A land between two rivers

There's a land between two rivers

where the Severn meets the sea

and the silver Wye runs laughing

on her journey to be free.

That's an oft-sung song in these parts about the glories of the Forest of Dean, but I have a different land between two rivers in mind – one that lies between the Tamar and Tavy in South Devon.

I readily admit that this 300 mile foray into the glorious Devon countryside for a pub meal, a night in an AirB&B establishment and a 7 mile walk was a bit mad, but I'm a firm advocate for being crazy once in a while. Life is for living! We also took the opportunity to drop in on my poorly sis-in-law, just over the border in Cornwall.

For a leisurely Monday morning ramble I mapped out a route from the railway station in the little riverside village of Bere Ferrers, along the banks of the River Tavy.

Berealston is usually written Bere Alston these days. As for Beretown, no such name appears on the maps. I think it's an old name for Bere Ferrers, which in turn sometimes get written as Beerferris. Clearly it took a long time for folk to agree on place names in these parts. 

It had rained for most of Sunday. Monday promised to be dry but overcast, so my photos were hardly likely to sparkle. Bere Ferrers Quay is home to just a few small craft.

1½ miles into the walk I spotted Maristow House on the opposite side of the Tavy. Once a rural pile of the gentry, for a while after the Second World War it became a retirement home. Any hopes that I might end my days there have been dashed as it's now been converted into 12 luxury homes. The East Wing residence is currently on the market, a snip at £950,000.

This is Lopwell Dam, though I'd have called it a weir.  It was built in the 1950s to boost Plymouth's water supply and marks the point where the fresh water of the Tavy flows into the tidal estuary. The causeway across the river looks a bit scary but is perfectly safe, as this party of school children demonstrated.

My turn now. Safe it may be, but that didn't dissuade me from showing off a bit.  From here we made our way down the river bank to Blaxton Quay, opposite Bere Ferrers, where there's a ruined tidal mill... and a lot of mud.

If you're ever tempted to follow in my footsteps then check the tide times first as the Lopwell crossing floods for a couple of hours either side of high spring tides. Returning from Blaxton Quay, we picnicked at Lopwell and watched the tide gradually rise, then strode across at the last possible moment.  What fun!

Finally we returned to Bere Ferrers railway station – a place with a very sad history.

On September 24th 1917 a troop train was making its way from Plymouth to Salisbury. The New Zealand troops on board had been told that the train would stop in Exeter for rations. Unfortunately, it had to make an unscheduled stop at Bere Ferrers and many of the troops, believing they were in Exeter, left their carriages on the wrong side – the side on which they had boarded. In those days the line was 'double track' and they were struck by a Plymouth-bound express. Ten soldiers were killed.

The station is now home to a small railway museum, hence the signals with their conflicting indications.  The Fat Controller would not approve!  

The New Zealand flag is a nice, respectful touch though. We shall remember them.