;), then left \t(&lsquo;Bridleway, Shircombe Drive&rsquo;) to Cloggs Farm (840310). \tBy barn, left through gate (&lsquo;Anstey Gate&rsquo;); down to \tcross stream (841311); through gate, right along fence above stream \tfor a few yards, then left up bank (&lsquo;Anstey Gate&rsquo; \tfingerpost at top). Descend to cross Dane&rsquo;s Brook footbridge \t(840308); right up stony track, then field slopes, aiming for line \tof trees on skyline. Through gate (fingerpost), on past Lyshwell \tFarm (837306); farm drive to road at Anstey Gate (835298). Left \tacross cattle grid; then diagonally left across Anstey Rhiney Moor \t(left-hand of 2 diverging tracks) for 1 mile, descending to cross \tford (850300; <em>NB &#8211; Deep, maybe up to knees! <\/em>Detour via Slade \tBridge signposted!). Up track to pass below Zeals Farm house \t(853300); through white gate; right between barns, out of farmyard \tgate. Bear half left off drive (bridleway fingerpost) on grassy \tfield track to gate; continue to Slade Lane (855303). Left to next \tcorner; right (bridleway fingerpost) across field to road. Right \tthrough Hawkridge. At crossroads in village, left (&lsquo;Withypool&rsquo;) \tfor 100 yards; right to follow 2MW through fields for &frac34; mile. \tRight (856317) through Row Down Wood, down to road at Penny Bridge \t(860316); left to Tarr Steps.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>Lunch<\/u>: \tTarr Farm Inn (01643-851507; <font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tarrfarm.co.uk\/\">www.tarrfarm.co.uk<\/a><\/u><\/font>)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>Accommodation<\/u>: \tThe Bark House, Oakfordbridge, Devon EX16 9HZ (01398-351236; \t<font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thebarkhouse.co.uk\/\">www.thebarkhouse.co.uk<\/a><\/u><\/font>)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><u>More \tinfo<\/u>: Exmoor National Park Visitor Centre, Dulverton \t(01398-323841; <font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk\/\">www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk<\/a><\/u><\/font>; \t<font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.exmoor.com\/\">www.exmoor.com<\/a><\/u><\/font>); \t<font color=\"#0000ff\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ramblers.org.uk\/\">www.ramblers.org.uk<\/a><\/u><\/font><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm\" class=\"western\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"> \t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A dawn start on West Anstey Common, watching a magnificent red deer stag roaring rivals away from his harem of hinds. How to follow that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}