A view-rich walk where Simone Stanbrook-Byrne explores the countryside around Agatha Christie’s former holiday home.
Torbay is a busy part of Devon, particularly in the holiday season, but where it touches the South Hams we find a region of rounded hills, small fields and delicious views over the River Dart. This is where renowned novelist Agatha Christie once had a holiday home, at Greenway, a place where she could slip away from the world of fame and live as Mrs Mallowan, wife of Max. Much earlier, in the 16th century, Greenway was home to Humphrey Gilbert, the man responsible for claiming Newfoundland for the English Crown.
Now in the custodianship of the National Trust, Greenway’s countryside invites exploration, and although the house isn’t visible from the route it’s not far away for those who wish to visit and soak up the enduring local legacy of one of our best-loved crime writers. The evocative toots of heritage engines on the Dartmouth Steam Railway accompany the walk and add to the atmosphere.
Note: The walk crosses the back of the beach at Galmpton Creek (Point 5), so check tide times to make sure it will be passable with dry feet
THE WALK
1. In the village of Galmpton, walk along Greenway Road passing the Galmpton Institute and the primary school on your right, the latter with its nearby Jubilee Tree, whose surrounding wall supports commemorative plaques. Keep ahead on Greenway Road, uphill, leaving the village behind.
As the road levels out by the village sign (just over 150m from the school), turn left along a side road, at the start of which you’ll see badges for the John Musgrave Heritage Trail and the flamboyant logo of the Greenway Walk, which is the route we’re following. Within 100m the road crosses the line of the steam railway – an opportunity to wave if your timing is right.
2. Immediately after the bridge turn right along the track, signed as Combe Lane. Follow this as it winds its undulating way through the plump hills of the surrounding farmland for half-a-mile. As Combe Lane rises towards the end of this stretch, look left to spot a ‘tree’ that doesn’t look quite right; it briefly fooled us until we realised it’s a cunningly disguised communication mast.
A little further and Combe Lane enters light woodland, reaching a junction of paths by a multi-signed waymarker. Turn right here, climbing to another junction in a few metres, at which turn right again. This track soon leaves the woodland and passes a well-sited viewing platform, constructed to mark the tenth anniversary of the John Musgrave Heritage Trail – a 35-mile route created with a legacy left by John Musgrave, former chair of South Devon Ramblers. The platform offers superb views to the coast and across the winding River Dart.
3. The path soon enters a field, keep ahead alongside the right-hand hedge. As the hedge wanders off to the right continue ahead. It soon comes in to join you again and the path eventually leaves the field through a gate, approaching Higher Greenway.
At the three-way fingerpost, follow the onward direction, signed for Greenway Gardens, heading down the track towards buildings and bending right. You soon arrive at the surfaced lane, turn left, signed for Maypool, Greenway and the ferry. At this point the Greenway Tunnel is beneath your feet, concealing any passing trains.
Follow the lane, passing attractive houses and some appealingly rounded stone gateposts, a feature of the area. The lane becomes unsurfaced and leafy, and passes through a gate by a National Trust Greenway sign. Once in the field the walk is again accompanied by rich views over the Dart towards Kingswear and Dartmouth. Walk ahead from the gate, alongside the right-hand hedge to reach a two-way fingerpost by a bench in about 100m.
4. Go right here, signed for Greenway Gardens, and follow the path to another gateway ahead. Through here, then walk up the field towards a post on the skyline just ahead – the woodland is a little way off to your right. As you reach the post, good-for-the-soul views open up towards Dittisham on the other side of the river. From the post continue in the same direction as before, then veer right to reach a three-way fingerpost on the edge of the wood by a telegraph pole, about 100m from the post.
4a. Here you have a choice. If you’ve planned an on-foot visit to Greenway or the ferry you can go left here, following the permissive path (see map) to reach the road, from which both destinations can be accessed (check individual websites for details of visiting Greenway and ferry crossings). You will then need to rejoin the walk by following the road to point 5, below.
Alternatively, to stay with our walk, from the fingerpost follow a short stretch of track then enter a field, walking along its lower edge with trees to your left. The path ducks under trees in the bottom corner of the field, then passes through a gate into the woodland.
There now follows a pleasing downhill section through the wood, with glimpses of the river to the left if the leafiness of trees permits. This descent can be quite slippery, so take care. Stay with the track, occasional waymarkers keep you in the right direction at junctions. It eventually bends left, then right, and arrives at a fingerpost. From here, ignore the right-hand option to Galmpton and instead go left, soon reaching a gate onto the lane.
5. This is where we pick up those who have walked from Greenway. Cross the road, negotiating the stile and entering a field. Walk down beside the right-hand hedge towards a gate and stile, after which bear right on the track towards buildings. As you enter amongst them, bear left with the track, passing between barns on the right and Lower Greenway Farmhouse on the left. In a few metres you reach another stile, again signed with the colourful Greenway Walk logo.
From here walk down the field, away from Lower Greenway, bearing slightly right towards a gateway with a yellow-topped post about 100m away – this is just before a substantial fallen tree. Go through the gate and turn left, following the fence down towards Galmpton Creek.
At the bottom another yellow post directs: from it head down to the creekside and turn right along the back of the beach, walking past Old Mill Farm. Look for the fingerpost beyond the house, directing up steps, away from the creek.
6. At the top of the steps follow the surfaced path until it rises to reach a fingerpost by the wayside stall of Lucky Clucks Smallholding. While we got our breath back we enjoyed organic apple juice and bought heads of organic garlic to take home. Lovely!
Suitably refreshed, follow the onward path signed as an unmetalled road to Galmpton. In about 100m this drops down to reach the drive to Cliff Cottage. Turn right, downhill, and follow the road past a car and boat park. Stay on this road as it passes houses, ignoring a footpath in about 150m, and continuing past premises of a boatish nature. The road passes an old lime kiln, followed by Manor Farm and Manor Court, then reaches the junction with Stoke Gabriel Road by an old milestone.
Turn right, soon passing the well-provisioned village shop. Beyond here, at the junction by Flavel Chapel Hall, go right down The Roundings, which leads back to Greenway Road, from which we started.
While you’re here...
THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU'RE IN THE AREA
1: Greenway has lots to offer: a beautiful house, gardens and extra walking – check out the National Trust’s website
2: The Ferry trip across to Dittisham is a good way to add to the nautical flavour
3: The Dartmouth Steam Railway is a delightful journey and passes through Greenway Halt, opened in 2012 to serve those visiting Agatha Christie’s home
4: Broadsands Beach is a popular, sandy beach less than two miles from the centre of Galmpton
5: Visit Brixham, just over three miles from Galmpton, a town with a rich maritime heritage and plentiful places to eat
LOOK OUT FOR
Lovely River Dart views
Heritage steam trains
Wayside stall
Cunningly disguised mast!
Old lime kiln
COMPASS POINTS
Start point & parking: Greenway Road, Galmpton Postcode: TQ5 0LR; grid ref: SX888561
Map: OS Explorer OL 20 South Devon 1:25 000
Distance: 4.5 miles
Terrain: Tracks, field & woodland paths, some road walking. Expect mud and slippery sections after rain. Note: The walk crosses the back of the beach at Galmpton Creek (Point 5), so check tide times to make sure it will be passable with dry feet
Exertion: Mostly moderate but there are some strenuous uphill sections
Dog friendliness: Animals grazing, some stiles and roads
Refreshments: The Manor Inn, Galmpton, TQ5 0NL (01803 661101);The Galleon Stores, Galmpton, TQ5 0NH (01803 842148)
Simone Stanbrook-Byrne has written a selection of West Country guides including Circular Walks in the South Hams
