 Cockwood is a quaint,
charming little community, with a long history of smugglers and ghosts
and colourful characters. Its focal point is the picturesque harbour
which The Anchor Inn fronts. The harbour - Cockwood Sod to give it its
true name - flows out to the river Exe estuary beyond, through two
historic bridges built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel as part of his
atmospheric railway.
In fact the famous Brunel tower is located just a
short walk away at Starcross, the village adjoining Cockwood. Cockwood
is an ideal venue for train spotting, and enthusiasts rarnge
themselves at various vantage view points to photograph trains like
the Torbay Express steam train, and other locomotives.
The harbour, reached by a cobbled stone bridge from the A379, and
edged by a cobbled stone wall, is reminiscent of an Enid Blyton
childhood holiday story. It is dotted with small boats and is home to
swans and ducks and other wild sea birds. Walk under one of the
bridges and you will be able to see the estuary, and the promentary of
Dawlish Warren nature reserve, a protected sanctuary for sea birds.
Cockwood has a large and lovely village green, a few steps away from
the Anchor Inn. Part of the Green is home to the famous Cockwood geese
- huge birds who fly in formation over the village and land on the
green one after the other like a fleet of mini Concord. |
