Day 6 of an 8-day walk through Devon. An 8-mile walk from Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses on a route that could be used by Lands End to John O'Groats long distance walkers passing through the county

1. A WALK THROUGH DEVON
Launceston to Skilgate, in easy
8- to 10-mile stages, on minor roads and footpaths
John Downs with Indie
Day 6 of 8 – Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses – 8.19 miles (13.2 km)
OS Explorer Maps 113 & 114
Devon - Day 6 1
Elevation gain 199 metres (748 ft)
Max elevation 215 metres (633 ft)
On a ridge road near Loosebeare,
looking north-east, with Lapford
in the distance

2. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
My pre-walk Plan
On the day itself I finished short at Five Crosses because my dog could walk no further
Devon - Day 6 2
WALK MILES DIRECTIONS
Morchard Bishop to
Willicroft Farm
(OS 113 & 114)
9.5 miles
3 Leave Morchard Bishop east towards Barton Cross,
follow Two Moors Way north to Lower Brownstone and
follow minor road east past Brownstone Moor Cross to
Black Dog
3 Straight across at Black Dog to Littleborough, then take a
left on minor road north to Nomansland
3.5 Straight across at Nomansland to Five Crosses, Ellworthy
and on to Tidderson and Willicroft Farm next to A361

3. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
OS map 113 detail for Morchard Bishop to edge of map near Black Dog
Devon - Day 6 3

4. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
OS map 114 detail for Black Dog to Nomansland
Devon - Day 6 4

5. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
OS map 114 detail for Nomansland to Tidderson Moor
Devon - Day 6 5

6. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
Another fine country walk on high ground, all on footpaths and quiet minor roads, following the Two Moors Way in places.
Great views of rural mid-Devon all around - from Dartmoor in the south across to Exmoor in the north. A gradual ascent
from Morchard Bishop at 166 meters to around 200 meters altitude at Black Dog and then continuing on north-east to
Nomansland and on to Five Crosses at 217 metres. Two sections of woodland traversed by footpath – Morchard Wood and
Washford Wood. Very few people or cars seen during more than 4 hours of walking.
Devon - Day 6 6

7. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses - Overview of route
Another quiet scenic walk, on footpaths and barely-used minor roads, with fine views in all directions from the higher
ground. Starting with a gradual uphill from Morchard Bishop to Black Dog at 198 metres, and then a section of relatively
level walking to Washford Pyne, followed by a further gradual climb to Nomansland and then Five Crosses at 217 metres.
General Directions : 1st leg – 2.9 miles Head north on footpath through Morchard Wood before picking up minor road
north-east to Black Dog 2nd leg – 2.7 miles Pick up the Two Moors Way north to Washford Pyne and then on to Henceford
Cross on a minor road . 3rd leg -2.6 miles Continue north-east on minor road, crossing the B 3137 at Nomansland, and
proceed onwards on minor road to Five Crosses.
Devon - Day 6 7

8. Started out from Morchard Bishop at 12.11 on a dry sunny day, 17oC. Starting altitude: 166 metres. Headed east down Church
Lane and after 5 minutes turned left onto Two Moors Way footpath. After crossing fields I branched off north from the TMW
path to enter Morchard Wood, took the footpath through the wood (steep valley with river) and emerged onto Northwood
Farm road. Continued east onto Northwood Lane, and then Cuckoo Hill, turning left onto the Black Dog road at the signed
junction, and walked up to Brownstone Cross @ 1.39 miles and 173 metres altitude – elapsed walking time 44 minutes. Kept on
the road to Black Dog past Lower Brownstone, where the TMW path crosses the road, and then Upper Brownstone @ 1.91
miles and 1 hour elapsed walking time. Then straight on past Brownstone to Brownstone Moor Cross @ 2.69 miles, elapsed time
1 hour 21minutes, altitude 199 metres. OS Map 114 from here. At 2.96 miles took a left onto footpath just before Black Dog,
altitude 198 meters and then left onto Copstone Hill. Elapsed time so far 1 hour 40 minutes.
Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- First leg to Black
Dog – 2.96 miles
Devon - Day 6 8

9. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- First leg to Black Dog
– 2.96 miles
Clockwise from bottom left: Church Street, leaving Morchard Bishop, with Two Moors Way footpath sign on left ;
view north towards Morchard Wood from the Two Moors Way footpath leaving Morchard Bishop; looking back from
Cuckoo Hill at Northwood Lane and Morchard Wood ; on Cuckoo Hill looking east towards sign for Black Dog (left)
These are all Google Maps photos (taken in the winter !) as I lost my own photos of this section of the walk
Devon - Day 6 9

10. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- First leg to Black Dog
– 2.96 miles
Clockwise from bottom left : View east from Brownstone Cross; looking east towards Lower Brownstone; at Lower
Brownstone, with the Two Moors Way footpath crossing the road; after Higher Brownstone, looking east
These are all Google Maps photos as I lost my own photos of this section of the day’s walk
Devon - Day 6 10

11. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- First leg to Black Dog
– 2.96 miles
Clockwise from bottom left : the footpath left just before Black Dog; the famous Black Dog Inn; view east from the
footpath behind Black Dog – a high point with views all round ; another view of the back of Black Dog village from
the same footpath
The first two photos are Google Map photos as I have lost my own photos of this first section of the day’s walk up to
Black Dog
Devon - Day 6 11

12. Join The Two Moors Way (TMW) footpath on Copstone Hill (@ 3.2 miles, walked in 1 hour 41 minutes, altitude 185 meters)
leaving Black Dog and proceed north Washford Pyne, passing Pyne Farm and Wonham and passing through Washford Wood. Enter
Washford Pyne ( 4.84 miles walked so far in 2 hours 44 minutes, altitude 177 metres). Leave Washford Pyne on minor road
running east beside Henceford Brook. Bear left over Hence Ford @ 5.61 miles, altitude 178 metres and elapsed time 3 hours 6
minutes, and walk uphill to Henceford Cross.
Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Second leg Black
Dog to Henceford Cross – 2.65 miles
Devon - Day 6 12

13. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Second leg Black Dog
to Henceford Cross – 2.65 miles
Left to right: Entering Washford Wood on the Two Moors Way; the track through Washford Wood; Washford Pyne; the
road beside Henceford Brook
Devon - Day 6 13

14. Continue on north-east from Henceford Cross on minor road across Henceford Moor and Woodscombe Moor for 1.8 miles to
the hamlet of Nomansland – altitude 204 metres; elapsed walking time 4 hours and 9 minutes. Cross the B3137 at the Mount
Pleasant Inn in Nomansland and take minor road north-east to Five Crosses. Total elapsed walking time was 4 hours 38 minutes,
and distance travelled from Morchard Bishop was 8.19 miles. Altitude at Five Crosses: 217 metres.
And yes, Five Crosses really is a junction of 5 roads…..
Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Third leg from
Henceford Cross to Five Crosses – 2.6 miles
Devon - Day 6 14

15. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Third leg from
Henceford Brook to Five Crosses – 2.6 miles
Devon - Day 6 15

16. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Third leg from
Henceford Cross to Five Crosses – 2.6 miles
Clockwise from bottom left : Henceford Cross ; View north from Woodscombe Moor (209 meters altitude) towards Nomansland;
the crossroads at Normansland with The Mount Pleasant Inn on the right -the road to Five Crosses is directly opposite, signposted
Rackenford.
All three photos are Google Maps images taken in winter 2009 !
Devon - Day 6 16

17. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses- Third leg from
Henceford Cross to Five Crosses – 2.6 miles
Left to right : Looking north-east towards Nomansland from Woodscombe Moor; Indie, very tired and hot, at Five Crosses.
Devon - Day 6 17

18. Day 6 - Morchard Bishop to Five Crosses
Walk statistics (Garmin)
Devon - Day 6 18