Leave the car behind and come walking in Ruby Country.
The rural beauty and tranquility of Ruby Country makes it an ideal place to explore on foot. There are many possible routes to follow through breath taking scenery, with ever changing wildlife. As the seasons change, watch the wildlife and landscape respond. Walking in Ruby Country gives you space to think, breathe and be at one with yourself. Walking is healthy too and one of the cheapest leisure activities there is.
New walking routes available to download
Ruby Country Partnership is pleased to announce 17 new walking trails developed in conjunction with local walking expert, David Arney. These walks are self guided and to get the best from the routes we advise using the appropriate OS Explorer or Landranger maps. Click on the links below to view, download and print the walking routes.
Iddesleigh Walk in War Horse Country (pdf) 6 miles
Bratton Clovelly Packhorse Trail (pdf) 2.25 miles
Bratton Clovelly and Boasley Walk (pdf) 6.7 miles
Exbourne Walk (pdf) 6 miles
Highampton and Burdon Grange Walk (pdf) 3.25 miles or 4 miles
Germansweek and Blagrove Walk (pdf) 5.2 miles
Cookworthy Forest and Halwill Walk (pdf) 6 miles
Jacobstowe and River Okemont Walk (pdf) 3 or 3.8 miles
Milton Damerel Walk (pdf) 2.8 miles
Pyworthy and Crinacott Walk (pdf) 5 miles
Pyworthy and Killatree Walk (pdf) 2.5 miles
Cookworthy Forest Walk (pdf) 2.25 miles or 3.75 miles
Northlew and Rutleigh Walk (pdf) 5.7 miles
Northlew and Ashbury Walk(pdf) 4.5 miles
Ivyhouse Walk (pdf) 5 miles
Sampford Courtenay Walk (pdf) 3 miles
Broadwoodkelly Walk (pdf) 4 miles
If you are planning your own routes Ruby Country is covered by OS Explorer maps 111, 112, 112 and 126. It is easy to link a visit to Ruby Country from the Tarka Trail and it will soon be possible to walk through Ruby Country into Cornwall along the Ruby Way, and from Cookworthy Forest to Dartmoor National Park along the Pegasus Way.
There are many places to stay and use as a base for a walking holiday in Ruby Country. You may wish to create your own trail, in which case our list of accommodation providers will help you plan your itinery.
Ruby Trails
The 8 Ruby Walking Trails available are also available for you to purchase or download. The trails follow way-marked routes starting from Holsworthy, Hatherleigh, Bradworthy, Cookbury, Sheepwash, Petrockstowe, Tetcott and Germansweek. You can purchase a pack for £2 from Holsworthy Visitor Information Centre.
You can also purchase a pack by sending a cheque for £2.50 including postage and packaging to the address on the contacts page.
Roadford Lake
With over 730 acres of water, Roadford Lake managed by the South West Lakes Trust is 
a spectacular lake in Ruby Country set on the edge of Dartmoor between Okehampton and Launceston. On the southern bank is the Lakeside cafe and Function Suite which includes a Visitor Centre. The Lakeside cafe and gift shop and Visitor Centre are open daily.
Visitors to this side of the lake can enjoy miles of footpaths and a cycleway which winds its way through a maturing planted forest overlooking the Lake. Download the Roadford Lake Brochure for more information (PDF Download).
Tamar Lakes
Another lake managed by South West Lakes Trust Tamar Lakes is located in the north west of Ruby Country on the border with Cornwall and offers something for everyone, from water sports to birdwatching.
There are many miles of paths following the shorelines of the two lakes, meandering through woodland and on to open countryside. Download the Tamar Lakes Brochure for more information (PDF Download).
Tamar Lake Park Run
Tamar Lakes parkrun is a FREE weekly 5km event for runners of all standards, which takes place every Saturday at 9:00am in Upper Tamar Lakes, Kilkhampton, Bude, EX23 9SB It is not a race against other runners, but a 5k timed run and it can really be whatever you want it to be, whether that’s for fun or as part of a training plan.
It offers an opportunity for all the local community, male or female, young or old, to come together on a regular basis to enjoy this beautiful park and get physically active into the bargain. We want to encourage people to jog or run together irrespective of their ability – this event is truly open to all and best of all it really is FREE!
Taking part is easy – just register before your first ever parkrun. The great thing is that you only ever need to do this once! Then just set your alarm for Saturday morning and get yourself there!
Bude Canal
The Bude Canal comprised a mini-network of waterways on the Devon/Cornwall border. It
is of considerable historic interest, featuring some of the most unusual and ingenious engineering of the canal-building era. The Aqueduct branch of the system, which is the length in the ownership of the Bude Canal Trust, was the original feeder arm for the whole system, although it was later also used as part of the general canal network.
The Bude Canal Trust is a charity whose aims are to retain the historic interest while managing what has become an important wildlife area. The 5-mile footpath along the old towpath gives an opportunity for all to enjoy this wonderful facility.
Click here to view and download the Bude Aquaduct walk
Click here to view and download Bude Canal Trails leaflet produced by Devon County Council.
Cookworthy Forest
Owned by the Forestry Commission Cookworthy Forest is an impressive conifer plantation in the gentle hills of West Devon, between Okehampton and Bude. A walk in Cookworthy Forest will bring you in close contact with a wide variety of wildlife including ravens, buzzards and red deer.
Click here to download a guide to Cookworthy Forest, including a 2 mile circular walk.
Halwill Junction Nature Reserve
Owned and managed by Devon Wildlife Trust, Halwill Junction Nature Reserve is a disused railway line with a variety of habitats. It was purchased by DWT from British Rail in 1990. Recently the old railway track has been converted into a surfaced cycle path connecting Halwill Junction to Cookworthy Forest.
To download a brochure on Halwill Junction Nature Reserve please click here
Dunsdon National Nature Reserve
Owned and managed by Devon Wildlife Trust, Dunsdon Nature Reserve contains probably the single most important example in England of a type of pasture known locally as Culm grassland. Located about 5 miles from Holsworthy on the border with Cornwall Dunsdon is a great place to visit with good walks through a rare habitat with outstanding wildlife.
To download a brochure on Dunsdon National Nature Reserve please click here
Walking in Devon
Devon County Council provide information on other options for walks and walking holidays in the area on their website.
To download a copy of Devon County Councils publication Walking in Devon click here (pdf download).
There are a selection of walking routes in the nearby North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Ruby Country Partnership is pleased to be supporting these businesses and would like to support more. If you are interested in working with Ruby Country Partnership to develop and promote your business please contact us at Holsworthy Information Centre on 01409 254185 or email us at info@visitdevonsrubycountry.co.uk