Weather: despite a Met. Office severe weather warning for the SW it stayed dry, no wind but with a permanently louring sky.

Time: just over 3 and a half hours.

Route:

Start at Bere Ferrers station (452636), walk out of the station and turn right then left down what looks like a drive ( FP sign). Walk along the drive and enter The Coach House garden leaving via a gate in the far corner through a small gate.The path is then way marked and very clear. Exit at the stile, cross the lane,over another stile and into the field opposite which is rough pasture, head up the hill, the FP sign is visible. Leave the field and enter a wooded path, then into another lovely field- possibly an old orchard. Go through the gate and walk down the track past 2 ponds and what looks like glorious primeval swamp. At the lane turn left up the hill,the next FP sign is visible. Turn left and up the bridleway, enter the field, keeping to the field edge (great views behind across the Tavy), follow the FP signs and head to the far corner ( follow the tractor tracks) and reach the lane. Turn right and down the hill and then left at the bottom. I had a David Attenborough moment at Spring Cottage.Follow the signs into Hallowell Wood, keep on taking the right hand forks (here are paddleable streams). Walk through into Hole Wood, the path does a zig at the end as it gains height. The FP sign points you to the far corner. At a gate take the obvious path along the field edge (horses and 2 barky dogs) at Well Farm. Walk through the farm buildings and along the farm track to the lane with banks of wild flowers on either  side. At the lane end turn  left and then right at the owl signs to Down Farm. Walk down the farm track, enter the farm yard at High Wottons Farm (lots of options, way marks painted on farm buildings).Friendly goose loose. I took the path over the stile into fields on the right heading down the hill.At the next stile there is a complicated cross roads of apparent paths- keep your nerve and head for the exit in the far corner keeping to the walking line. Exit at a stile and  along a narrow path to the lane. Turn left, across the railway bridge and then left again past Higher Birch Farm. At Lower Birch Farm ( no sign) turn left along the track with farm buildings on the right.Follow this track , at the  road turn left to Tuckham Bridge. Take the step stile right and follow the field edge to Liphill Quay. A step stile on the right takes you along the Tamar Discovery Trail, I went left up the track towards Ormonde House and then turned right back to the station.

Birds: swallows, chaffinches and all of british ornithology on the bird feederss at Spring Cottage, blue tits, green finches, long tailed tits.

Flowers: banks are moving from yellow to blue hues, wild arum, bluebells, common vetch, violets, wild strawberries and much much more!

Small joys: the blue and pink patch of wood at Shutecombe, Spring Cottage with its feeders, spring and garden.