Medium difficulty. Distance 20 miles (32 km)
At 20 miles this is by far the longest, and probably the most varied route taking in the valleys of the Otter tributaries and the wooded escarpments of the region. Relatively easy riding, with some magnificent lengths of bridleways to the west. There are cantering opportunities especially between Knowles Wood and Blackbororough. Keep strictly to the field edge through the gliding club. There is an unavoidable three-mile road section to the south. Dunkeswell Abbey & The Old Inn at Ashill are worth a detour. This is one of five horse-riding circuits in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape – route 5
Riding Instructions (clockwise)
Orange line on map e.g. Start Point Stafford Hill (ST 1180542)
1 Proceed north along BW through gates to road
2 L at road & next L (signposted BW & Gliding Club), past buildings on L then buildings on R, then ST keeping to L edge of field
3 Ignore BW to Broadhembury, & proceed to end BG, then through 2nd BG and onto car park at road
4 L downhill then R at BW/light traffic car park (watch for traffic) & proceed along wooded BW for about one and a half miles to next road
5 L at road and almost immediate R onto single track BW behind Blackborough cottages and back to road, continue north for about 3/4 mile to 2nd road on right at Allhallows Cross
6 R past Allercombe Farm, ST at next X roads at Rull House, over stream, keep L and L again up to Hackpen X
7 R at Hackpen X, up Hackpen Hill, and proceed along straight road for about one and a half miles, cross over Dunkeswell-Hemyock road Gypsy X (watch for traffic), then next R & past Moorhayes Farm, over stream, and ST through Madford (NB Dunkeswell Abbey nearby)
8 Up past Abbotsford Farm, then next L and 200m R using single track through copse (Routy Lane)
9 R at road then next L, then ST X roads at Jack’s House (watch traffic)
10 Immediate R past Gullyhayes Farm, & after about 1 mile, L at Combeshead and down the hill to next junction
11 Sharp L along BW past Fairview Farm, follow round to R keeping to BW marker signs, downhill forking L at BW junction, down to road
12 L over stream, uphill and, immediately after hairpin R at Hillend, take L up into green lane
13 R at road, follow downhill through common, take 2nd right (signposted Luppitt)
14 After about 200yds, fork L down a green lane to Hillside X roads, ST onto road and across stream, uphill, and ST next X roads, uphill again to plateau and follow straight road west for about 3 miles back to start point (1), crossing Luppitt Common and Dunkeswell-Honiton X roads (watch for traffic)
