Walking has been part of me ever since I could. There has not been a time when I did not think that ‘going for a walk’ was not a useful and fulfilling way to spend time. I have dragged partners out in howling gales to ‘see the sea’ and small children on treks that were probably too long for little legs and Wellingtons. I walked with buggies before they were the all terrain monsters they are now and carried toddlers in uncomfortable un padded back packs. I have dragged unwilling almost teenage lads and pals round walks that they always appeared to enjoy more than they ever would admit and now walk to keep sane,resource myself and to maintain middle aged health. Sometimes I walk by myself sometimes with R.

I made the decision to walk and cycle the paths and lanes of Explorer 108 on 24th March,  2008. It was Easter Monday. Still feeling new to the South West I had spent my first 4 years here exploring the South West Coast path, the fringes of Dartmoor, the South Hams and beyond doing circular walks from books. A broken wrist meant that I had to travel to work on the train and saw spring unfold via the Tamar Valley Line. I knew I lived in an area of outstanding natural beauty but I did not KNOW the area and feel it.
Following the train route on Explorer 108 the Bere Peninsular unfolded and opened up its hidden and unspoilt charm.

I set about aiming to walk and cycle all the lanes and paths on the map.  To enjoy these walks and compare my experience with yours you will need the orange OS Explorer 108 map- without it they aren’t likely to make much sense!


All the walks are written about in the same format:
Date
Weather
Time taken
Route
Birds
Flowers
Small joys
Navigational errors.

I walk with little extra kit, am not averse to walks  that take me just along lanes when it is inevitably going to be very plodgy underfoot. Boots are probably advisable but I use ‘walking trainers’ in the summer and have inadvertently done one in Crocs. I take a stick because I’m afraid of dogs and equally afraid of cows so never think that it is a disgrace to retrace steps if there is a field I simply cannot get across. The stick is more useful for poking into streams and holes than for protection.

Explorer 108 covers the Tamar and Lynher valleys and are one of Britains relatively hidden gems. The lanes in the Lynher valley ( left hand side of the map)  and round the River Inny ( left hand upper half) are particularly wonderful with views, largely unbroken by pylons and ‘phone masts. They should feature in BBC classic serial adaptations but until they do we have them to ourselves.

Not all the walks have grid references and photographs- especially the early ones.I now add grid refernces for the start of the walk and am better at remembering my camera.

Enjoy them (at your own risk) and we will greet each other with a gentle nod and ‘good morning’.

The website was written by me but designed and built in the Tamar Valley by Culturething in Calstock- I like it and I hope you do too.

Kate Latham