Directions

Note: You are welcome visit Steward Wood, however please respect our privacy. The settlement area is not part of the woodland walk and is not a public area. If you wish to visit the community please read this before you do anything.

How to find us

Steward Wood is located one mile south of Moretonhampstead in the Wrey Valley. The A382 (which runs north and south between the A30 and the A38) passes the woodland. Exeter is about 14 miles away to the east and Newton Abbot is about 12 miles to the south.

Getting here...

By Foot

• From Moretonhampstead we are about 25 minutes walk. You head south following the road signs for Bovey Tracy and Newton Abbot on the A382. You will pass the fire station on your left and Thompsons Haulage Yard on the right. A little while later you will pass Budliegh farm on your left. Keep going and you pass Steward Mill, Steward Cottages etc and a stone buttress on the left that is all that is left of a railway bridge (you passed a similar one on the right before coming to Budleigh Farm). You are now at the entrance to the disused railway track at the bottom of Steward Wood. Follow the track up and you will find our post box, then follow the well worn path up the hill for about 5 minutes to reach the settlement area..
• From Lustleigh you head north towards Moretonhampstead. You will pass Wrey Barton Manor on your right and after another half mile you pass the sewage works on the also on your right. Beyond this is Steward Wood. Keep going until you come to the lay-by and entrance to the disused railway track. Follow the track and you will find a notice board containing a map of the woodland.

By Bike

Eventually there will be a cycle path running from Bovey Tracy to Moretonhampstead. However, until that is built you will have to use the roads. A map would be useful. You need to get to the A382 which runs north and south between the A30 and the A38. There is also a 'back route', the B3212 from Exeter which is about 14 miles. The instructions given for people arriving by foot will help you find the entrance

Hitching

You can check if anyone is offering a lift on our lift sharing page.  If not you will need to get to either the A30 or the A38. If you are coming from the west, use whichever you can get to easiest. Both roads pass Exeter which is on the M5. The A38 is fairly easy to get onto from Exeter services. The A30 is not so easy, so use the A38 unless you get a lift straight past Exeter and on to the A30. If you end up in Exeter city center you could try the B3212 which is signposted from the large roundabout over the river.

• Via the A38 you need to get dropped at the Drumbridges roundabout which is the junction for Newton Abbot. From their you hitch north toward Moreton on the A832 past Heathfield and Bovey Tracy.
• Via the A30 you need to get dropped at the junction for the A382 then hitch south for Moretonhampstead. See the directions from Moretonhampstead given above, it is a short walk.

Public Transport etc.

You can get either a train or a coach to either Exeter or Newton Abbott. The coach will be cheaper but not by much if you book your train ticket in advance. Note however that the coach may arrive too late for the last bus.

• From Exeter you get a bus Number 359 at 1.15pm 3.15pm 5.15pm, and 6.15pm being the las. There is also a 173, but it takes loads longer and the last one is at 5.15pm. On a Sunday, you have to get an 82.
• From Newton Abbot you can also get the 173 bus. It leaves at 2pm. Generally Newton Abbot is a bad option since the bus services have recently been cut.

By Car, etc.

If you have to come by private motorised transport, please check our lift sharing page and offer a lift to others if you can.  The route is well signposted from the A30 or the A38 which can be found from Exeter (probably via the M5 or the A303/A30). Once here (see info above to locate us) you can normally park on the disused railway track but if your vehicle has been converted for sleeping etc. or you will be staying for a week or more, please contact us first as we may wish to make other arrangements for parking.

By Air..

Exeter has an airport. If you are thinking of getting here by aeroplane then you are probably thinking of visiting the wrong place! ;-)

Remember: Please read this before you think about visiting.