Walking from Hollocombe to Higher Minicleave Wood

A circular walk through nearby Hollocombe to Higher Minicleave Wood and back. Lovely countryside and woods, some ups and downs, several gates, but only 1 stile. About 1 hr 15 mins at adult pace.





Getting there This Devon walk starts about a mile and a half from the cottage and lodges. You can borrow a bike, walk or drive. Turn right out of our drive, then left at Tinker's Post, down into Hollocombe. Across the bridge (and Hollocombe Water) and head up the hill until you find the church - where you can park or leave a bike. Take a lead because you'll be going across pasture where there may be livestock. OS Explorer map 127.


This is a good walk for adults and older kids, but really tiny legs may struggle. Start from the church in Hollocombe, and head up hill until a footpath on your right takes you into a short lane, then through a gate and across pasture. Keep to the hedge line (then you'll be on the foot path). There may be livestock at some times of the year. On the far side of the field take another short lane to a cattle cush by the road. Two gates here, but they open easily enough. Then down the road (right again)until you find a bridle path on your left. You'll see wild roses and elderflower in the hedgerow in early summer. And if it's hot, you'll be pleased to dip into the shady lane, walking over the exposed stone until you come out into another meadow. A track winds round to a house on your left, through a summer meadow full of knap weeds, clovers, birdsfoot trefoils. But you take take the well trodden path straight ahead and slightly down hill to a gate.

Just through the gate you may see early purple orchids beneath the trees if you're walking in spring. The track takes you downhill again, eventually to a pretty pink thatched cottage.











Here you can choose to detour up into Higher Minicleave wood (take the bridle path right next to the house and head uphill - but keep to the path). It's cool and shady in summer, and comes out at a gate into farmland. You can follow the path futher, to Redland, coming out on the road at Redland Cross and heading back to Hollocombe. Or just retrace your steps here to the thatched cottage.









From the cottage, follow the track over a foot bridge. Water meadows here, bejeweled with yellow flag irises. Then there's a few yards of steep climb until you come out on Horry Mill lane, a bridle way made up as a drive. Turn right (and don't miss the glorious line of oaks) and walk until you reach the road.





Ahead you'll see another road signed for Hollocombe. But instead, turn right across the little bridge then directly left, at the flood height sign and along a footpath close to Hollocombe Water. You'll walk right by a cottage - even under a trellis, but don't worry, you're on the right track. You have to climb out of the valley bottom now, through woodland and over a stile - the only one on this walk, but there's a bit of wriggle room for dogs at the side.

And this brings you out on the road, close by the Hollocombe Bee Man's hives, for the last short push back uphill to the start point.