Watersmeet to Ash Bridge circular walk
An moderate circular walk suitable for all the family. The trail meanders along the banks of the East Lyn River from Watersmeet House through beautiful woodlands. Look out for elusive otters in the river and for herons on low-hanging branches over the water.
Map
Start:
Watersmeet public car park, Watersmeet Road, grid ref SS743487
1
From the car park, cross over the road and follow the steep path (with some steps) down to the waterfalls beside Watersmeet House. Please be careful as you cross the road.
2
At the bottom of the steep path down from the road, you'll arrive at Watersmeet where the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water meet. Pause a while on the first bridge to look at the waterfalls as they cascade noisily over the rocks on their way to the sea. In the holiday season it's worth stopping at our tea garden, where you can enjoy our mouth-watering Devon cream teas. There's also a gift shop and toilets.
Watersmeet House
Watersmeet House was built in 1832 as a fishing lodge by the Reverend W.S. Halliday, son of a rich businessman. Stone for the house was quarried at Watersmeet, above the East Lyn River. A tea garden since 1901, it buzzes with activity, especially in summer.
3
If you're not stopping at Watersmeet House, cross the first bridge and then turn right upstream just before the second bridge signed 'Rockford'. If you do stop at the tea garden, retrace your steps back over the bridge closest to Watersmeet House and turn left upstream. The East Lyn river is on your left. You will notice a mine adit in the rock face to your right, just by the bridge. This is a remnant of speculative mineral exploration by wealthy Victorian local landowners.
4
At the next fingerpost stay left signed 'Rockford 1.5 miles'. Just past here is the partially restored remains of an old lime kiln on the riverbank.
An industrial past
The mine adit at Watersmeet is just one remnant of this area's industrial past. Lower down the river, towards Lynmouth, is the Lynrock Fountain - the remains of a mineral water factory. Where you're standing now, you can see the restored remains of a lime kiln. In the late 1800s, lime was brought over the Bristol Channel from Wales to be burnt in kilns like this one. They can be found scattered along the North Devon coast. Lime 'sweetened' the very acidic local soil, allowing crops to be grown.
5
At the fork in the track is a 3-finger sign post named Barton Wood. Follow Footpath Rockford to your left, down through Barton Wood towards the river. This beech wood is beautiful in autumn when copper-coloured leaves cover its floor; in spring the ground is carpeted with bluebells.
Woodland restoration
Over the past 15 years, we've removed larch from this area and thinned out the beech so that it looks less like the commercial woodland it was planted as in the 1950s. Over the next 30 years, we'll thin more beech to create a glade left to re-seed with native oaks. We'll continue to manage the woodland and any new-growth beech will be cleared.
6
When you reach Ash Bridge, cross the river and turn left at the finger post on the other side marked 'Watersmeet', walking downstream with the river on your left. Stay on the path back to Watersmeet House. When you reach Watersmeet House, stop for tea and cake if the House is open.
Fishing
Just past the house you'll pass an information board about Glenthorne Fisheries, showing the permitted fishing pools and contact information. Information about fishing and canoeing on the East Lyn can also be found on our pages.
7
Cross both the bridges next to Watersmeet House, back past the waterfalls and return up the steep path (with some steps) to the car park.
Can you help us?
We look after some of the most spectacular areas of coastline for the enjoyment of all. We need your support to help us continue our work to cherish the countryside and provide access to our landscapes.
End:
Watersmeet public car park, Watersmeet Road, grid ref SS743487
