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- What part of England do your route directions cover?
- What format are the downloads?
- Do I need to be able to map read?
- Should I bring an OS map with me?
- How do you read a map reference?
- What is the area like for walking?
- What is the area like for cycling?
- What method of payment can we use?
- What OS maps cover your area?
- What is tracklogs?
- What is GPS?
- How do I report problems in the directions?
- What time limit is there on downloading the files?
- What walking holidays do you provide?
- What part of England do your route directions cover?
All of North Devon and Exmoor. So this includes Tarka Country and Ruby Country, the Tarka Trail, the South West Coast Path, part of the Two Moors Way and the Coleridge Way.
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- What format are the downloads?
All the leaflets are in Adobe Acrobat Reader (pdf) format. This is available free from Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. The GPS routes are all tracklogs files (trl) which requires the relevant digital mapping obtained from www.tracklogs.co.uk.
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- Do I need to be able to map read?
No, all routes are designed to be followed simply through the text. Some of the routes do have OS grid references included and always have a start and finish grid reference. Some routes have a simply map showing the route just for information but not to guide you through the route.
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- Should I bring an OS map with me?
You do not need to. You may prefer to though as a map can give you extra information on the area through which you are walking. On the routes with grid references included, then a map will show you exactly where you are using these references.
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- How do you read a map reference?
We use a 6 figure grid reference. So a grid ref may read something like SS 474 891. The SS refers to a very large square of 100,000 metres, into which England is divided. This area (Devon and Exmoor) is usually within SS and SX. If you buy the map covering the area you are going to visit you do not need to worry about this part of the reference and you will see it up in the top left hand corner of the map.
Now comes the interesting bit. 474 refers to the grid going along the TOP of the map. Go along this grid reference (in blue) to '47'. The last '4' means go across this '47' grid box by 4 tenths, so not quite half way across. So this gives you the position going down the map. Remember that position.
Now for the '891'. This time look down the EDGE of the map, either edge and these numbers are also repeated within the map to save you opening the map right out. Go up the map until you find '89' and then go into that grid box by a small amount, 1 tenth of that box.
Now where the 47 and 89 boxes join plus the tenth increments into that box, (to the right and upwards) gives you the position of that grid reference.
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- What is the area like for walking?
Because our routes cover a wide area, there is a wide variety of terrain covered by our walks.
Exmoor gives much more hilly countryside than North Devon. The South West Coast Path can be very tough walking. As an example, if you walk from Lynmouth to Combe Martin, a 12 mile walk, you climb the equivalent of from sea level, up Mt Snowdon and back down to sea level again, plus a bit.
Tarka Country within North Devon, gives more gentle walks through rolling countryside and a patchwork of hedged fields and pretty villages.
The Coleridge Way is 36 miles long and surprisingly energetic, so we recommend walking it over 4 days.
The scenery is what makes this area so special. It has been voted the 2nd most scenic area in the UK after the west coast of Scotland. It is also one of three of the most tranquil areas in the UK. It includes the only World Biosphere Reserve in the UK. We have the highest coast cliffs in the UK at Great Hangman near Combe Martin. Basically it is pretty impressive!
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- What is the area like for cycling?
This area is well known for the 32 miles of off-road cycling along the old railway tracks of the Tarka Trail. There are several cycle hire operators near to the trail.
Several Sustrans routes pass through this area including the coast to coast route from Ilfracombe to Plymouth which is well signed.
The quiet country lanes are a delight to ride, albeit with some steep climbs on occasions. Our rides take in the Tarka Trail and these country lanes to make enjoyable circular routes.
Exmoor has a range of off-road mountain bike rides which are very challenging but pass through great countryside.
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- What method of payment can we use?
We have chosen Paypal as the way to pay for your downloads. Paypal is well respected and secure. You can set up a Paypal account or you can make one-off payments through Paypal.
Once you have made payment you will be sent an email giving you access to the downloadable file of your choice. Please make sure you give the correct email address for the download.
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- What OS maps cover your area?
In the Landranger series, 1:50,000, 180, 181 and parts of 190 and 191. These maps are ideal for giving an overview of where you are going and therefore good for cycling. They are a bit too basic for accurate map reading for walking. For that you would be better off with the Explorer maps.
In the Explorer map series, Exmoor is covered by OL9, Ilfracombe to Bideford by 139, Torrington and the Hartland peninsula by 126 and South Molton and Chulmleigh by 127. All these maps give field boundaries and accurate rights of way positions making navigation easier.
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- What is tracklogs?
tracklogs.co.uk is one of the providers of digital mapping. It is the one I prefer and use because it is so user-friendly.
The digital routes you can download from this site use tracklogs file format. To enable you to read these routes you need to purchase at least one digital map from tracklogs which covers the area of the route you wish to download. With the map download you get the program as well to run the digital map.
Once you have the digital map you can view the outing on the map. If you then have a suitable GPS unit you can then download that to your GPS and it will then take you on that outing.
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- What is GPS?
It is a satellite navigation system. It is used by hand-held units or by car navigation systems (amongst others). It needs at least 3 satellites to locate your position on the globe. The more satellites it can reach, the more accurately it locates you.
When walking there are ocassions when you could lose signals to less than 3 satellites, in which case it cannot locate your position. This tends to happen in woodland or deep valleys. Generally this is for only short periods and you will soon regain your 3 or more satellites so getting your directions back. Usually when this happens you are probably on a footpath and so you can continue ahead quite confidently. Should you have gone wrong during the period that your GPS had lost enough signals, then it will correct you once it regains enough satellite signals.
You can purchase GPS hand-held units from most outdoor shops. If you wish to use our downloadable files, then you need a GPS unit that can connect to a computer through a USB port.
GPS units can track where you are walking or riding, lead you along a pre-determined route, retrace your footsteps, act as a compass and gives you information such as height above sea level and height lost and gained during an outing. It also gives distance covered and to be covered if on a route on the GPS.
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- How do I report problems in the directions?
Before doing so, please be sure that you are on the route as described. Stiles are being replaced throughout this area with kissing gates, so the routes may have been written before these path improvements had taken place.
We endeavour to update our routes over a 3 to 5 year period and in that time small changes could occur. If you report an error that is clearly going to cause other people problems, then we would check the route out quickly and update the route details.
To report problems and errors please email bryan@westcountrywalks.co.uk, giving as much detail as possible, including the walk or ride taken, what part of the route, ideally with a grid reference (see how to take a grid ref). Thank you.
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- What time limit is there on downloading the files?
You have 7 days in which to download your chosen file(s) from the day of purchase. You can download up to 2 copies only.
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- What walking holidays do you provide?
West Country Walks provide walking holidays with B&B accommodation along the route, luggage transfer and route directions. You can walk along the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Boscastle, chossing any section and any period. You can also walk the Coleridge Way from Nether Stowey to Porlock, which is the whole route. For more information please contact Bryan on 01271 883131 or email bryan@westcountrywalks.co.uk
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