Discover more walks<\/h4>\n- Britain\u2019s best nature reserves for walks and wildlife<\/a><\/li>\n
- Best walks in Devon<\/a><\/li>\n
- Best summer walks in Britain<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div>
![\""Atlantic\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2020\/03\/Atlantic-puffin-8b80efb.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Atlantic\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Bystock walk<\/h2>\n
6 miles | 3.5 hours | easy-moderate<\/em><\/p>\n1. Bystock car park<\/h4>\n
Begin your walk at Bystock Nature Reserve\u2019s<\/a> north entrance car park, and head downhill across the field to a wooden gate. Follow the path around to the right through some woodland until you see a boardwalk, then bear left uphill. Begin your descent to the famous Bystock pools.<\/p>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Emperor dragonflies are just one of 20 species to reside at Bystock ponds\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n Listen for great spotted woodpeckers as they drum their springtime song. <\/blockquote> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div> Bystock\u2019s proximity to heathland, wildflower meadows and deciduous woodland creates an oasis for over 30 species of butterfly. In May, the conditions are ideal for the small pearl-bordered, dark green and silver-washed fritillaries, which can be seen in the surrounding copses and meadows.<\/p>\n
Naturally, this invertebrate activity invites a variety of birdlife to Bystock\u2019s heaths, including the rare nightjar \u2013 listen out for its churring\u00a0calls on a summer evening.\u00a0The benches along this\u00a0stretch offer a peaceful picnic spot to watch dragonflies,\u00a0as well as stonechats and sometimes kingfishers.<\/p>\n
\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Listen out for the call of the nightjar on summer evenings\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nAs you walk up through\u00a0the reserve to a lane, enjoy\u00a0spectacular views across to Pebblebed Heaths \u2013 a special area of conservation for over 140 bird species, such as the Dartford warbler, hobby and long-eared owl. On warmer days, look out for the adders\u00a0in the rough undergrowth.<\/p>\n
2. Squabmoor Reservoir<\/h4>\n
Turn left along the lane and shortly after bear right on\u00a0to a footpath,\u00a0following the\u00a0yellow waymarkers to keep Squabmoor Reservoir on your\u00a0right. At the dam, continue down a field into a wood, then veer right on to\u00a0a track, then left on to a lane at Dalditch Farm. After Brookside Cottage,\u00a0take the track on the left, walk 300m, then turn left again.<\/p>\n
3. Hayeswood Lane<\/h4>\n
After another 300m, bear right after a waymarker and then,\u00a0at a fork in the path, turn left.\u00a0As you ascend along the edge of the wood, keep your ears pricked for great spotted woodpeckers drumming their springtime\u00a0rhythms. Follow the markers straight along a grassy path until a clearing and turn left to cross a stile down to the bottom of the field. Go through two gates and over a stile. Yellow markers lead you over Hayeswood Lane to another stile, before turning left on to a footpath to reach Hayes Lane.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Greater spotted woodpecker\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n4. Hayes Barton<\/h4>\n
Turn right past the free car park\u00a0into East Budleigh \u2013 the small village is a stone\u2019s throw from the stunning Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site<\/a>. If you\u2019re after some mid-ramble refreshments, drop into the\u00a0Sir Walter Raleigh pub, which offers good food and local ales.<\/p>\nReturn the way you came, then continue straight on up\u00a0Hayes Lane for about one\u00a0mile until you reach Hayes Barton. Built in around 1484, this attractive private house\u00a0is the birthplace (1552) of\u00a0Sir Walter Raleigh.<\/p>\n
5. Back to Bystock<\/h4>\n
Walk another half-mile and bear left at a T-junction. Take a right at the next junction, turning\u00a0left after 10 yards to join a path parallel to the road. Go left when the path forks,\u00a0passing some quarry workings to your right. Rejoin the road after around 100m, then turn right and return to Bystock reserve\u2019s north car park. For a treat\u00a0after your wild wander, look no further than Otterton Mill, a five-minute drive from Bystock and one of the best places\u00a0in Britain for a cream tea.<\/p>\n
