Occombe Farm to Cockington November 2017
Despite having lived in the South Hams since 1964, the U3A walk om Friday 3rd November was the first time I had visited Occombe Farm although I had visited Cockington numerous times. The circular walk of about 4 miles was a mixture of roads and footpaths. To begin with we left the free car park (unusual for Torbay) and soon passed the rapidly developing nursery of Suttons Seeds. Shortly after, the route was, over fields with extensive views of Torquay and surrounding countryside, before more tracks and green lanes down to Cockington Court, where the group of over 20 had a comfort stop and an opportunity for tea and coffee. This was a Walking Group so there was no stopping for gardening or natural history, despite there being a lot of colour in the walled rose garden and an interesting collection of trees at Cockington, of which many were showing good autumnal leaf colour.
Walking through a cutting and under a road bridge one wondered what animals had made the well worn scapes up the steep bank. The route took us around a series of three small lakes, which at least one dog could not resist jumping in for a swim, which did not seem to worry the resident mallard and coots, those being the first birds we had seen, since leaving Occombe Farm.
Just before reaching the old Poacher’s cottage there was a superb specimen of Stewartia, a tree from Japan or Korea with beautiful, glistening, cinnamon-brown bark, just asking to be photographed. Having been basically walking downhill, we now had to steadily climb back up to Occombe. The route from the Poacher’s Cottage was mostly through Scadson Wood, the ground rich in a range of ferns. An area was sectioned off for Mountain bikes. Management of the wood was obviously to only deal with trees that presented a danger to visitors, therefore there was a lot of dead wood, some of which had clusters of bright yellow Sulphur Tuft fungi. Again no sighting of birds or butterflies despite the ivy being in full bloom. November is not the best month for wild flowers and this walk route had not produced much of note. However where the wood canopy had thinned Leycesteria formosa, a 1-2m high shrub from the Himalayas from where it was introduced in 1824, was naturalised on the path side verges. Its green stems are appreciated in winter colour gardens, and this time of the year, its numerous pendent panicles of claret coloured bracts enclosing red berries that were turning very dark brown and smelt of toffee when crushed. Pheasants are believed to be the only bird that will eat the fruit. Only approaching Occombe Farm were a couple of finches and a robin seen, - rather disturbing at such little bird life. While having a very tasty lunch at the Farm at reasonable prices, were a few more birds seen - - pigeons, crows and gulls. After such a nice walk I will certainly be visiting Occombe Farm and the surrounding area again. Many thanks to Eric and Irene for sorting out and leading this walk.