If you’re looking for a slightly longer countryside walk just outside Exeter, this Little John’s Cross and Ide route is a great option—especially if you enjoy exploring a few extra paths along the way.
This was a follow-up to our previous Hambeer Lane circular walk, starting from the same place—but this time we extended things quite a bit… and somehow turned it into something closer to a figure of eight than a true circular (if that’s a thing!).
For more ideas on things to do in the area, check out our Things to Do in Exeter page.
🌿 Route Overview
- Start/Finish: Morrisons Daily, top of Dunsford Hill
- Distance: 4.29 miles
- Route type: Circular-ish (with a few extra explorations!)
- Highlights: Clarks Pond, Curly Wurly Bridges, Ide village, Roly Poly Hill
🚶♂️ The Walk
We started at the top of Dunsford Hill, just by Morrisons Daily—the same starting point as our previous walk. This time, instead of turning onto Hambeer Lane, we carried straight on down Little John’s Cross Hill.
It’s a road with pavements only part of the way, but it soon feels quieter as you head down towards the countryside. At the bottom, we reached a large old oak tree and turned left onto Balls Farm Road. There are no pavements here, but it’s a fairly quiet stretch for around three-quarters of a mile until reaching Crabb Lane.
From here, we took a sharp right onto an older section of the lane, leading us towards Clarks Pond. There’s a narrow footbridge to cross the stream—or, if you’ve got a dog (or just fancy it!), a ford alongside it.
Continuing on, we passed a large field with horses on the left before turning right again. Not long after, we came across an underpass covered in graffiti—normally not much to shout about, but the artwork of a bird here genuinely stood out.
Just to the right of the underpass, we took a stile and followed a track along the valley until we reached the Curly Wurly Bridges.
🌉 Curly Wurly Bridges & Ide
The Curly Wurly Bridges (along with Clarks Pond and Roly Poly Hill) were actually recommended to us after our last post by Lucinda—so we were keen to include them this time.
Crossing the bridges took us over the A30 and into the edge of Ide village.
Walking through Ide, we passed the Huntsman Inn before turning right into College Lane—a really picturesque spot with cottages, a stream, and even a ford running alongside.
🌼 Weir Meadow & St. Ida’s Church
From College Lane, we continued uphill until reaching another stile on the left, which led us into Weir Meadow playing field.
This was a perfect place to stop for a break. There’s a football pitch in the middle and some well-placed picnic benches along the hedgerow—ideal timing for us.
Leaving the meadow, we followed a short road section before turning left down a track towards St. Ida’s Church. After passing the church, we followed footpaths back into Ide village, passing the pub once more before retracing our steps to the Curly Wurly Bridges.
🌳 The Return via Roly Poly Hill
Once back over the bridges, we followed the road past the Twisted Oak pub and returned to the large oak tree.
Just behind it, we picked up a public footpath that took us uphill to a crossing at Hambeer Lane. From here, we went straight across into Roly Poly Hill.
This was one of the highlights of the walk—heading downhill with open views, including a distant glimpse of Exeter Cathedral.
At the bottom, we turned left onto Broadway, continuing through Greenway and Littleway before heading through the cutting back onto Dunsford Hill. A final left turn took us back to the top where we started.
📸 Highlights From the Walk
Throughout the route, we’ve included photos of some of the key moments—from the countryside paths and Ide village to the bird artwork underpass and the distant view of Exeter Cathedral from Roly Poly Hill.
These images help capture the variety of this walk, which mixes quiet lanes, rural scenery, and unexpected local details.
📝 Final Thoughts
This turned out to be a really enjoyable and varied walk, with a bit of everything—quiet lanes, countryside paths, village charm, and some fun features along the way.
It might not be a perfect circular route (we definitely made it more of a figure of eight), but that’s part of the fun—exploring, adapting, and discovering new bits as you go.
A big thanks to Lucinda for the recommendations—we’re glad we included them!
If you’re near Exeter and fancy a 4–5 mile walk with plenty to see, this one is well worth trying.
Just a quick note: This is the route we followed on the day, but it’s only a guide. The map is a rough sketch and not to scale, so always check your route and surroundings before heading out.
💬 Have you explored this area before or got other local walk recommendations? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook post!
👉 Don’t forget to check out our other Exeter walks for more ideas.