Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers

An easy 4½-mile walk with good views across Dartmoor and the Meavy Valley, as well as lots of evidence of our industrial heritage on this stroll by Malcolm Cooper of Tavistock Ramblers.   

The walk starts from the car park at St Paul’s Church in Yelverton (SX521678)

The walk takes you back in time as you follow the routes of historic leats and a granite tramway. One of the leats, now known as Drake’s Leat, was completed in 1591 to supply water to Plymouth. The growth of Devonport necessitated the building of another leat in 1793-1801 (as Plymouth refused to share its water!). More evidence of our history can be seen in the remains of the Princetown to Plymouth tramway and other later railway bridges and embankments.

1. With your back to St. Paul’s Church turn left across the car park and walk along the tarmac path parallel to the main road to Plymouth. This leads to a path with Drake’s Leat on the left. Soon the leat bears left, but we continue straight on through a pair of wooden gates. Follow the well-defined path over a small bridge. At a surfaced road, turn left and immediately right to join the trackbed of the old tramway. (Note the granite setts and an old piece of rail). This horsedrawn tramway was opened in 823 to bring granite from the moor to be shipped from Plymouth.
2. We carry on this shared path (beware of cyclists) with Drake’s Leat on one side and now the Devonport Leat on the other. Notice the old milestone indicating that it is 13 miles to the terminus of the tramway on the estuary of the River Plym.
3. At the end of the tarmac track go through a wooden gate where the granite setts of the tramway are clear to see. Views open up across to the Meavy valley and the moors beyond. Go through another gate and back onto a tarmac track passing a second milestone to reach an old stone building. This was the stables for the tramway horses.
4. Turn left at the road, crossing a bridge over Drake’s Leat and carefully walk down to the village of Clearbrook passing the Skylark Inn on the way. Continue to the bottom of the hill and turn left on a signed footpath just before the bridge over the River Meavy. Our path follows the river upstream, sometimes alongside the river itself, other times through sheltering woodland.
5. There are remains of copper mining activity all the way along this track as it climbs gradually through the woods. At Yeoland House the footpath goes through a small iron gate on the left and then climbs up alongside the old railway embankment. The footpath meets a lane at a gate. Go left under the railway bridge and immediately right. At the next junction, turn left up the hill to reach a wooden gate.
6. Pass a cottage, over a bridge crossing Drake’s Leat to reach the trackbed of the tramway that we started on. Bear right and retrace your steps back to the start.

If you have enjoyed this walk through our lovely countryside and rich history why not join Tavistock Ramblers to enjoy more such walks with similarly minded, friendly people. Walks vary from short strolls to all day longer walks on and around Dartmoor. Go to www.tavistockramblers.org.uk for more details.