The walk was led by Joan Jewell with aplomb and Saturday 20th July was ideal for the event as there was some wind and after a few days of heat in the week preceding, the cooling wind kept the temperature down a little and the flies away!!

25 ramblers met together in the car park near the leisure centre at Totnes and at 9.15 AM we were off, heading towards the town centre and the river.

After 10 minutes we were walking out of Totnes with the River Dart on our left hand side.

Soon we approached the Goss Challenge work area at Baltic Wharf and in the absence of practice on the boat which is still under repair they have erected one of the masts on dry land so the crew can at least practice sail drill.

The first part of the walk took us along near the river and then we swung away, up and over the hill towards the first village out of Totnes, that of Ashprington. This part of the walk is covered in another walk description and can be seen by looking at the Totnes to Ashprington walk description.

There are some lovely pubs in this area of South Devon and Ashprington has the Durrant Arms, a pleasant pub at the cross road in the centre of the village.

Leaving Ashprinton the walk took us down the hill south west to sea level at Bow Bridge and the hamlet of Bow.

At low tide there are stepping stones across this inlet a hundred yards downstream from the bridge but these are completely covered at high tide.

The bridge is well over a mile to the west of the main river and the tributary seems to very very silted up.

Bow Bridge is also noted for a nice public house and hotel right by the bridge. The pub is called the Watermans Arms and it serves a range of good food and beer. It has an open area with tables etc right beside the bridge.

After the walk and return boat trip 8 of us returned to this pub to sample the food and drink on offer.

Leaving the bridge we walked east along a road by the edge of Bow Creek to the next hamlet of Tuckenhay, Tuckenhay Bridge and a pub called the Maltsters Arms. Another pub right by the side of the creek, this one can be reached by boat at high tide.

A claim to fame of the Maltsters Arms was that it was once owned by Keith Floyd, a well known TV personality and chef. It is no longer owned by him however.

There is a footpath which continues down the creek but since there is no walking link around the main river this dead end would have served no purpose in our walk to Dartmouth. We turned away from the creek and headed south west along the river with the river Wash on our right hand. We soon left the country lane and took a narrow track up to a point called Small Bridge and we then continued south for a short distance before taking a footpath through fields uphill for a while before following the contours of the land towards Gitcombe, now renovated as a holiday complex.

During this section of the walk there were plenty of stinging nettles to keep us occupied as we tried to avoid the inevitable.

Leaving Gitcombe, we turned left as we followed the footpath uphill and into a field.

There was a steep climb up the hill to the top where we stopped for an early lunch at 11.50 and to enjoy the splendid views across the rolling hills of South Devon with its patchwork quilt of fields.

After a thirty minute lunchbreak out of the wind in the warm rays of the sun we were off again for the estimated 5 miles to Dartmouth.

Over a stile at the top of the hill and across another field heading south east, we were soon back onto a country road once again, now at Higher Tideford.

The path emerged at a point where there was once an old Smithy and this long since renovated property still had some artifacts from the era when the Smithy maintained the farmers tools. An old horse drawn plough and a couple of other items sit just by the entrance gate to the house.

We followed the country road swinging south east until we reached Tideford Park Farm when we turned almost east and followed the footpath through fields for over a half a mile.

We descended to Capton Mill where the path drops down and over a stream and then directly across the front lawn of another renovated house. The owner has a sense of humour as can be seen from the old tractor and its permanent driver.

The footpath turned into a slightly wider track and we followed this track as it climbed slowly up to the hamlet of Capton. As it turned out, this was to be the end of the tracks and footpaths and for the remainder of the walk we were on narrow metalled country lanes.

From Capton we headed to Capton Cross, ignoring a corner cutting footpath since it's exit was too overgrown to be of use.

We then turned left onto a wider road and from this road we could see Dartmouth across a valley about two miles away as the crow flies.

We continued east on the main access road to the village of Dittisham for a short distance to Bruckton Cross where we turned right onto a narrow country lane and to Bruckton.

