Miles Without Stiles Bellever Forest
Route Details
Route type: For Most. Circular forest route. Mainly gravel tracks apart from some rough grass and unsurfaced path sections halfway round.
Disabled Ramblers Category Level: 2/3
Distance: 4 km (2.5 miles)
Start point: Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre car park SX 647 788. What3Words: shepherds.blogs.reckoned.
Getting there: Car park in Postbridge found halfway between Yelverton and Moretonhampstead on the B3212. What3Words: imperious.mammoths.palettes
Facilities: Public and disabled toilets at National Park Visitor Centre Postbridge and Forestry Commission car park in Bellever
Download route
This waymarked route encircles Lakehead Hill in the middle of the forest. Follow the timber finger posts, with the mobility scooter logo. Initially heading south west, after about 1.5k it branches off to the south through a wonderful stand of old conifers to join the Lych Way. Here the route bears east for 1km, following an ancient stone row across open heathland. At the main trackway intersection, the route then heads left via a wide forest track back to the start.
Directions
- Exit the Visitor Centre car park in top left-hand corner (left side of main building) and turn left onto gravel path.
- Briefly follow this path to the main road and cross with caution.
- Go through gate next to the cattle grid and turn right into Forestry England’s car park.
- Follow the main entrance trackway and bear left up towards the gate (50m).
- Go through the gate and follow the main trail up hill.
- After 200m take the first trackway on the right, and follow waymarked trail (mobility scooter symbol).
- After 1300m or so turn left off main track following waymarked trail (and Public Bridleway).
- After 300m turn left and follow waymarked path to the next main track (150m) and go straight across.
- Follow this path now for 500m (initially through forest and then open grassland with excellent views of Bellever Tor), turn left at the next major track junction at the top of the hill.
- This main forest track takes you directly back to the start (1.5k).
Did you know?
- Stone cists, burial cairns, stone rows and hut circles are evidence of how people lived here thousands of years ago.
- There are over 30 hut circles within the forest, suggesting that there were many more people living here during the Bronze Age (4000-2600 years ago) than there are today.
- Excavations have discovered flint knives, scrapers and shards of pottery, some of it highly decorated and even a bear skin. Some of the finds are on display in the new Postbridge Visitor Centre.