The Buckfast Pilgrimage 1980

Day 15: Chudleigh Buckfast Abbey

Our final walking day, and a challenge! Not only a 20 miler, but also climbing above 1,000' (even 1,500') for the first time. But it's worth it...

Proper preparation is essential, even at 7 in the morning

First stop, the parish church for prayers

Some very rural terrain, and the challenge of crossing the A38 and the River Teign, brought us to Chudleigh Knighton for prayers at St Paul's.

The next leg involved a pleasant country lane and then traversing the huge trading estate at Bovey Heath. But, using the old railway, we reached Bovey Tracey safely, and celebrated Mass at The Holy Ghost.

Still a couple of hours and several hundred feet of climbing to lunch! With a mixture of road walking, pasture and woodland we eventually found ourselves behind Haytor Vale and fell into the Rock Inn.

Some were still concerned about how far we had to walk (and climb!)

The first climb, straight from lunch, was of nearly 500' to the top of Hay Tor Rocks.

Off Haytor, diagonally across the road, and up again to Rippon Tor, at 1,560' the highest point of our pilgrimage.

A couple of miles across the top of the moor, with the mandatory Dartmoor ponies, before we reached the Ten Commandments Stone at Buckland Beacon - huge slabs of rock with the 10 Commandments (and the lord's prayer I think) engraved on them).

We stopped to pray. Some just collapsed on the rocks

But the view was worth beholding

We then dropped down through Ausewell Woods (by special permission) and out along the drive to Holne Bridge.

beyond Holne Bridge we walked though Holne Country Park (now the River Dart Country Park). Some were tempted by the attractions.

Our route then followed the River Dart through Hembury Woods and up back onto the road. For the last mile into Buckfast, we sang as we walked.

And here is our destination...