In this walk, Tom Davies explores the mainly wooded but steep north and south sides of the Teign Gorge. This is a walk on good tracks. It is mostly shaded in the summer and sheltered from the wind. In May there is a stunning display of bluebells in the Whiddon Deer Park.
Start at the car park near Fingle Bridge (A) and take the signposted track (Hunters Path) at (B) from there which climbs steeply towards the top of Sharp Tor at (C).
Continue along the well used track past Castle Drogo (D) towards Hunters Tor at (E). Here take the right turn to a tarmac drive at (F) where you should turn left and follow the track down to the river at (G) where you can cross a footbridge to find another track running alongside the river.
Turn right and continue along the track passing Whiddon Park House on your right and then meeting a farm track at (H), taking a left turn and beginning the ascent to the Whiddon Deer Park along a winding farm track.
This track initially follows the large stone wall alongside the public road but soon turns left and climbs through woods finally reaching the open space of the deer park (I), where if you are quiet you may encounter a significant herd of deer including two albinos.
On the return leg head for the north corner of the walled deer park (J)
where there is a field gate in the stone wall and on passing through this there is a stile on your right through another stone wall after which you follow the perimeter wall on your right along a signposted track through Whiddon Wood.
You will eventually come to a bifurcation in the track as you enter Hannicombe Wood, (K). Here you have the choice of taking the left hand track which descends to the river at L and then follow the riverside track back to Fingle Bridge, or take the right hand ascending track which passes through Charles Wood and eventually meets the well used but very stony track at (M) which takes you down to Fingle Bridge.
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