Ruby Run 3

Ruby Route Three

Having run so far a couple of days back I figured this final run should be more moderate. But how could I visit Willand and not run along the Culm water meadows? So I did, but not all the way to Culmstock this time. I set out shortly after 6 a.m. again so it was dark. This time my total distance was a mere 9.82 miles, average speed 5.15 mph (5.76 moving), maximum elevation 138m, minimum 68m. Not sure I trust those elevation stats though.

Conjunction along the Uffculme Straight

The Jupiter-Venus-Mars conjunction was best on 26th October (the date of my previous run) but it was too cloudy then. This time (the 28th) I got at least a glimpse though could not make out the dimmer Mars. A smart-phone camera is not the best instrument for astronomic photos but I least I tried and the two brighter planets are at least visible.

Dawn at Coldharbour

Coldharbour Mill in street-lamp glow

Moon over the river Culm

Morning glory - Venus is just visible

The blessèd Culm water meadows shrouded in mist

Amazingly I met a person out walking their dog along the river in the dark. We passed as ships in the night (it was virtually). It was a wet and a tad cold under foot and this clinched my decision to leave the river side at Five Fords and make a circuitous route back home.

Mist on the way back

Tiverton Parkway railway station

And back along the cycle-way that joins the station to Willand. There used to be a train station at Willand but they moved it a couple of miles north to its present location - one wonders at the logic of this.

Crossing the M5

We travelled home later the same morning. If I get back to Willand again what more can I explore? Whilst researching the Blackdown Hills as background to these posts I happened upon the following:

Culmstock Beacon

This is a "Stone structure built in 1588 to support a wooden pole and fire basket(s). Fire(s) would be lit as a signal that the Spanish Armada had been sighted. Of the chain of beacon sites across Southern England, this is the only remaining stone structure. Sounds interesting enough to make the effort. Since my previous run to Culmstock was 11.5 miles round trip I guess including the tower would take it up to about 15 miles and some serious up-hill but I know now this is possible.

Showing the beacon in relation to Culmstock

Around Rural Willand 4

The last time I was staying in Willand I was running via Uffculme and noticed the walk along the river, so this visit I determined to investigate.

There are several satisfactory barefoot-running corridors from Willand: the road to Halberton,  the road across the Culm to Bradfield, the "Uffculme Straight" (B3440) and the cycle-way to Tiverton Parkway station. Whereas the road to Waterloo Cross and the M5 is too busy for comfort and the main road the Cullompton is stony and almost as bad.

So this time I took the cycle-way (I saw not a single cyclist) which terminates at the station foot-bridge.

Tiverton Parkway railway station

The footbridge

The footpath to Appledore

Looking back from same

The footpath from Waterloo Cross to Appledore goes across fields - smooth going to start with but becoming rather stony under-foot and not at all clear exactly where the path is meant to go. The footpath from Appledore to Uffculme is a stony track and thus harder going.

The footpath from Appledore to Uffculme

River Culm at Uffculme

Once in Uffculme I dropped down to the river and followed the much-sought-after river path. The right-of-way follows the river through grassy meadows and one meets owners taking their dogs or families with children. I imagine it an ideal place for a picnic in warmer weather.

At this point the sun breaks through the clouds and I am grateful for its warmth. The ground is heavenly under barefoot, and the outlook euphoric.

Weir

Looking back at the weir

This weir is a complex affair with sluice-gate and crosses the river at an angle. I suppose it directs water to nearby Coldharbour Mill. I wanted to pick my way across the weir but there were onlookers and I am afraid of what they might think of a 60 year old playing child.

Dogs and their humans

By now the morning clouds have fully lifted and my euphoria is heightened - I want to go on and on running beside this river forever. Sadly the footpath ends at the next road-bridge where I turn right through ColdHarbour and back along the "Uffculme Straight".

Another weir, this time no mill-race

Total distance 8.88 miles, average speed 5.06 m.p.h.