Ermington Parish Walks
No. 2 – Flete and Erme - by Chris Wood.
This walk is a bit longer than the first one but quite gentle for the most part.
Start out from The Square and head up Chapel Street to the top of the village. Take the left fork (no we aren’t going up to the mast yet!) and follow the quiet lane first down and then a decent upward stretch to Whipples Cross. Straight over here and follow the track upwards again. On the left there are fine views of the Erne Valley snaking down towards Mothecombe and on the right the solar farm is completely hidden from view by the trees. Carry straight on when you reach the lane. Walk past Clickland (ignore the footpath sign to the left) and then along a quiet ridge top lane with fleeting views to either side. At the fork go left and you’ll soon arrive at the A379 opposite Flete Lodge.
Cross the main road and take the Holbeton road for a short while before taking the first left turn signposted to Ford. This bit can be busy and visibility isn’t great so take care. You don’t stay on the Ford lane for long as at the top of the hill you meet the Erme-Plym trail and turn left. This part of the walk is along a quiet lane through Flete Wood, a nice mix of deciduous woodland, and is gently downhill. At the end turn left down a track, staying on the Erme-Plym trail.
This part of the walk is through the Flete Estate and there are glimpses of the house to the right and at one point you pass under a stone bridge carrying the carriage drive. There is a mix of open views and wooded sections and the lane is full of ransoms in the spring.
When you hear and see the main road ahead cross the stile on the right and walk down across the field, then over another stile by the road. Cross the A379 then follow the path on the edge of the fields parallel with the road to Sequers Bridge. Just before the river turn left and follow the route through the river meadows back to Ermington. You could return along the other side of the Erme via Ermington Woods, longer but more varied (See Walk 1).
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 1½ to 2 hours
Terrain: mostly quiet lanes, some paths which can be wet after rain.
Difficulty: Easy but one uphill section early on and a couple of stiles.
