Devon

Saltram boundary walk

On the edge of the Plym Estuary, the Saltram estate comprises a Georgian mansion surrounded by the remains of 18th-century landscaped parkland. Enjoy a circular walk following the perimeter, with views of the estuary and Blaxton saltmarsh.

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Total steps: 7

Start point

Saltram House car park. Grid ref: SX520556

Step 1

From the car park, follow the entrance drive before turning right. Head up a corridor footpath signposted Merafield, between fields on rising ground.

Birdlife on Blaxton saltmarsh

Behind the seawall at Blaxton is the only saltmarsh habitat on the Plym Estuary, following the loss of other areas to development. It's a very important area for birdlife, particularly at high tide when other feeding grounds are covered by the sea. Wintering birds include curlews, redshanks and dunlins. Migratory birds using the marsh in spring and autumn include black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, as well as greenshanks. Opportunistic vagrants visiting the site have included black-winged stilts, which attracted much attention in 2006. Mandarin duck appear quite often.

Step 2

Turn left at the top of the rise, following the edge of the field, which is often grazed by South Devon cattle in the summer. View the house and panorama of the Plym on your left.

Step 3

At this point, cross the estate drive – be careful, as this is the main entrance and exit for the estate. Follow the boundary walk path down a flight of steps through woodland, with the A38 road close by on your right. Before leaving the wood, take a seat on one of the benches and enjoy the pleasant views towards the estuary.

Flyovers and cycling

The Plympton bypass was built between 1969 and 1970 following the expropriation of 26 acres (10.5ha) of the Saltram estate by the government. In 1974, it became the first stretch of road in Britain to host part of the Tour de France cycle race. Construction began on the great flyover of the Marsh Mills roundabout in the early 1990s, with the work being completed in February 1996. It carries the A38, once the great holiday escape route for many Midlanders as it stretches 292 miles (470km) from Bodmin to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire.

Step 4

Upon leaving the wood, the fenced path crosses pasture fields, and in front of you you'll see a vista of the Plym Valley, dominated by the A38 flyover and the houses of Estover in the background. On the horizon, partially obscured by trees, is the Triumphal Arch – a folly erected in 1783 by the Parker family.

Step 5

At the drive, turn left. This is Longbridge Drive, and at this point it's fringed with woodland. In the spring, it becomes carpeted with snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells.

Step 6

Opposite the sign for Snowdrop Wood Forest School, you can choose to take a short deviation down the woodland track to a bench overlooking the saltmarsh. This area is known as Blaxton Meadow. Originally embanked, it was reclaimed by the Parker family in the 1860s. Since 1986, restoration work has been carried out to return the land to saltmarsh, and it is now a haven for numerous wading birds.

Step 7

If you took the deviation, return to the main path. Carry on along Longbridge Drive, up the steep rise, and back to the car park.

End point

Saltram House car park. Grid ref: SX520556

Trail map

Map of Saltram boundary walk, Devon — Map of the Saltram boundary walk, Devon | © Hand Made Maps Ltd

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Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1UH

01752333500

saltram@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Saltram boundary walk

Total steps: 7