So this is the map, but there's an annotated version coming up! Steady now.. Here's the guff:A lovely walk, initially following the old ‘Strawberry Line’ railway, then returning over the Mendips with superb views across the Somerset levels. Much of the route is on good, level paths, though there are a couple of climbs – one steep with steps – and a steep descent. Allow 3 – 3.5 hours of walking.
Leave the car park on the path passing the information board. Cross the road and pick up the Cheddar Valley Railway path opposite. Follow this to the busy A38, cross with care, then continue on the route of the old railway, passing through the Winscombe tunnel to eventually reach the old Winscombe station. Notice the timeline along the edge of the platform and the section of Brunel’s broad-gauge rail track, unearthed during restoration work.
This section of the walk was rather busy with cyclists (who'd have thought?) and walkers, but had pleasant views on the embankment sections, and I really like a gradual warm-up which this constituted.
Continue past the enigmatic ‘Strawberry Special’ sculpture to where the path veers away from the trackbed, local residents having claimed the land as their own. A short distance further the path forks – take the higher one to the left, soon to reach a lane with cemetery on the left.
Turn right along the lane, go over the bridge and walk to the road. Cross to Shipham Lane and follow this for a half-mile, until you come to a footpath sign on the right. Climb the stone stile into pasture, then walk, keeping to the left boundary, to a stile on the left near the field corner. Climb this, go right and climb another by a gate, then follow the hedge on the left for the length of the field. At the far end, go over another stile and follow the path, passing a house on the right, to a driveway that leads to a road.
Cross this road with care and walk ahead up the drive, soon becoming a track, then a driveway again as you reach a small group of dwellings with Winterhead House on the left. At this corner of the house the junction go left and walk to a metal gate, then continue until you are on a narrow path. Now, look for a path forking up to the right and take this, going through a kissing gate. Follow the path to the far side of the field where you go through a wooden kissing gate, then on to a metal one that gives access to a residential road. I think that's where I took this:
Follow this to the main road, turn right and in a few yards, you reach the village green at Shipham. This makes a good mid-point break. There is the Miners Arms on the right, or the far superior Penscot Inn, a traditional coaching inn dating back from 1450, a little further along the road before the church.
Margie was feeling really knackered here, so we stopped at the Penscot Inn. M had a coffee and there was a very perfect pint of Butcombe for me. When i went into the bar where M was sitting she had her head on the table, not usually a good sign. Some coffee, and sneaked sandwiches from under a napkin, worked wonders.
Your route from here lies along the main road, passing the church on the right. Keep to the pavement on the left until you pass beyond the raised section, then drop down to the road, cross with care, and double back to reach a stile with a ‘West Mendip Way’ marker on the left. Climb this and walk down the grass, boundary right, to a further stile. Beyond here, the path descends to the valley bottom where you cross a footbridge, and then climb steeply with the aid of steps, to regain the height you have just lost. Very steep and tough little climb. Beyond the steps, keep in the same direction, fence right, to the field corner where you cross a stone stile . In the next field, walk straight across to another stile with farm track beyond. Go left here and follow the track to a junction, turn right and walk to a metal gate and stile on the left, just past an electricity pole. Climb over and walk up the field keeping to the right boundary. This was quite a long climb! Continue, passing a field gate, until you reach open ground with a gate in the boundary ahead. Now look for a stone stile a little to the right, climb this to reach an old drove-road.
Leave the car park on the path passing the information board. Cross the road and pick up the Cheddar Valley Railway path opposite. Follow this to the busy A38, cross with care, then continue on the route of the old railway, passing through the Winscombe tunnel to eventually reach the old Winscombe station. Notice the timeline along the edge of the platform and the section of Brunel’s broad-gauge rail track, unearthed during restoration work.
This section of the walk was rather busy with cyclists (who'd have thought?) and walkers, but had pleasant views on the embankment sections, and I really like a gradual warm-up which this constituted.
Continue past the enigmatic ‘Strawberry Special’ sculpture to where the path veers away from the trackbed, local residents having claimed the land as their own. A short distance further the path forks – take the higher one to the left, soon to reach a lane with cemetery on the left.
Turn right along the lane, go over the bridge and walk to the road. Cross to Shipham Lane and follow this for a half-mile, until you come to a footpath sign on the right. Climb the stone stile into pasture, then walk, keeping to the left boundary, to a stile on the left near the field corner. Climb this, go right and climb another by a gate, then follow the hedge on the left for the length of the field. At the far end, go over another stile and follow the path, passing a house on the right, to a driveway that leads to a road.
