42. Devon's Exeter Canal from Exminster to Exeter Cathedral 5.5 miles - OS Landranger 192

Easy, mostly flat. Walk there, no. 2 bus back from Exeter bus station.

Exminster’s the start of the trail. Plenty of parking just outside its centre. Give yourself a couple of hours of daylight to complete.

Start at the junction of Main Rd and Milbury Lane, near St. Martin's Church. Taking the diagonal path that cuts the corner to the right, when you reach the church keep it to your right, and follow the path until it meets a road (Gissons). Turn left here to follow its wiggles until it rejoins Milbury Lane. Turn right into the lane.

To bridges are ahead, one over a road the other over a rail track. Just over this second bridge you’ll see a footpath sign with two choices. Both lead to the canal. Take the left one cutting back and beside the rail track.

With the rail track on your left and a motorway flyover in front, continue to the flyover and turn right beside it. A hundred yards or so further brings you to a gate beneath it, Go through to reach the canal. Turn left toward Exeter.

Exeter was once a thriving port, its merchants steadily usurping the old power dynamics of landed gentry and aristocrats within the city. But in the 13th century the Countess of Devon built a weir on the River Exe that stopped boats reaching Exeter’s quay. Now Topsham was as far up the river as ships could get and – you guessed it – the Countess of Devon, owned Topsham Quay.

It proved a good earner for a few hundred years until Exeter’s Merchants built this 16th century canal, Britains first since Roman times.

And it’s a beauty. Sometimes busy with cyclists but often quiet but for the odd fisherman. Look out for some romantic wrecks, and an old multi-arched road bridge to your right. It spans the River Exe and the weir there is ‘supposedly’ the Countess’s.

Straight ahead you’ll also spot a lift bridge over the canal. You can’t go under it, so cross Bridge Road via the crossing to continue, keeping to the quieter left bank.

Enjoy the swans, gannets, ducks and geese until the 19th century Double Locks comes into view on the other side. Cross the canal lock to reach it. Originally built in 1701 as a lock keeper’s cottage, it morphed into an Inn during a rebuild in the 19th century.

In my wreck - diving youth I scuba dived its murky waters for a BSAQ qualification. I was unaware until I came across the website Exetermemories that, in 1939, two legs were found there but no torso. Gruesome, but don’t let it stop you pausing to explore this fine pub.  Although taken over by a chain, it still has character, good ales and an open fire on cold days.

Now on the right bank, continue toward Exeter. Ignore a swing bridge and cycle track on your right to continue with the canal on your left. Large wrecks on the other side are evidence those swing and lift bridges are still in use.

Where canal and river meet, a further bridge brings you to the left side of the Exe; in front Exeter’s historic Canal basin and Quay with its imposing warehouses both sides.

If you fancy going in one, turn left just before Rock Fish restaurant and left again. This particular warehouse has been turned into a pub (Topsham Brewery). Easy to imagine it stacked with goods. Great pub, great ale, sci-fi loos.

Back to the trail, continue a few yards further to a suspension bridge, cross and carry on thru a passage between two buildings straight ahead to Commercial Road. Turn right here to face the Quay.

Over the road you’ll see the 17th century Customs House with its cannons. If it’s open, wander in to admire its baroque plaster ceilings. Again, easy to imagine goods piling up here to be checked and taxed.

Go left by the Customs House onto Quay Hill for the first sight of Exeter’s oldest treasure: its wall built around 200 CE. Then almost immediately go right up Quay Lane with the wall on your left. Once the route for goods from quay to city, a picture from the 1930’s shows this lane was a lively thoroughfare. WWII and the Local Authority intervened to make it what it is today. Never mind. A few yards along the lane take the path on the left leading to a car park. Now by the inner wall, follow it, rubbing shoulders with ancient history, until you come across steps to one of the few places where you can actually stand on it.

Not much of a view but, looking toward South St., use your imagination. The car park in the middle of that busy junction is roughly where the Roman's built their fort before moving up to higher ground to settle and found this city.

Crossing the bridge over Western Way brings you to South Street, where Exeter's most impressive city gate once stood. Patterned bricks in the pavement, one round the other square, show where they stood. The square showing the site of the original Roman gate, the round its medieval replacement. The latter, a notorious prison, was demolished in 1819.

Across the road a weathered green bronze plaque commemorates the fact that Henry V1 passed under its arches in 1452. Beside it an information board shows how impressive this historic area once was.

But some good stuff still survives here, like George’s Meeting House. Dating from 1760, it was once a Presbyterian chapel, its imposing canopied pulpit and galleries still wonderfully preserved by the Wetherspoon chain. Well worth a peek in and a grateful nod to Tim Martin whose businesses have saved many an architectural gem. Exeter City Council note: it shows you can be cheap without being cheap.

Across from The Meeting House is another treasure, The White Hart Hotel dating from the 15th or maybe 14th century. A house then a coaching house in its time, check out the cobbled yard with its 1867 marble sculpture of, I'm told, a nymph. Look above her head to the left, and I’m inclined to think that’s the remains of a medieval gallery. Inside you’ll see lots more that speak of great age. This hotel-come-pub deserves more attention than its gets.

Moving up South St. turn right, away from its shabby post war remains, into Palace Gate. A few yard further will bring you to the Bishop’s Palace, on the right, which is certainly not shabby. That information board you saw had an illustration of the grand grounds that the remaining Roman wall hides.

A little further on you reach Exeter Cathedral and the Close. This is Exeter's at its best with its medieval terrace and cobbled streets. And marvel at those Cathedral towers dating from the 11th century. Exeter has a marvellous delights amongst the dross of poor post-war planning and short sighted destruction. One day I'll write one, two or three city trails to show you the gems and secrets I know. But for now, that the end of this trail. Time for you to mosey on up the High St. to the Bus station for the no.2 back to Exminster.

Ps.. Approaching Christmas, this trail a great way to enjoy Exeter Xmas market on Cathedral Green whilst avoiding the traffic gridlock that the festive season brings. Let the feet and the bus lanes take the strain.