**Blackhill Quarry Circular Nature Walk on the Pebblebed Heaths in Devon**

Take an early morning nature walk along one of the many scenic routes across the Pebblebed Heaths. Dawn is the perfect time to explore, as the heaths are often peaceful and quiet, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in nature. Enjoy the breathtaking sight of the sun rising over the coastal horizon, casting a golden glow across the landscape.

Walking Route for the Blackhill Quarry Circular Nature Walk

Starting The Walk on the Pebblebed Heaths

This nature walk, suitable at any time of year, begins at the Four Firs Car Park, which along with the surrounding heathland, is managed by the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, set up by Clinton Devon Estates. From the car park, which is free to park in, you can head south onto Bicton Common, part of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths, a vast 1,400-hectare stretch of lowland heathland. This protected area includes East Budleigh, Lympstone, Bicton, Woodbury, and Colaton Raleigh Common and holds designations as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protected Area (SPA), and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

The heathland is freely accessible and popular with walkers, mountain bikers, and horse riders. A visitor map is available on the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust website for further information about the site.

Crossing Bicton Common at various times of the year, you may encounter grazing cattle and glimpses of wildlife, including Adders, Nightjars, Dartford Warblers, butterflies, and Southern Damselflies. In all my time of living and walking on the heathlands, I have only personally seen an adder on the heathlands twice; once on the path near Four Firs Car Park and once on the edge of Bystock Nature Reserve. Our dog was racing ahead of us and we noticed it at the exact same time that she trod right on top of it before running on. She was luckily unharmed and the adder quickly slid away. If you are lucky enough to come across one, it would most likely be on one of the paths as it basks in the sunlight, especially in the morning and late afternoon. Basking helps them become active for hunting, digestion, and movement. There have been reported occasions of dogs getting bitten if they are let off the lead and go running about in the gorse bushes, so you may want to keep your dog on a lead on the heathland sections of the route if they do not have good recall.

Blackhill Quarry

Following the trail south towards the distant tree line on the horizon, you ascend the hill and enter a small Pine tree woodland, which soon opens up to views over the former Blackhill Quarry. Historically, this quarry extracted sand and gravel from the distinctive pebblebed deposits. Quarrying ceased entirely in recent years, and since then, a multi-award-winning restoration program has worked to rehabilitate the landscape and restore the rare heathland habitat.

From here you descend down a steep, rocky trail with twisted tree roots underfoot, to reach Teardrop Pond, an old quarry pond named for its distinctive shape. Though not yet publicly accessible due to its location within the fenced-off quarry site, it offers scenic views and is a great place for birdwatching, attracting species such as Buzzards, Crossbills, Canada Geese, Ring Necked and Tufted Ducks, Moorhens, Great White Egrets, and Goosanders to name a few.

Military History

While walking through the heathland in all weathers, we often encounter Royal Marines from the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) in Lympstone, who use the area for endurance training exercises. It’s not uncommon to see recruits, mud-covered and carrying heavy backpacks, pushing through one of their infamous training marches. They are always courteous to civilians, making room for walkers to pass. The Pebblebed Heaths have a long military history, dating back to World War II, when the rugged terrain was used to train troops for overseas campaigns. Although I know the current recruits have all made a choice to be there, I can’t help but feel sorry for the mentally and physically exhausted stragglers, who are trailing behind at the tail end of the marching groups, but who are clearly desperate to be able to keep up with the rigorous demands. It’s a notoriously tough path to follow to be a Royal Marine but many recruits are totally committed to all that it entails, destined for a life of service, so all credit to them! Today, a grenade practice range remains active to the north on Colaton Raleigh Common, and remnants of bunkers, trenches, and firing ranges still dot the area so the wartime history remains an important part of the landscape.

If you ever want to test your own grit and determination without enlisting, you can enter the Commando Challenge event which takes place on Woodbury Common. This rugged terrain, includes the famous Endurance Course - a 4 mile route featuring tunnels, water obstacles, and muddy trenches. The event allows civilians to experience some of the same challenges that Royal Marines face during training, including obstacles like the Sheep Dip and the Crocodile Pit. It's a charity event supporting two charities, The Royal Marines Charity and Devon Air Ambulance. There is an official website for the Commando Challenge for more information on how to enter. It's a popular event so you need to book up early!

The East Devon Way

Continuing across the quarry site, follow the trail to a high vantage point, enjoying sweeping coastal views before descending to Frying Pans Car Park on a quiet country lane linking the village of Yettington with the B3180. Here, turn right just before reaching the road, heading west and you will eventually join the East Devon Way route on the south side of the quarry. This 40-mile (64 km) walking route runs from Exeter to Lyme Regis, passing through woodlands, river valleys, heathlands, and coastal landscapes.

As you walk along the East Devon Way, you may encounter a herd of Highland cattle that roam Lympstone Common and Pines Ridge. These gentle creatures are unfazed by human presence and its always nice to bump into them but they can be protective of their calves, so it’s wise to give them space if there are young ones around. They are often hiding in the trees too and can pop out when you least expect them!

A Historic House in the Woods

At a crossroads in the woodland, you pass through a large wooden access gate on your right, heading north. Along the way, you will pass Blackhill House, a historic old hunting lodge house owned by Clinton Devon Estates and now privately tenanted. Having lived there from 2016 to 2024 while running a tree surgery business, we know its rich history well. The house is said to have been visited by Winston Churchill during WWII, and local legend speaks of secret tunnels beneath the property. Its name, Blackhill, may stem from being a blackspot blocking the defensive all around view from Woodbury Castle Hill Fort, being the second-highest hill in the area after the fort. Stories even suggest an ancient shield was once discovered on site, with the existing shield-shaped pond serving as a tribute. The house is also home to a large roost of brown long eared bats which can often be seen flying around at dusk in this area.

Grazing Ponies For Conservation Management

As you pass the old quarry site, you may be fortunate enough to come across some of the Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies. These horses play a crucial role in managing the site for wildlife by grazing on vegetation, which helps maintain and promote biodiversity. They are quite friendly and are often grazing near to the fenceline of the quarry or on the heathland for you to stop by and see them. These breeds are well-suited for such tasks due to their hardiness and ability to adapt to their environment.

A Hidden Look Out Spot

You can take a short detour by taking a left turn just after Blackhill House to a hidden lookout point, where you will be rewarded with breathtaking views over the Exe Estuary, the village of Woodbury and further out towards Exeter and Haldon Hill. This secluded spot is little known and rarely visited, offering a peaceful retreat with spectacular scenery and a similar view to that of the ‘Top of the World’ lookout point at Woodbury Castle, so its worth doing a little exploring to try and find it. Sunset views from here can be mesmerising.

Ending the Walk

Returning to the main track beside another old silt pond, head further north past the Blackhill Engineering compound towards the B3180 before taking a public footpath through a gateway on the right. This leads back to the original tree line at the start of the walk, where you can pass through the Pine tree woodland at the bottom and then descend back to the Four Firs Car Park, completing the walk. Depending on your pace, this nature-packed walk will take between 1-2 hours in total.

Useful Information

OS Map: Explorer Map 115: Exmouth & Sidmouth

Distance: 2.84 miles (4.61 km)

What3Words Starting Point: ///dimension.guesswork.trimmer

Terrain and Access: Fairly easy going. Hilly and uneven terrain in places. Can be a bit muddy after rain particularly near Frying Pans Car Park.

Parking: Four Firs Car Park. Free. No overnight parking allowed.

Food and Drink: Nowhere available on route but there is a small village shop and post office and a village pub, The Maltsters Arms, in the nearby village of Woodbury which is a short 5 minute drive away.