Tim Gent walks a hidden corner of Exmoor
FOR THOSE not blessed with an inbuilt compass, this walk is likely to play tricks with your mind.
After walking downstream along the Barle, enjoying a fine riverside path before the short, steep pull up to the prehistoric hilltop settlement of Cow Castle, you leave the valley to tramp across high ground. Eventually, you drop down through a steep-sided combe to meet the river again, turning to follow it downstream once more. And after revelling in the wild and wonderful micro-wilderness of Cornham Brake, you find yourself… back where you started.
All rather fun, but far out along this gentle route, I
can almost hear your thoughts: “A fine wander, and the views of the river from Cow Castle were great – but not much of a Wild Walk.”
Which may be true… until that last short riverside run for home. Yes: much of the journey is very easy, following welllaid paths, even a stretch of extremely quiet tarmac; but the final few kilometres certainly make up for it.
To be fair, after turning the corner at Cornham Ford, the initial stretch of Barle riverbank is still pretty easy.
There’s even a vague path for a while. It then deteriorates, before getting a lot worse. At times, particularly around Cornham Brake itself, the mix of boggy ground and lumpy vegetation can seem almost impassable. Even the most phlegmatic may feel their equanimity ruffled.
What you gain though is an unforgettable chance to experience one of the wildest, prettiest and most unspoilt little corners of Exmoor. This narrow valley floor heaves with wild flowers, insects, amphibians and reptiles, all overlooked by wild pine woodland that seems transplanted direct from a Scottish glen. When we walked through, two roe deer made for the near vertical slopes to escape our approach, climbing in short powerful bounds against the skyline. And all this within almost a stone’s throw of the village. This section may take almost as long as the rest of the walk, and you will end up with wet feet and quite a few scratches, but it’s certainly worth it for the experience.