Tamara Way - Horsebridge to Kelly

 

A nice day, so we decided to do the next section of the Tamara Way walk. We seem to be walking shorter distances, but feel by doing it in short sections we are maximising the enjoyment. Setting off from Horsebridge, we were mostly on country lanes, and heading away from the River Tamar. There was a lovely view back across the valley towards Kit Hill.

 

We passed the entrance to the Endsleigh House Hotel, and also to the Endsleigh Garden Centre, which has closed recently. It was a lovely place to poke around for plants, so we are sad it has gone.

 

I am slightly obsessed with lambs, and also with the idea of photographing one mid-leap. We passed through a field of very friendly sheep and lambs, but I still did not manage to get the photo I want.

 

We then got to Milton Abbot, which we frequently drive through, but have never approached from this angle. It is a really interesting village, with much of it designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the arts and crafts style. (He also built much of New Delhi, The Cenotaph, Castle Drogo and Lindisfarne Castle.) We sat and ate our picnic lunch in a playground next to the church, and then on our way.

House designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens

Continuing up the hill we passed through a field with some cows. I am a little nervous of cows, just because of their size, and these ones seemed very interested in us. So some speedy walking across the field, but another lovely view of Kit Hill looking back.

 

Not much further on, and just one more field of cows passed through, and we arrived at Kelly. I think I would describe Kelly as a hidden gem. We visited the weekend before, as I wanted to have a look around the Poison in the Garden. I may have a dark sense of humour, but found the labels on the plants so funny. A few plants would cause skin irritation, but so many ending up with coma or death. Of course there are the obvious plants, like yew, laburnum and lords and ladies, that most people know as poisonous, but who knew that so many other plants could cause you harm. So however peckish you are, just don't be tempted by the daffodils or bluebells. Last weekend we finished our visit with a lovely cup of tea with cake in the garden, and it really felt like Spring had come.