Harberton: Church, Wayside Cross and Circular Walks

Harberton combines historic buildings with a choice of circular walks of varying lengths. When planning your trip, you can combine the history of the church and cross with walks around Harberton and Harbertonford. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Harberton, the route lengths and landscape views offer a concrete guide to the activities you might want to focus on.

Church, Wayside Cross and Local History

St Andrew's Church is Harberton's listed parish church and is Grade I listed. Check the current access arrangements before visiting. Inside, you can also view an exhibition on the church's history. As exhibition arrangements may change, it is best to check visitor information in advance.

Luscombe Cross is a Grade II listed wayside cross. It is considered a well-preserved example of a rare, freestanding preaching cross at a road junction. Harberton therefore offers two different historic sights: the parish church as a building and the freestanding cross as a wayside monument.

The Church House Inn also adds to the picture of the village's history. It was originally a church house and dates from around the mid to late 16th century. Together with the church and wayside cross, it offers another historical point of interest for your stay.

Choose Circular Walks by Route Length

The circular walks vary considerably in length. The route guide was reviewed in September 2026; ground conditions may change. “Clockwise around Harberton” is a circular walk of just over 3.5 kilometres. “Harberton and Dorsley Barton” is a 6.3-kilometre circular walk starting from Harberton. The Harberton–Harbertonford circular walk is 7.3 kilometres long, runs between the two villages and is more or less circular. “Beenleigh Brook” is a 7.9-kilometre circular walk from Harberton along the Harbourne River. For a longer tour, there is “Painsford and the Washbourne Ridge”: this circular walk from Harberton is 12 kilometres long.

There are different landmarks along the routes, too. “Beenleigh Brook” crosses the Harbourne River over a small footbridge. On “Harberton and Dorsley Barton”, springs in a gentle valley hollow mark the source of the Harberton Brook. These two walks therefore differ not only in length, but also in their river crossing and spring hollow.

Views and Scenery

The routes offer a variety of landscapes. “Clockwise around Harberton” has views west towards Dartmoor. The Harberton–Harbertonford circular walk offers impressive 180-degree views. On “Painsford and the Washbourne Ridge”, wide-ranging views extend across the Wash Valley, with its valley hollows, wooded hedgerows and old pastureland. Weather and vegetation can affect visibility.

When choosing a walk, you can weigh up its length against the landscape it takes in: the shorter loop goes around Harberton, while the longer routes include destinations such as the Harbourne River or the Wash Valley. Check the latest path and ground conditions before setting out. This will help you plan your walk around the conditions on the ground.

Discover more destinations: Broadhembury, Kingsbridge, Yelverton, Tipton Saint John, Witheridge, Kings Nympton, Westleigh, Holne

For the main travel overview: Devon.