Culmstock Footpath Walk – The Beacon

Approximate Time: 2.5 hours

Distance: 4 miles/ 6.4km with a climb above Pitt Farm. 

Type of Walk: The Culmstock Beacon walk is a challenging steep, mixed‑terrain hill route with uneven footpaths, loose gravel, eroded ruts, and rough heathland that becomes soft or boggy after rain. Higher sections are fully exposed to wind, and both the ascent and descent can be slippery on wet grass, loose stones, or muddy slopes.

Parking:

Culmstock Village Car Park

Directions:

1. Starting at the War Memorial with the Strand Stores behind you, proceed up the Cleeve, walk past the church, go straight ahead through the metal gate to Footpath 1.
2. Bear left down to the footpath gate and onto the river bank, keeping the river to the left cross over the river at the footbridge and follow footpath through a gate and onto Blackwater Road.
3. Turn right and then left onto FP1, over a stile and through a large metal gate to Pitt Farm, turn right through Pitt Farm bear left up a concrete track to a metal farm gate to FP2.
4. Through the gate into the field turn immediately left and follow the hedge line to a metal gate, through the gate bear half right across the field to a double footpath gate.
5. Pass through both footpath gates turn immediately left onto FP18. Proceed uphill keeping the hedge line to the left, pass through the farm gate in the top left corner, follow the footpath up to the next farm gate, pass through onto FP1A.
6. Turn right, follow the footpath uphill, bear left to a footpath junction, turn right proceed uphill to the hill top, turn left and reach The Beacon (rest a while).
7. From behind the Beacon, follow the track to the pond, turn left and descend down the stoney track, pass through a wooden gate and onto the road, turn first left,  passing Scotts Shute.
8. Turn right at the FP6 finger post, follow footpath downhill through a footpath gate to a wooden farm gate, pass through keeping the hedge to the right to a metal farm gate unto a concrete track.
9. Pass through Dalwood Farm and over the stile into the field proceed to the bottom right corner, over the stile onto the road, turn right downhill to road junction, turn left, follow road downhill past the village school, carry on straight ahead towards the river.
10. Cross the bridge and finish the walk back at war memorial.

With thanks to the Culmstock Parish Council for providing this walking route.