Holiday in Exmoor - Dulverton and East Anstey Common

Today was again cool with sunny periods and cloudy which is what you want when walking really.
We drove a bit further today and parked in the village of Dulverton. After a quick look around the village, we set off across the bridge next to the car park over the River Barle then passing a cottage, up a steep path through woods. The path was well worn and hemmed in between two sturdy walls.

Dulverton Bridge

The path took us to the corner of a field. After crossing this field and entering a second one, Karen spotted about 25 Red Deer hinds in a field about 250 or 300 metres away. They were grazing unconcernedly in the field and several were lying down.

Red Deer Hinds

After watching the deer for a bit, we continued across another field and arrived on a narrow minor road. The map showed the route as crossing a field on the opposite side of the road, but we could see no footpath signs. After double-checking the map, we could see that the Public Right of Way continued through a gate into the field and down a shallow valley leading to woods and a footbridge across a stream.

An Ancient Sunken Track

We found a gate leading into the next field on the edge of the woods which was waymarked with a footpath sign so that confirmed we were on the correct route.
As we proceeded along the edge of the woods looking for the footbridge, Karen spotted some Early Purple Orchids growing on a grassy slope beside the stream also covered with primroses.

Early Purple Orchid

After taking photos of the orchids, we continued onwards looking for the footbridge and the continuation of our route. It was tricky to confirm exactly where we were on the map but by comparing our position with respect to a field boundary on the opposite side of the stream, I could see that we were very near here the footbridge should be. We didn't really need the bridge as the stream was so narrow you could jut step across it, but the way on continued from the other side of the bridge.
We dropped down the short distance to the stream and almost immediately found the footbridge. Crossing over, we continued on the Public Right of Way which rose diagonally across the slope of the field. Part way across, Karen spotted more Red Deer hinds in a field about 300 metres away.
We arrived at the small village of Higher Chilcott and followed a minor road for a short distance before turning off at a farm track which we followed for a couple of hundred metres before realising we had gone the wrong way.
We retraced our steps to the minor road and after a 100 metres found the footpath we should have followed. This led along a field boundary then veered off at 45 degrees, indicated by a signpost and a mown route through the pasture. After dropping down to a stream, the way led across a sloping field onto a track near a very large house which seemed to be newly built and not yet completed at Chiltons.
We then had about 500 metre of quiet road to follow Northwards before turning left at a junction leaving after 100 yards to Five Cross Way road junction, Here we re-entered Exmoor National Park and continued walking on the minor road crossing East Anstey Common.
A short way along the road was a gate into the Common itself which was a rough scrubland with the ancient Anstey Barrow not far away. Walking over to the Barrow, we sat among gorse bushes sheltering from the wind and and our lunch.

Afterwards we followed a path across the Common and Ventford Moor again arriving back on the minor road at a point where a track crossed which was part of the Two Moors Way long distance footpath.
We followed the initial wide dry mud track Northwards before branching off on a footpath leading down to join a minor road which dropped down to a bridge then steeply upwards. Leaving the road at a signposted gate, we crossed a field to the village of West Hollowcombe, then back on the road again for the short distance to Hawkridge.
From Hawkridge, we followed a track crossing several fields and came across yet more Red Deer hinds grazing some 75 metres away, until they saw us and shot off into the cover of nearby woods.
This track is part of the Exe Valley Way and follows through wood along the River Barle, All that remained was to follow this track for about 5 miles back to Dulverton.
Afterwards we rove to Exford and had a meal in The Crown pub.
I was wearing Asolo Fugitive boots, Berghaus trousers, Paramo Third Element jacket and Osprey Kestrel 38 rucksack.