Arlington run - The Old Lake 5km
Devon
A short but challenging run that goes down Monkey Puzzle Avenue, loops around the Lake and heads up into Woolley Wood along the Centenary Path, before returning through the green heart of the Wilderness.
Start point
Arlington Court car park, grid ref: SS611408Trail information
Difficulty
ChallengingFull trail
DistanceMiles: 3 (km: 4.8)Total stages: 10
Total stages: 10
Start point
Arlington Court car park, grid ref: SS611408
Stage 1
From the main car park, looking towards the visitor welcome area of Arlington, turn right and run to the bottom corner of the car park, where a trail leads through a wooden gate to the road, emerging opposite a smaller entrance to the estate. Carefully cross the road and go through, passing gateposts topped by statues of a herons holding eels in their beaks (an emblem of Arlington). When you meet a T-junction, turn right and run through a series of sharp-clawed monkey-puzzle trees. Pass a public footpath leading off to the right, but keep going straight until you meet a large gate and a map of the estate.
Stage 2
Go through the gate and continue descending along a broad track, following Lake Walk arrows. Look out for a right turn, where a fingerpost points along an alternative ‘steep’ route to the lake. Branch right here to enjoy a more technical and interesting section of singletrack, running downhill with the river on your right until the trail rises to rejoin the main track. Continue along the track, passing straight through a junction where there’s a turn-off to The Hide on the right and a track leads to the Wilderness on the left. Follow the main track around a left bend, where you meet the lake. Go past a large stone urn (a memorial to Rosalie Chichester, who donated the estate to the National Trust) and keep running with the water on your right.
Stage 3
Pass a sculpture of a wooden horse and turn right, crossing the dam. On the other side, turn right, leaving main track and following a fingerpost for the Centenary Path along the lakeside. After 25 metres, hook left and go uphill along the arrowed Centenary Path. Run along a section of singletrack, which ascends the hill through holly and beech trees. When the trail meets a track, dogleg (left and then right), following more Centenary Path waymarkers. Dig deep and continue climbing this steep section of trail through Woolley Wood.
Stage 4
The rising trail takes you to a junction with another broad track, part of the North Woolley Loop. Go straight across and keep ascending the singletrack Centenary Path through trees. When you meet a logging track after another 100 metres of climbing, go straight across and ascend a thin path for 25 metres to a kissing gate.
Stage 5
Go through the gate and run up gentle incline along the top of a field, with a fence on your immediate left and, on the right, rural views across rolling fields. After 50 metres, turn left through a wide gate, following a Centenary Path indicator, and ascend along the edge of another field, with a bank and fence on your right until you reach the brow of the hill, from where panoramic views can be enjoyed. Continue to the hedge and then follow an orange-tipped arrow pointing left, keeping to the edge of the same field with a tree-topped bank on your right
Stage 6
Turn right through the next gate, following an orange-tipped arrow, and run along the top edge of another field with trees on your right as the route starts to descend and a wonderful vista opens up straight ahead. Shortly after passing a wide field gate on your right, look for a kissing gate with a Centenary Path fingerpost. Turn right through this gate, bear left and descend 50 metres towards another kissing gate. Cross a small footbridge, go through the gate and keep going until you meet a wide track (part of the North Woolley loop).
Stage 7
Turn left and run along the broad track. After 100 metres, look out for a Centenary Path arrow and follow this right to descend along an exciting section of singletrack through Woolley Wood. The trail crosses another broad track, but continue straight over and keep running downhill along the narrow path until you meet a set of steps. Descend to a junction and turn left along the wide track. When the track forks, go right (ignoring picnic area arrow) and follow North Woolley Loop and Centenary arrows to run down to the River Yeo.
Stage 8
Turn left and then immediately right, to cross the river over Smallacombe Bridge. Go through a gate and ascend the path towards trees. Pass through another gate, and run uphill, into the verdant embrace of the Wilderness.
Stage 9
When the path forks, turn right along the smaller trail. Cross a footbridge over the stream and ascend some wooden steps. Run uphill, with the stream on your left, ducking beneath the waxy green leaves of laurel and rhododendron. Ignore steps leading left, and when path forks go straight ahead, over a (usually) dry streambed to emerge by the ornamental pond. Run around the pond, keeping the water on your left and passing a large red cedar tree. Meeting a T-junction, opposite the church, turn left.
Stage 10
Follow the broad track, passing the estate’s main entrance/exit (off to your right) and continuing past the house (left) to the café. Call in for refreshments, or keep going, passing toilets on your left. Follow a sealed track around to the right and exit via the gates guarded by the eel-hunting herons (which you passed through at the beginning). Go straight across the road, through the wooden gate and turn right to enter the car park.
End point
End point: Arlington Court car park, grid ref: SS611408
Trail map
Arlington run route - The Old Lake 5km | © Ordinance survey
Get in touch
Arlington Court Coombeshead valley walk
Walk through woodland and fields to the top of the Coombeshead valley for rewarding views across the wider Arlington estate and a chance to spot red deer.
Winford Valley walk at Arlington Court
Explore the woodland and fields of Arlington estate on this short walk. Along the way, look out for historic buildings and, in spring, a carpet of bluebells.
Arlington Court deer park circular walk
Keep your eyes peeled for red deer on this picturesque walk through ancient woodland, parts of the estate's wildlife reserve and alongside the old lake.
North Woolley Loop
The North Woolley loop is a t new walk on the edge of the Arlington estate, which connects existing footpaths into a 3km circular route. It takes in views across the parkland and out over Exmoor, through woodland and wildflower grassland, past the historic gatehouse (Woolley Lodge) and through a tunnel. You can either park near the lodge or make it a longer walk by joining the route via the Centenary Walk.
