50th Anniversary Walks

Our Golden Anniversary programme of walks was designed to ‘show off’ the variety of landscapes walkers can find when following the Two Moors Way from coast-to-coast, across two national parks.

Our programme started with a walk from Lynmouth, the ‘northern terminus’, before the clocks changed in March; and then worked its way south, concluding near the southern boundary of Dartmoor National Park on a warm drizzly day almost six months later.

During that final walk (ninth in the series, on Dartmoor), early drizzle got worse, before it got better – just another day on the moor! By the time these 24 walkers enjoyed their picnic lunch on Mel Tor under blue skies the temperature was rising and they completed the walk down to New Bridge in warm sunshine. What a way to finish – great views in every direction, all the way to the coast around Torquay and across the South Hams; the Dart Valley, Webburn Valley, Buckland Beacon and Haytor as well as a host of other tors.

Between these two contrasting days we welcomed walkers to join us for a walk on Exmoor, starting from Simonsbath that took in the beauty of the River Barle and the surrounding landscape; and another starting from Venford Reservoir near Holne much further south on Dartmoor, taking us to Ryders Hill, the highest point on the southern moor. That April day was exceptionally warm and sunny – unlike the two occasions when the leader had set out to check the route in driving rain and 40mph winds. In mid-May we were back on Exmoor, gathered at Withypool in unseasonable weather, which lifted as we descended towards Tarr Steps where we stopped for a lunch break beside this ancient clapper bridge, a Grade 1 listed structure, before walking beside the Barle – again – to return to Withypool.

The Golden Anniversary Day, Friday 29th May 2026, saw two walks converging on Morchard Bishop, from Witheridge to the north and Whelmstone Cross to the south. It was a hot day – one of many over the three months that followed. These walks, both 7 miles long, attracting 72 people, were shorter than the rest of the programme to ensure both groups got back to Morchard Bishop Memorial Hall in good time. Tea and cakes were provided, and a superb celebratory cake was cut after a few short speeches that celebrated… walking, Devon and The Two Moors Way!

There were two more Dartmoor walks – one from Drewsteignton the very next day, the other from Ivybridge a few weeks later, on a day of driving rain in an otherwise memorably hot dry summer.

The 10 years since reviving the association, attracting some lottery money, establishing this website, working with local businesses to promote walking generally and this route specifically, have been fun!

Around 200 people joined in by participating in one or more of the nine walks – and one person walked on eight occasions (it was impossible to do nine as two were at the same time on the same day!).

No account of an ambitious programme that involved devising walks, carrying out recces, taking bookings, identifying gathering points/parking, organising transport and leading mixed ability groups safely around would be complete without saying thanks to all those who supported the venture.

Will you join us in 2036 for the Diamond Jubilee?

Janet, John, Les and Sue