Ermington Parish Walks
No. 5 – Westlake to the Yealm - by Chris Wood.
This walk starts in Westlake and heads to the Yealm so pack your passport as we are leaving the Parish! You could of course walk to Westlake if you are starting in the village – that would add an extra hour to the round trip.
From Westlake head north towards Ivybridge passing Tod Moor until you reach West Worthele Farm on the left hand side. Turn into the entrance (footpath sign) and pass between the farmhouse on your left and the extensive farm buildings on your right. Turn right round the end of the buildings (not signposted) and when you reach the far corner turn left (signposted again) onto a broad track. After five minutes this emerges onto a quiet lane. Keep straight on and when the lane goes right keep straight again down the track towards Coyton Barton Farm. As you stroll down the lane you pass a lone wind turbine on the right and there are views to the Yealm valley ahead. The farm entrance goes off to the right but you carry straight on again. As you approach a field there is a gate on your left into a sunken lane with trees on either side.
This is both the most away from it all and tricky part of the walk. The route is obvious enough but crosses two streams which run even in the driest periods. It is used by cattle and gets badly waterlogged and churned up. The first stream can be crossed on a log, but is mucky either side. The second, smaller, one is by an entrance and very wet but can be bypassed just to the right. Once you have traversed the second stream conditions improve and the lane emerges from the trees into an open field. The footpath goes straight across two fields keeping near the bottom of the slope leading up to a ridge on the left. You then go through a gap in the hedge under a tree and head slightly left and upwards to reach a stile in the top corner of the third field. There are views to the right as you cross all these fields to south Dartmoor, Lee Mill and the prominent tower of Langage Power Station at Plympton.
If you want to avoid the wet bits there is an alternate lane route via Oakhill Farm, but it would be a shame to miss such an out of the way corner of the 
parish.
You emerge from the field over a stile into a lane. Go straight across into a driveway and then immediately right through a pedestrian gate (footpath signed). This takes you on a footpath through somebody’s garden, note the old hay waggon, and you emerge onto a lane again and turn left. This is Winsor. You pass the c1500 Winsor Gatehouse and then there is a footpath on the right which goes diagonally left across two open fields and down to the banks of the River Yealm. Go left along the riverbank until you reach a footbridge which you cross.
From here the route is eventually to the left but it would be a shame to miss the route to the right which leads along the Yealm and then through the woodland of Treby Ham. When you reach Lotherton Bridge turn round and return (there are two routes). This is the most scenic part of the walk and not to be missed.
Back at the footbridge you came across carry straight on with the Yealm to your left and emerge onto the driveway to Worston Mill. Carry on this quiet lane, past some houses and then take a left turn back towards the Yealm and another footbridge which you cross.
You now leave the Yealm behind and walk up an old stone bottomed lane which goes steadily uphill and eventually emerges at Sunridge. Go right at the top, pass the Sunridge Nurseries and on through the hamlet of Worston. The main traffic here is free range chickens! As you pass the last house on the right there is a track on the left hand side which initially looks as if it is doubling back the way you came but soon veers off to the right and gets narrower and greener till it becomes a footpath. You emerge at Knap Cross and go straight across and follow the quiet lane all the way back to Westlake via Ley Green. There are actually two lanes you can take but I prefer this one as it is higher and there are occasional views through field gates to both left and right. Halfway to Ley Green there is a footpath on the right between two gates which leads to Burraton and the other parallel lane. It is very overgrown and you need a machete to get through! Follow the signpost to the right at Ley Green and stroll on to Westlake.
Distance: 6 miles
Time: about 2½ to 3 hours
Terrain: quiet lanes, footpaths, fields and some wet patches. Walking boots or wellies are essential.
Livestock en route: keep dogs on a lead.
Difficulty: Pretty gentle but one rough and wet section.
