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Two Castles Trail - Stage 1 Eastbound - Launceston to Lifton
Grade
Easy to ModerateType
WalkDescription
Two Castles Trail - Stage 1 Eastbound - Launceston to Lifton - 5 miles This stage leaves Launceston by road before crossing into Devon at Polson Bridge which was the main county border crossing in at least the 12th Century and possibly earlier, since when it has been rebuilt many times. The route then crosses fields before rejoining road towards Lifton. The path on the middle part of this stage crosses uneven fields, which could be muddy after prolonged rain. The field section has a few stiles and gates.
Walk Waypoints
-
1
The eastbound Two Castles Trail starts at Launceston Castle. From the entrance to teh Castle, turn left following Western Road up to the town centre.
- 2 Follow this road (which becomes Broad Street) through the town centre first as it bears left, then descends and bends sharply to the right. Go through the smaller pedestrian arch in Southgate Arch.
- 3 Almost immediately take the steep and narrow lane to the left (Angle Hill), before carefully crossing the road at the bottom and continuing ahead into Ridgegrove Hill. This road descends steeply into the valley of the River Kensey.
- 4 After crossing the bridge, turn right at the next T-junction. Follow the lane, and on reaching its end, turn right. On this lane you will pass St Leonard's.
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5
At the end of this lane turn left to Polson Bridge and the River Tamar, and cross into Devon.
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6
Turn left immediately after the bridge, go through the gate on your left, and then bear right, keeping the hedge to your right. After 150m bear away from the hedge slightly to cross a stile in the right-hand corner of the field.
- 7 Continue ahead on the tarmac track for 250m until crossing a stile in the wooden fence on your right into a field. Bear left, keeping the fence line on your left, and as the fence turns sharp left, cross the field straight ahead, bearing slightly uphill to a small metal gate.
- 8 Go through the gate, and at the end of the track cross two stiles. Head diagonally downhill across the field, bearing right at teh bottom of the slope. Continue across the field, tehn alongside the hedge, keeping it to the left, to a gate onto a road.
- 9 Turn right, up the road (be careful to stay to one side of this road, as it is often used by local traffic as a cut through). Go through the small settlement of Liftondown at the top and on meeting the main road bear left on the path alongside the road to pass underneath the main A30.
- 10 Follow for around a kilometre and descend into the village of Lifton.
- 11 End this stage near just past the village shop.
