Starting at the Fox and Hounds RV we headed up the still muddy track to Nodden Gate, our entry point to the upper moorland with our target destination Corn Ridge, the site of a USAF Liberator aircraft crash that happened in March 1941.
Travelling up the track from the Gate we kept Kings Wall to our left and the fledgling Lyd river to our left passing an unusual cross in one of the stones (King's Cross?) in the wall as we made our way up and over Great Nodden (441m) to pick up the track on the other side to the top of Corn Ridge (531m) and onwards to Branscombe Loaf (537m) named after a 13th century Bishop of Exeter who, it is said was tempted to eat a meal offered by the devil on the very spot. The food was knocked from his hand thankfully by his servant, thus saving his life. The petrified meal of the devil still remains as the rock on the site today....so it is said! Anyway, it was a good spot for a warming cuppa on a cold wind blowing day.
From the Loaf we made our way back via the periphery of Tiger marsh spotting another crash site of a B17 that went down on Christmas Day in 1943.
Further down now to follow the Lyd again and to find a sheltered spot for our picnic sat at a suitably acceptable social distance that is required these days. Re-energised we went back to an upper animal track on the northern side of Great Nodden with great views of Woodcock Hill and Little Links Tor to our left as we progressed to Nodden Gate and back to the cars. A walk to do for real in the future!
Charlie
Charlie