Cross this road with care and walk ahead up the drive, soon becoming a track, then a driveway again as you reach a small group of dwellings with Winterhead House on the left. At this corner of the house the junction go left and walk to a metal gate, then continue until you are on a narrow path. Now, look for a path forking up to the right and take this, going through a kissing gate. Follow the path to the far side of the field where you go through a wooden kissing gate, then on to a metal one that gives access to a residential road. I think that's where I took this:
Follow this to the main road, turn right and in a few yards, you reach the village green at Shipham. This makes a good mid-point break. There is the Miners Arms on the right, or the far superior Penscot Inn, a traditional coaching inn dating back from 1450, a little further along the road before the church.
Margie was feeling really knackered here, so we stopped at the Penscot Inn. M had a coffee and there was a very perfect pint of Butcombe for me. When i went into the bar where M was sitting she had her head on the table, not usually a good sign. Some coffee, and sneaked sandwiches from under a napkin, worked wonders.
Your route from here lies along the main road, passing the church on the right. Keep to the pavement on the left until you pass beyond the raised section, then drop down to the road, cross with care, and double back to reach a stile with a ‘West Mendip Way’ marker on the left. Climb this and walk down the grass, boundary right, to a further stile. Beyond here, the path descends to the valley bottom where you cross a footbridge, and then climb steeply with the aid of steps, to regain the height you have just lost. Very steep and tough little climb. Beyond the steps, keep in the same direction, fence right, to the field corner where you cross a stone stile . In the next field, walk straight across to another stile with farm track beyond. Go left here and follow the track to a junction, turn right and walk to a metal gate and stile on the left, just past an electricity pole. Climb over and walk up the field keeping to the right boundary. This was quite a long climb! Continue, passing a field gate, until you reach open ground with a gate in the boundary ahead. Now look for a stone stile a little to the right, climb this to reach an old drove-road.
We both have a special liking for old drovers' roads following a R4 series about them a few years ago, they are an incredibly powerful link with the past. You can keep your ley lines, these are the ones with the vibes! Saw some lovely black bulls in a field at this point.
Follow this left, until you route is barred by a collection of old gates. Negotiate these, then turn right and cross the stile, then walk along the track with a quarry on your left.
Great views up here, even though we didn't have a proper camera with us we had a couple of goes with our mobiles:
The track becomes a surfaced driveway, and as it swings left through metal gates, no metal gates (we eventually noticed an old gatepost by the road). Beginning of path rather obscured but there is a sign which M spotted drop down to a path on the right, initially between a fence left no fence and tumbledown wall on the right. Keep on this vague, downhill path, with wall right, until you have to cross it via a stile. Now look for a path ahead, this is where we went wrong!
running away from the wall and contouring the hillside. We didn't see this path, but instead dropped steeply down the hill on a slippery, not very pleasant, path. Follow this through the coppice, eventually emerging to an open area where you have fine views over the Somerset Levels. Meanwhile we had a difficult walk through scrubby trees, with the path petering out from time to time, not really totally sure that we would emerge at the right place. We stopped for a break and a cuppa, at which point I was absolutely knackered...
Keep on the grassy, downhill path, ignoring a path joining from the left, that was us! beyond which, you reach a wall and fence on the left. Thankfully we rejoined the route here. Continue, to climb a stile here's M 'climbing a stile'
and turn left at the track beyond. Now go downhill, passing a gate, your route eventually levelling out and bearing right. The old Axbridge station can be seen from here, beyond the road, The Down Platform and trackbed now forming the route of the Axbridge by-pass.
At a T-junction with the bypass beyond, go right and walk with houses on the right to the end of the tarmac, where you cross a small parking area and go through a field gate into allotments. Follow the track keeping to the fence on your right, then go right with it, eventually reaching a stile. Cross, and walk left. The track ends at a stile giving access to the road. Turn left along the verge for a few yards, before crossing to the car park and your starting point.
At a T-junction with the bypass beyond, go right and walk with houses on the right to the end of the tarmac, where you cross a small parking area and go through a field gate into allotments. Follow the track keeping to the fence on your right, then go right with it, eventually reaching a stile. Cross, and walk left. The track ends at a stile giving access to the road. Turn left along the verge for a few yards, before crossing to the car park and your starting point.
Definitely a 'good car' moment when we got back. In summary, we really liked this walk, and want to do it again, although I think next time we'll try to do it backwards, for two reasons: we want to find the footpath that we missed, and want to do the hilly knackering bit first.
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