The next section of the walk was a steep descent down for a mile to the head of another creek. This one is called Old Mill Creek and to a bridge over the head of the creek by the Old Mill Cottage.

We stopped by the bridge for a short time for a quick fluid intake in preparation for the final uphill slog up a very steep hill to the outskirts of Dartmouth. It turned out to justify the double arrow marking denoting a particularly steep section.

Luckily though it was over soon enough and we were at the top on the outskirts of Dartmouth.

The group managed to spread out well as we climbed up this section but those who raced up had some time to recover and breath normally before embarking on the final descent down the narrow streets through the town to the banks for the river Dart.

The views overlooking the rooftops down to the river and the estuary entrance were very pleasant and a good reminder that the hard work of the day was almost over.

We followed the Dartmouth trail signs down into the town itself where the two who were returning by bus to Totnes headed for the Station house whilst the rest of us made for the river link boat booking office to make sure that we had our tickets for the return to Totnes at 5 PM.

Just as Joan had predicted, we had arrived at Darmouth with a good couple of hours for sightseeing and to grab some food, pasties, cream teas, ice creams and whatever the group wanted. Joan managed to negotiate a group discount for the 23 stalwarts who were braving the open river on the return and we were off in various directions to look at the town itself.

It was the first time I had ever taken the opportunity of walking around the town and the river banks and we enjoyed the couple of hours available to us.

There are plenty of old buildings to catch the eye and some of the old merchants houses were amazingly well preserved.

I had a pasty and can assure you that Dartmouth pasties are inferior to those we can get in Plymouth and at Oreston in particular, but I had to have one to make a valid comparison.

Up at the top of the hill, overlooking the town, sits the Royal Naval College and it certainly makes an impressive backdrop; once again though I must indicate that the picture doesn't do justice to it.

It was very relaxing to sit on the main promenade overlooking the river and to just watch the many boats as they manouevred around in the river with the strange looking upper and lower vehicle ferries plying their trade.

The two hours were up soon enough and we were back, queuing to go on board the Cardiff Castle for the return upstream to Totnes.

After a fifteen minute delay whilst the final crew member was rustled up we were on our way again, this time sitting and watching the world go by as we headed upstream and away from Dartmouth and Kingswear on the other bank.

After the hustle and bustle of Dartmouth it was pleasant to see the boats behind us and soon enough we were passing the village of Dittisham to port as the river widenened out and swung west by Galmpton Creek.

Below us in the river we could see fish leaping out of the water and below decks the call of the bar was even stronger. Two pints of beer managed to slip down my throat en route to relax the tired muscles following the exercise of the day.

Relaxed they certainly became and just before arriving at Totnes cramp of the upper leg muscle set in to the amusement of at least a couple of walkers who noticed my severely impaired movement!!!

The guide pointed out several places of interest during the return trip and we motored by several imposing houses along the river.

The river meandered its way upstream and we passed by the creeks we had skirted on the walk down, Old Mill and Bow Creeks to name but two. We motored around Ashprington Point and the vineyards just beyond at Sharpham Point with the imposing Sharpham house behind.

There were plenty of sea and river birds to watch as we made our way along the river only two hours after low tide. Only an hour and a quarter after setting off we were approaching the wharves of Totnes, passing by the Pete Goss boathouse where his catarmaran Team Phillips is undergoing repairs and shortly after we were swinging around to face downstream again at the disembarkation point at Steamer Quay. Luckily the leg cramp had disappeared as fast as it had appeared and we were on our way for the final half a mile or so of river side walking to the return to our cars at the Leisure Centre Car Park.

We had all arrived back, some to return to Plymouth and for 8 of us a drive to the Waterman's Arms at Bow Bridge for an evening meal prior to the return to Plymouth. More drinks and some good food at the Waterman's to round off a good day out and we were on our way back.

We had set off at 8 AM and were back in Plymouth just before 10 PM, yes it had been a full day with an excellent walk and varied scenery rounded off with a boat trip and a meal. A ramblers day to be savoured for sure.

Thanks to Joan for her efforts prior to and on the day, competence checked and found ok Joan.