We’ve well and truly fallen in love with the ancient woods of Dartmoor, and Lustleigh Cleave is up there with the best of them. Walking through the woods in low light felt like we could have strayed into the pages of one of the many mystery novels set in Dartmoor. The gnarled branches of moss covered trees reach across the path like outstretched fingers creating an almost eerie atmosphere.
As well as the enchanting woodland you’ll also get to cross a narrow clam bridge before heading into some of the UK’s last remaining temperate rainforest.
The combination makes for one of the very best walks in Dartmoor.
The Lustleigh Cleave Circuit Walk
The stats
Distance: 4.6 mile (7.5km) circuit
Elevation gain: 140m
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Bovey Valley Woods Car Park
Summary: The terrain along the Lustleigh Cleave Circuit is quite a mixed bag. You’ll start on wide fire trail, followed by a dirt track and then a fairly decent chunk of rock hopping as you make your way through the rainforest section. We walked the track after a whole lot of rain and it did hold up well, with muddy sections able to be skirted around quite easily.
There are a couple of hilly sections, in fact most of the way to the wood is uphill, but after that it becomes much more leisurely. The clam bridge is narrow and won’t be for everyone, but there is a sturdy bridge beside it if you decide it’s not for you.
Starting the trail: to Hisley Bridge
Don’t be deterred from my description of the start of this walk, I’ll admit, it’s not exciting, but it is pleasant enough and it gets so much better once you reach the ancient wood.
You’ll start by heading gently uphill on a road (that you aren’t allowed to drive on) between some pretty trees. You’re not enclosed by the trees but still, it’s nice enough.
You’re aiming for Hisley Bridge, which is 1 mile (1.6km) from the car park. Though much of the trail is uphill, there is a flat section and a minor descent.
The flat section is where we encountered the most mud, but we never needed to walk through it, there was always space to skirt around it.
Just under 1 mile into the walk (1.5km) you need to turn right and head through the gate. You’ll see Hisley Bridge just ahead, 100m away.
It’s a scenic old packhorse bridge which you need to cross and then turn left.
Heading up to the woods
The wide stony path heads uphill before flattening 200m later. It becomes a gravel dirt track as you continue straight, high above the river.
The path will ascend again and you’ll pass the ruins of an old farmhouse on the right, just over 1.3 miles (2.2km) into the walk.
You’re now just 450m from the gate leading into the ancient woodland and this is when things get special.
Almost immediately the mossy wood closes in around you and the atmosphere completely changes. Roughly 50m after the gate you need to turn left and then keep left at the next fork.
The path is now flat and heads through the most spectacular section of woodland. We we walking very late in the day and the wood had a real aura about it.
It felt both ancient and mysterious and I can only imagine what it might be like on a foggy day with low mist creeping into forest.
Just under 2 miles into the walk (at the 3.2km mark) you’ll see a very brief (less than a minute) side trail on the left leading to a particularly large oak tree.
Roughly 150m further on, at the signpost, keep straight. You’re now 350m from the old clam bridge which you’ll reach via a gentle descent (2.3 miles/3.7km into the walk).
Crossing the old clam bridge
The bridge, which is over 140 years old, is made from a narrow tree trunk with a couple of rails on one side to steady yourself on.
The bridge now has a ‘use at your own risk’ signpost and a rather large and less pleasing to the eye modern bridge beside it.
Crossing the clam bridge is easier than it looks, as though it’s only a little over a foot’s width you do have that rail for added security.
It had rained heavily just before we crossed and the bridge looked very slippery but surprisingly it was actually not too bad at all and easy enough to cross.
It’s a novel way to cross the creek and a lovely little piece of Dartmoor history.
Through the rainforest
After crossing the bridge, turn left, and head along the boulder studded stream. The path is narrow and stony in places as you head into the temperate rainforest.
This section of track is the most rustic but also has a wonderful wild vibe with endless ferns and so many mossy rocks and logs that really do feel like a rainforest.
Following some large storms there are several sections where trees have come down over the track. They may be removed in time, but as it stands none were difficult to pass, you just had to do a small amount of clambering.
Sections of the path are flat and smooth, but plenty of bits are rocky, though luckily, even when very wet, it wasn’t slippery.
You’ll pass a gate at the 2.7 mile (4.4km) mark and then you want to keep left at the signpost 50m later. You’ll come to a 150m stretch of rubble before the path gets better again.
There are a couple of tiny ascents and descents but much of the track is flat and once you get to the 2.8 mile (4.6km) mark the track is in good condition and relatively even underfoot.
Completing the circuit
After walking on a leisurely path close to the river you will come to a wooden bridge (at the 3.4 mile/5.5km mark) and cross it to exit Houndtor Wood.
I don’t remember seeing a sign to say when we entered Houndtor Wood so I am not sure how much of it we saw, but what we did see was fabulous. After crossing the bridge head left onto the wide gravel road.
Roughly 400m later you will pass left through the gate and cross over Hisley Bridge again. Now take the immediate right and follow the stream through the woodland.
We were in for another treat along this next section of the walk as we bumped into three Dartmoor ponies. It’s the first time we’ve ever seen them in woodland before and it was special to stop and watch them munching on the fallen acorns.
As you make your way through the woods, there are several gates to pass through before you emerge into an open grassy area at the 3.9 mile (6.3km) mark.
You’ll walk along the open grass for 700m to get to the final gate. You will see a gate that opens to the road on the eastern side of the grassy area.
Pass through the gate and turn right, and then right again at the T-junction which will take you back to the car park (it’s 300m along the road in total).
All in all, though the start of the walk is not so promising, the middle and final sections are very special and make this circuit a must do when in Dartmoor.
Getting to the car park for the Lustleigh Cleave Circuit
The car park for the Lustleigh Cleave Circuit as described above is the Bovey Valley Woods Car Park, postcode TQ13 9SJ, you can see it on Google maps here. At time of writing the car park is free of charge.
It’s around 20 minutes from Widecombe in The Moor and one hour from Tavistock.
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