Fingle Bridge, Devon. Ham, egg, chips and a pint (and a cracking walk)

So, its time to kick off with my first location and I have chosen one which I personally have visited many times since childhood, Fingle Bridge in Devon.

The bridge from the Inn

Located on the edge of Dartmoor, Fingle Bridge is a 17th Century bridge spanning the River Teign near the village of Drewsteignton.

Now, the National Trust members amongst you have probably been in the area visiting the stunning Castle Drogo. Fingle bridge is not far and you can reach the grounds of Castle Drogo by taking the path turning right once you have crossed the bridge.

I want to concentrate on not just the bridge itself but the woodland walks you can take along the banks of the River Teign.

If you arrive by car you can either park up next to the Fingle Bridge Inn (yep, there is a pub which I will most certainly come to later) or drive over the bridge to park on the other side of the river. Now the choice is yours which way you wander. As I mentioned, I have been coming here since I was knee high and have always been drawn to turning left and taking the woodland path.

Those of you who like your mountain bikes will really enjoy the trail here. Keep an eye out especially during the summer if you are walking for people tearing by on bikes but there is more than enough space for you to lose yourself along the walk.

When you start your walk (with the river on your left shoulder) you will notice what looks like ruined stone cottages. These are the remnants of the old corn mills that used to operate in the area. Pushing on deeper into the wooded area you will still have good access to the river banks.

The view in this picture shows the sort of terrain and scenery you will be walking through.

Other view looking up towards the moors.

Now sadly i am no wildlife expert and I cannot claim to have witnessed this however, I am told that there are otters in the area so try and keep an eye out when the path does take you closer back to the river. It is up to you how far you push on. Personally, being quite lazy and always thinking about where my next meal is I tend to spend an hour or so exploring and just soaking in the area before heading back to the bridge. I do prefer to stay down in the gorge around the fishermans path.

The River Teign. 

Right, back to the bridge and straight into the Fingle Bridge Inn. This is a cracking pub and I have to say I had one of the best meals there once. Back in 2007 I spent a rainy week in Devon with the wife. After a bit of a drenching we stopped for lunch at the Inn. 

Now this is the point of the blog I suppose.....the rain had clearly kept everyone away so not only did we have the whole area to ourselves, the pub also was deserted. Sat next to a real open fire watching the river from the window whilst devouring ham, egg and chips (plus a pint) was pure luxury. And I have the rain to thank for this experience. 

Stick your waterproof on and Embrace the Weather.........

Now, as this blog progresses I am bound to rattle on about Dartmoor a few times. Keep your eyes open for those special little places and if you are visiting Castle Drogo, make the detour. I however would certainly say a visit to this tranquil part of south Devon is well worth it to escape the usual crowded spots. 

Happy exploring

Fingle Bridge - my ham egg and chips moment