By: Blonde Two
The Stover Canal was initially built to carry clay down to the river Teign (teen) at Teignmouth (tin-muth), never say Devonshire place names are simple! The canal later also carried granite from the quarries at Haytor. It was two miles long and had five locks.
There is a great walk down from Haytor called the Templer Way. You have to be careful how you spell ‘Templer’ because people will tell you off if you confuse it with ‘Templar’ as in ‘Knights’. You also have to be careful about which Mr Templer you are talking; James built the canal but George built Haytor’s famous stone tramway (if it’s not famous, it should be!) The walk takes you along the tramway, along the canal and then down the river. You won’t see all of the tramway but more and more is being exposed, this section here is at the canal basin where the barges were loaded.
You won’t see all of the canal either, but sections are being lovingly restored by the Stover Canal Society (there are some fascinating insights and pictures on their website).
On Sunday’s little Bimble (not the whole Templer Way route), Mr B2 and I met the gentleman who had been rebuilding the kiln that was used to steam planks of wood into submission for the mending of barges. This was next to the grave dock (a clever type of dry dock).
You might, however, see all of the River Teign if you don’t check the tide timetables. You want to complete this section at low tide (that’s LOW tide). I am telling you this because I am one of many people who has had an undignified scramble up the bank and an annoying lane walk!
It’s a fascinating area, i was delighted to see how much more work had happened when I walked the route in April this year for the DSRTA, having also completed it a year previously. The route is a very lovely long distance one as it’s nearly all downhill and you can sit outside the pub on Shaldon’s green at the end, enjoying a drink and knowing that there is a lift coming to take you back to your car at Haytor!
I used to live in Teignmouth, now in Cambridgeshire. I still have family in Devon. The Templer Way is definitely on my list of walks to do as soon as I can arrange the time etc . I love your write up.