Starting in the village of Sidbury, this section of the route takes you through a wonderful range of landscapes including secret green lanes, field footpaths, open heathland and apple orchards.
It climbs steeply to White Cross and Fire Beacon Hill, where on a clear day you will have stunning views out to Sidmouth and the coast, before descending through Harpford Woods to pass under the old Feniton to Sidmouth branch line.
From there it’s a short walk through the village of Harpford and across the flood plain of the River Otter to the apple orchards to the north of Newton Poppleford.
Leaving the orchards behind you will climb to Harpford and Collaton Raleigh Commons, part of the famous Pebblebed Heaths. Once again enjoy the far reaching views as you make your way to the end of this section at the 2,500-year-old Iron Age hillfort of Woodbury Castle.
If you are walking the whole route and looking for facilities at the end of this section, Woodbury is an enjoyable approx 1.5 miles/2.5km walk away. You can use directions 1 – 8 of the Woodbury Castle to Exmouth Link Route Exmouth to Woodbury Castle: EDW Link Route if you need additional guidance.
Additional Information
The whole of the East Devon Way has been waymarked with the foxglove/pink arrow markers to help you find your way.
Gallery
Quick view route description:
1 - 5. 1. This section starts at the junction where Bridge Street joins Fore Street in the centre of Sidbury
…Facing Fore Street, turn left along the pavement for a short distance and then TAKE CARE crossing onto the footpath to White Cross. Follow the track between buildings and go straight across the drive and follow the footpath past a barn on the left and into a field.
2. Follow the hedge on the right to a gateway on the right in the top corner of the field. Go through and follow the path parallel with the hedge on the left to a 2 in 1 gate onto a minor road.
3. Go through the gate and turn right. Follow the road over a bridge and bear left up a track.
4. Follow the track up past the farm on the right and continue straight on through a wooden field gate and up the track.
5. Follow the track, going through a metal field gate and straight on to a 2 in 1 gate into a field.
6 - 10. Go through the gate and head straight on up the field, then bear left up to a gateway
7. Go through the gateway and follow the track by a fence on the right to a 2 in 1 gate. Go through and follow the edge of a wood on the left.
8. At the end of the wood bear right up the field to a 2 in 1 gate and stile.
9. Go through and follow the track for a short distance to a minor road. Go straight across and follow the track to a junction.
10. Turn left along the track and follow it to a cross of tracks
11 - 15. Go straight on along the track.
12. At the Hollow Head Cross continue straight on.
13. At Y junction bear right and then immediately left along an avenue of beech trees to a metal bridleway gate.
14. Go through the gate to a Y-junction and bear left into Fire Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve. Continue straight on ignoring all side turns.
15. At Y-junction as path begins to go downhill, bear right (straight on). Follow the path, ignoring all side turns, down and around to the left.
16 - 20. Continue to a cross of paths by an interpretation board.
Turn sharp right (back on yourself) and follow the bridleway along and down left to a minor road.
17. Turn right along the road for a short distance, then turn left onto a footpath down steps and through a metal kissing gate into a field.
18. Go through the gate and head diagonally right down the field to a metal pedestrian gate. These fields are owned by The Donkey Sanctuary and you may see donkeys grazing here.
19. Go through the gate and follow the fenced path downhill to a 2 in 1 gate. Go through and straight across the track and through a metal kissing gate. Turn left and follow the path to the road.
20. TAKE CARE going straight across onto a footpath. Bear right along it. At the path junction turn left and follow the footpath down to the left through the woods.
21 - 25. Go under the railway bridge and bear right. At the path junction go straight on.
22. Continue to follow the path alongside the stream, ignoring all side turns until you come to a wooden kissing gate.
23. Go through and follow the path to a junction. Turn left along the track and follow it to a minor road.
24. Turn left along the road to the next junction.
25. At the T-junction turn left and then take the first right after the church.
26 - 30. Go past the cottages on the right and take the first footpath on the right.
… Follow the footpath to Harpford Bridge. Beware of river erosion on the right just before the bridge.
27. Cross the bridge and continue straight on with the river on your left. where the path divides follow the fence on the right to a sleeper bridge and wooden kissing gate.
28.Go through the gate and follow the footpath over a footbridge and through a metal pedestrian gate into a field. Follow the footpath in a slight right arc across the field to a metal pedestrian gate and another footbridge. This area can be very wet at times.
29. Cross the bridge and bear right up through the trees to a flight of steps.
30. Turn left up the steps and follow the hedged footpath to another set of steps. Go up and turn left.
31 - 35. After a short distance turn right up a footpath through the orchard alongside a row of poplars to a metal kissing gate.
32. Go through the gate and follow the hedge on the left down to a 2 in 1 gate onto a minor road.
33. Go through the gate and diagonally left across the road to follow the road to Southerton.
34. Follow the road past a footpath on the right. When the road bears sharply right turn left onto a hedged footpath.
35. Follow the footpath on and around to the right and up steps on the left. Continue along the fenced footpath to a path junction.
36 - 40. Turn right at the junction and then keep right at the next path junction.
37. Go through a wooden bridleway gate and follow the track straight on. Where the path divides, turn left and follow the path out onto Harpford Common. Where the path divides again take the middle path.
38. Where the path divides yet again keep right (straight on). Ignore the footpath on the right and continue straight on following the path around to the left and then right to a wooden bridleway gate off the common.
39. Go through the gate and bear around to the left. Follow the track for 153 yards/140 metres and take the first footpath on the left.
40. Go through the wooden bridleway gate and follow the track along the edge of the common to a stream and cross via a footbridge.
41 - 45. Continue straight on up the track to a metal bridleway gate and go through to a junction.
42. Turn left (straight on) up the tarmac drive and go through the gate alongside the cattle grid.
43. Follow tarmac drive past the footpath on the right and continue to follow it, ignoring all side turnings, out through a gate to the A3052.
44. TAKE CARE crossing diagonally left. Walk through to Joney’s Cross car park and continue straight across to the entrance.
45. Cross the road diagonally left and go through a wooden gate onto the heath. Follow the track straight down to a cross of tracks.
46 - 50. Turn left and follow the track ignoring all side turns.
…Eventually you will go downhill to a minor road.
47. Go through a wooden gate and turn right down the road.
48. At the T-junction turn left.
49. At Hawkerland Cross turn right onto a bridleway and follow the track up and past a metal barrier.
50. Where the path divides shortly after the barrier bear right uphill. Follow the track ignoring all side turnings.
51 - 55. At the cross of tracks under the trees bear slightly right (straight on).
52. At the path Y-junction bear left.
53. At the next path junction go straight on.
54. At the next path junction go straight on.
55. At the cross of paths go straight on.
56 - 60. At the next cross paths go straight on.
57. At the cross paths by the pines go straight on.
58. At the next path junction keep straight on.
59. At the next cross paths go straight on.
60. At the next path junction turn right and then after a short distance at the next junction turn left.
61 - 64. At the next junction go straight on and then at the next junction go straight on again over the pebbles.
62. At the Y-junction bear left and follow the path as it swings left alongside a wood.
63.Take the first right into the wood and then turn immediately left through a gap in the bank. Turn right and follow the path alongside the earth bank on the right, then head straight on to a path junction.
64. Go over the bank to a track and turn right. At the next junction bear left to Woodbury Castle Car Park.