Wednesday 18th February 2026
After an unintended day of rest during my stay in Devon, I decided to travel a short distance back up the A386 and explore a walk starting at Lydford Gorge, which I’d not been to before.
Now, this was still in the winter season, meaning the northern half of the gorge (with the Devil’s Cauldron) was closed to the public. I was able to park at the southern end where the parking remained free, while the National Trust office and café were firmly closed.
Finding the way forward was quite straightforward. I was only taken aback by the presence of other people who, on such a miserable day of neverending rain, had also decided to venture down in to the gorge.
In such conditions, you’d want to wear decent footwear rather than slick trainers, as you are walking downhill for the first part. It’s not a big walk, by any means.
Paths are clearly signed and very well worked in to the landscape. There’s no mistaking where you can and cannot access.
There’s something pleasant about descending a few dozen metres to discover this green ‘subterranean’ world, in contrast to the village, tarmac and concrete above.
While it’s not the largest gorge in the UK (with that crown belonging to my local, Cheddar Gorge), I’d recommend a visit and exploring the area. I hope to return one day and see the northern half of the gorge.
In no time at all, you arrive at the White Lady Waterfall. Slender yet powerful. Heard from a distance, as you make your approach.
A natural wonder to behold. For all the concern over visiting in a wet winter, this might actually be a good time to see the all in something close to its full force.
You can cross a swaying rope bridge to the other side of the River Lyd but the path beyond soon ends at a locked gate, apparently due to “danger” beyond.
I’d like to think that access will be restored beyond here, one day. Perhaps it already has, as I write this some seven months after my visit.
Otherwise, it’s a track back alongside the river’s edge, following the path back up to the car park.
Before the car park, I decided to venture off along one of the higher alternative paths, to see where it might lead. That’s where I passed this bird hide (although it seemed like less-than-ideal conditions for twitching).
Beyond that, the remnants of what was possibly once a cottage and… Another dead end.
This is where some, quite understandably, get a bit ‘agitated’ towards the National Trust. They own and look after so much land around the UK. In many places, open access is permitted. Yet still, there are often as guilty as the most ‘selfish’ of landowners, for limiting public access to nothing more than a few string length series of single dimensional footpaths.
Along here, there would’ve once been a railway line. Later on in my trip, I’d explore another disused railway line close by – one that has since been converted in to a cycle path.
In the next post, I’ll talk about the rest of my day, as I set off again from the car park in search of proper hills…
Thanks for reading.
Walks With Olly 