Time your visit a little later\u00a0in the day and you might see glow worms. These magical insects appear in late spring and summer in the wildflower meadows as females signal\u00a0for a mate.<\/p>\n
Bystock map<\/h2>\n
<\/p><\/div>
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Bystock walk<\/h2>\n
6 miles | 3.5 hours | easy-moderate<\/em><\/p>\n Begin your walk at Bystock Nature Reserve\u2019s<\/a> north entrance car park, and head downhill across the field to a wooden gate. Follow the path around to the right through some woodland until you see a boardwalk, then bear left uphill. Begin your descent to the famous Bystock pools.<\/p>\n Bystock\u2019s proximity to heathland, wildflower meadows and deciduous woodland creates an oasis for over 30 species of butterfly. In May, the conditions are ideal for the small pearl-bordered, dark green and silver-washed fritillaries, which can be seen in the surrounding copses and meadows.<\/p>\n Naturally, this invertebrate activity invites a variety of birdlife to Bystock\u2019s heaths, including the rare nightjar \u2013 listen out for its churring\u00a0calls on a summer evening.\u00a0The benches along this\u00a0stretch offer a peaceful picnic spot to watch dragonflies,\u00a0as well as stonechats and sometimes kingfishers.<\/p>\n As you walk up through\u00a0the reserve to a lane, enjoy\u00a0spectacular views across to Pebblebed Heaths \u2013 a special area of conservation for over 140 bird species, such as the Dartford warbler, hobby and long-eared owl. On warmer days, look out for the adders\u00a0in the rough undergrowth.<\/p>\n Turn left along the lane and shortly after bear right on\u00a0to a footpath,\u00a0following the\u00a0yellow waymarkers to keep Squabmoor Reservoir on your\u00a0right. At the dam, continue down a field into a wood, then veer right on to\u00a0a track, then left on to a lane at Dalditch Farm. After Brookside Cottage,\u00a0take the track on the left, walk 300m, then turn left again.<\/p>\n After another 300m, bear right after a waymarker and then,\u00a0at a fork in the path, turn left.\u00a0As you ascend along the edge of the wood, keep your ears pricked for great spotted woodpeckers drumming their springtime\u00a0rhythms. Follow the markers straight along a grassy path until a clearing and turn left to cross a stile down to the bottom of the field. Go through two gates and over a stile. Yellow markers lead you over Hayeswood Lane to another stile, before turning left on to a footpath to reach Hayes Lane.<\/p>\n Turn right past the free car park\u00a0into East Budleigh \u2013 the small village is a stone\u2019s throw from the stunning Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site<\/a>. If you\u2019re after some mid-ramble refreshments, drop into the\u00a0Sir Walter Raleigh pub, which offers good food and local ales.<\/p>\n Return the way you came, then continue straight on up\u00a0Hayes Lane for about one\u00a0mile until you reach Hayes Barton. Built in around 1484, this attractive private house\u00a0is the birthplace (1552) of\u00a0Sir Walter Raleigh.<\/p>\n Walk another half-mile and bear left at a T-junction. Take a right at the next junction, turning\u00a0left after 10 yards to join a path parallel to the road. Go left when the path forks,\u00a0passing some quarry workings to your right. Rejoin the road after around 100m, then turn right and return to Bystock reserve\u2019s north car park. For a treat\u00a0after your wild wander, look no further than Otterton Mill, a five-minute drive from Bystock and one of the best places\u00a0in Britain for a cream tea.<\/p>\n Time your visit a little later\u00a0in the day and you might see glow worms. These magical insects appear in late spring and summer in the wildflower meadows as females signal\u00a0for a mate.<\/p>\n1. Bystock car park<\/h4>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-489901160-2-2491fd7.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Listen for great spotted woodpeckers as they drum their springtime song. <\/blockquote> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/04\/GettyImages-179227741-eb43d43-1cddbca.jpg?quality=90&resize=505%2C336"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>2. Squabmoor Reservoir<\/h4>\n
3. Hayeswood Lane<\/h4>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-868389006-ab06174.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>4. Hayes Barton<\/h4>\n
5. Back to Bystock<\/h4>\n
Bystock map<\/h2>\n
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