Parke is a National Trust estate about 6 miles away, on the outskirts of the small market town of Bovey Tracey. It’s easy to reach from the hotel, just head south down the A382, and follow the brown signs to the right at the first roundabout you come to.
If you are looking for somewhere very pretty to walk, that isn’t too demanding, as well as a few other things to see and do, then this will be a good choice for you as there’s something for everyone at Parke.
This compact estate was once the home of a wealthy local family and probably enabled them to be self-sufficient for all their day-to-day needs. The walled garden (unusually not at all flat!) is today home to a well-tended community garden and there is also a fruit garden and orchard, ice house, fish pond, grazing meadows for livestock and beehives for honey and gardens to wander in.
Or, you can follow the very clear sign posting and set off for a lovely walk by the river https://modafprovig.com Bovey, a lovely meandering river with quiet stretches, tumbling rapids, rock pools and even a medieval weir. The woodland here is beautiful and in the spring is full of wild flowers. There’s always plenty of wildlife to see too, with many species of bird, squirrels and fish visible in the clear waters.
If you want to push yourself a little more, you can cross over the pretty little stone bride and follow tracks up through the woodland. A large sign board near the (free) car park clearly shows the routes.
Bovey Tracey itself is also worth a visit. As well as a busy main street with a variety of shops, it is home to the Devon Guild which always has interesting art exhibitions as well as a shop full of beautifully crafted items by members of the Guild. There is also a Town Trail highlighting all the historical buildings of interest, a leaflet can be picked up from the information Centre in the main car park near the Devon Guild.
