10 Circular walk to The Kings Arms Stockland

Blackdown Hills AONB, Devon

This is a short circular pub walk from Ley Farm Cottages up Witch Hill to Stockland, where you can stop at The Kings Arms. There’s a short climb towards the start but nothing strenuous and you get some lovely views. You can do the walk either way round – this route has the longer stretch before you get to the pub, then walking back along the lane.

• Total distance 3.6 miles (5.8km)
• Estimated time 1hr 35mins (1hr 10mins to the pub)
• Elevation 280 ft at lowest point, 615 ft at highest point
• Total ascent 366 ft

This route takes you along quiet single track country lanes. For information about The Kings Arms (or other local pubs and contact details), check out our Local Pubs web page – we recommend you do this before planning your walk as many pubs here have limited opening hours throughout the week.

These instructions start at Ley Farm, Yarcombe, EX14 9LW.

1. Leave Ley Farm turning right out of the gate onto the lane (heading south). After a few minutes you’ll reach a lane heading up the valley to your right – take this lane.

2. At checkpoint 2 where the lane starts to flatten, on a clear day you should have a great view looking back across Ley Farm up the Yarty Valley with Yarcombe village to the north. Keep to this lane which crosses the top of the hill, passing a small farm on the right (Wytch Farm) before falling steeply to a junction.

3. Turn left here along the lane with a brook running to the left. The lane bends through North Hill Farm, and after a few minutes you’ll reach a junction with a lane turning off to the right. Ignore this turning and carry on for about half a mile until the lane ends on the edge of Stockland village.

4. Turn left heading down into the village where you’ll see The Kings Arms in front of you at the centre of the village. The pub is community owned and offers a fantastic range of drinks (including at least one local ale) as well as great food. They’re dog friendly as well – we recommend a stop here.

5. Once done at The Kings Arms, head left out of the pub to the junction in the middle of the village and take the turning uphill signposted towards Yarcombe and Chard (opposite the old telephone box). After passing Battens Farm the road will curve left before you see a left turning with a white thatched house on the opposite side of the road (Road End Cross).

6. Take this left turn continuing uphill a short way. Keep to this lane, first passing the track down to Lower Lye, then passing the lane you originally took near the beginning of the walk, eventually arriving back at Ley Farm.

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