Tuesday 3rd September The Templar Way

We started from the car park just above Haytor Vale. A different area and it is always good to do a walk which most of us had not done before.  A dull start at first.

Looking towards Haytor

Taking the track down to the course of the Templar Way Tramway...

...through this tunnel of trees around the edge of Yarner Wood.

The Tramway was built  in 1820 by the Templar family to take granite from Holwell and Haytor quarries to Teignmouth.

It was constructed from granite because this was readily available.  The line was made from granite setts laid end to end.  The granite was loaded onto wagons which were pulled by horses.  Up to  eighteen horses were used to get the wagons back uphill.

 We turned off the Templar way and north through Houndtor Wood.

Blackberries were in abundance and the leaves on these bushes turning yellow reminding that autumn is just around the corner.











The view up the valley through Houndtor Wood.

We continued downhill. At this point we had been going downhill for about an hour and a half.  And that means eventually you have to go back up again!

 Past this huge ants nest.

Someone disturbed it and the eggs fell out.Almost instantly the ants started to pick the eggs up and carry them back inside.












Soon we came to this lovely little 'pack horse' bridge and at last the sun came out.

Stopping here for lunch and thinking about Charlie (who has gone back to work). Duckis has been left with Terry.  We hope his day at the office was a good as ours!












Next (the start of the going up bit!) through the woods and Colin and I went ahead so that Colin could get to an appointment on time.

With fantastic views in every direction...

 ...and the gorse and heather out in the September sunshine and by now it was getting hot.

With Colin, Amber, Terry, Rosemary, Harry and Brian.