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Hoops
Ramble
Near Bideford 6 miles west of Bideford on the A 39 road which goes to
Clovelly, Hartland and Bude.
The
Walk
The walk from the Hoops Inn is really delightful. It combines great views
of the cliffs along the coast of Bideford Bay, bluebell woods, burbling
streams, a cliff-top walk through ancient Oak woods, two different visits
to the sea shore, no main roads, and all of it in unspoilt countryside.
The walk is about 10 Kilometres; that is about six miles. It takes about
two and a half hours altogether, and you can use the secluded car park at
the back of the Hoops Inn, through the archway (2.2 metres headroom, 7
feet 3 inches) . The Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No 126 is useful, though
not essential. There are no serious hazards although the paths can be
muddy in wet weather and a bit slippery when going downhill. (Please
remember to keep your dog on a lead on farmland, and to close any gates).
The
Directions
Go out of the back door of the Hoops Inn (on the left side of the bar),
through the archway and (North) up the drive to the car Park, take the
short track on your right going (East) out of the Car Park some 15 metres
and through the gate on your left, walk (North) up the paddock, slanting a
little to your left towards a gap in the hedge and over the stile there.
Turn left (North West) along the Public Footpath which follows the edge of
the field, keeping the hedge close on your left side, past a gate,
slightly uphill, with a little zigzag, towards some farm buildings on the
horizon, and over the stile on to a small lane. [The small hamlet of Sloo
is 60 metres to your left (West)]. {11 minutes, 700 metres}. Turn right
(East) along the lane, to Northway Farm cottages {9 minutes, 800 metres}.
Turn sharp left (North) down a small lane with a sign saying Unsuitable
for Motors. {After I minute 70 metres}, turn right (East) down footpath,
sign posted Public Footpath. It descends fairly steeply into Peppercombe
Woods. [The path turns into a stream-bed in winter, which means that it is
a bit rough but quite passable]. The footpath veers round to the left
(North East) to form a T junction with a larger track, go left (North),
down the bluebell and primrose valley, with the sound of the Pippa stream
on your right, past three National trust holiday cottages, over a bridge,
to join another track and continue on downhill (North). Ignore a gate on
the right which leads to Horns Cross, carry on to cross a bridge across
the stream with a small gorge and a mill in ruins on your right. {15
minutes, l000 metres, and a descent of 120 metres, 400 feet}.
Option (Down to the shore) After crossing the bridge, go through
the gate in front of you, along the lower of two tracks, through another
gate, and down a winding footpath through small Oak trees, zigzagging
(North West) down to the shore. [You pass some masonry and lumpy ground
that are the remains of an old earthwork called Peppercombe Castle]. {5
minutes, a descent of 45 metres}. You are advised not to wander too far
along the shore as there is a risk of being cut off by the tide. Retrace
your steps back up and through the second gate (10 minutes). 5 metres
beyond the gate, a signpost indicates the Coast Path: turn right and climb
up steps, fairly steeply at first through Sloo Woods, then less steeply
through the tangled Durmast Oaks, covered in mosses and beard lichens.
Continue gaining height for about 25 minutes, about 1½ Km and a climb of
about 400 feet}.
Option (A short cut back to the Hoops Inn). At the left side of the
path, there is a post which says "Path ", a path branches off, somewhat
backwards and to the left (south east). If you wish to get back to the
Hoops Inn for some reason, it is possible to take this path, upwards, over
a stile into a field, and uphill, keeping to the hedge on your left side,
but not going through the first gate on your left. This brings you to a
gate and stile onto a lane. Go straight across the lane, over the next
stile, and follow the hedge (which you will recognise from the start of
your walk) on your right hand side back to the Hoops Inn. (about I5
minutes). [using this short cut, the walk from the Hoops and back is about
4 Km]. Continue along the Coast Path, with views through the trees o
fBideford Bay and Lundy Island, to a signpost which indicates Coast Path
straight on.
Option (Another short cut back to the Hoops Inn) Turn left, where
the signpost says "Footpath ", and go uphill, over three stiles to a sharp
bend in a lane, turn left along the lane, for eight or nine minutes, and
about sixty metres beyond the first buildings (Sloo farm), go over the
stile on your right, and follow the hedge (which you will recognise from
the start of your walk) on your right side back to the Hoops Inn. {about
twenty minutes}. [Using this short cut, the walk from the Hoops and back
is about 6 Km]. Continue (West) on along the Coast Path (which here is not
marked on the map) and descend into Bucks Mills village. The path consists
of shale and slatey rock which can be slippery when wet. (about 3½
Kilometres, about an hour and a quarter).
Option (Down to the shore, and visit the cafe) Options here are to
turn right and go down the steep slope, past the old lime kilns, and the
little cabin on your right, to the boulder strewn shore, and turn right
again to see the waterfall. You can visit the cafe (licensed to sell
alcohol) which is open from 9.30 to 5.30 from a week before Easter until
the end of September. It has a plaque on the wall to the Braund Society:
at one time the whole village was made up of various members of the Braund
family, who were intrepid fishermen and would launch their boats off the
rocky beach in the wildest of weather. Walk up the road (South East)
slightly uphill to the first right hand bend, (1½ Kms, about 8 minutes).
There are three footpaths to the left here. Take the first of these,
(East) over a footbridge with a hand rail on both sides, past Rose Cottage
on your left side and follow the path round the back of the house on your
right, and start climbing (South East) through the woods with the stream
on your right. The stream divides, go over a small foot-bridge and
continue climbing through the woods and to a field, where there is a farm
building ahead of you. Go over the stile to the right of this building and
straight on through the farm (Lower Worthygate), and follow the concrete
road, which turns sharp left (North) to a lane. Turn left (West) along the
lane which immediately turns right (North) and follow the lane past Higher
Worthygate, round a sharp right hand bend (East), with great views over
the bay and to Wales on a clear day, to the next lot of buildings (Sloo),
and sixty yards beyond them, take the stile on your right and follow the
hedge (which you will recognise from the start of your walk) on your right
back to the Hoops lnn.{45 minutes, about 2½ Km}.
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