Totnes & District

September 2017 Walking Group

The Walking Groups outing on Friday 1st September led by Eric and Irene Adams could not have been more perfect. The route to Castle Drogo via Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead was a treat in itself. Abut 20 members met in the National Trust Car Park at 11.0am We were warned that the route of approximately 4 miles involved a long downhill stretch to Fingles Bridge, which would mean we were to have a long uphill session to return to Castle Drogo car park. After a short downhill session we stopped on top of a rocky outcrop above Piddledown Common, surrounded by masses of gorse, mostly Western Gorse, with pink and purple clumps of heaths and heathers. Terry pointed out the foliage difference between the Bell, Grey or She Heath (Erica cinerea) and (Calluna vulgaris) Heather, Ling or He Heath (It being regarded as superior for grazing than the She Heath). We continued steadily downwards, the path often through woodland consisting mainly of Oak, and Silver Birch. One low growing Gorse bush was thickly covered in pink balls, made up of masses of small pink flowers, belonging to a plant having no leaves. It was the parasitic Dodder. Every so often the air was filled with the strong smell of Stink Horn fungi. There were many fungi that it would have been nice to of had time to stop and work through identification keys. There were small Puffballs, highly-prized, edible  Boletus and red-topped Russulas of which there are numerous species, some highly poisonous other edible. At Fingles Bridge, despite it being only midday, we all stopped for lunch, most opting for the pubs meals - nice list, good portions, tasty and reasonably priced. Relaxing in the sunshine with the relatively young  River Teign gently flowing under the bridge and past, with ‘fishing’  flies hatching was delightful. Eventually we had to move off and crossed the river and took a footpath through Widdon Wood, with the river always close by. Again numerous fungi along with a good selection of ferns. Whereas we had seen masses of the 4-petal Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) a sign of acid soils, the roots having been used to make a red dye for leather and red ink, we now had the occasional 5-petal Wood or Yellow Pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum). NB All other  Potentillas, like most dicotyledonous plants, have 5 petals.   Our walk took us alongside a wonderful length of wall made from large boulders, At one point a gap had been made to allow work to be made on a Hydro electric station , using the river, for Castle Drogo. Shortly after we crossed the river by a bridge and then made the long climb up to the Castle and car park. Again wonderful views, yellow gorse, pink and purple heaths and heather, and the occasional blue Sheep’s Bit Scabious. There was a lovely scent from them, at times mixed with the sweet smell of horse dung, which I do not like. Back at the top we thanked Eric and Irene for putting us all through such a healthy, energetic session, after which some of us visited the Castle with a exhibition of over 1000 different clocks filling the library, before visiting their café for refreshments. The drive back was again good, ending a magical day out.