Overview

This is one of our series of "Dave's legacy walks", in memory of David Wicks-Stone. See here for more details about Dave, and his other walks.

This is a 13.4 kilometer (8.3 mile) circular walk from Wedmore, going round the Isle of Wedmore that rises from the Somerset Levels, via Bagley Baptist Church, Mudgley, Sand, Sunnyside farm near Westham, Blackford and back to Wedmore.

Despite the relatively small amount of ascent, the walk offers a succession of fine views from the Isle of Wedmore across the Somerset Levels. Look out for the following during the different sections of the route:

Section 2: Views NE to Mendips, Cheddar Gorge and Nyland Hill rising from the Levels

Section 6: Views S across the Levels, and more Westward towards the Quantocks, and back (SE) to Glastonbury Tor.

Section 10: Views ahead to Crook Peak (N), on the left to Brent Knoll (NE)

Start point

Wedmore Village Car Park

Grid Ref: ST 43763 48127

Postcode: near BS28 4EE

What3Words: deadline.surfacing.painters

Parking

There is a free car park signposted from the main road into Wedmore, see below for more details.

Directions from Bath

From Bath: Just under 1 hour - 29 miles

Take A39 to Wells and on to the bypass. Keep forward at traffic lights on to A371 signed Weston super Mare. After about half a mile branch left on to B3139 signed Wedmore.

Upon reaching Wedmore turn right into The Borough and right again into The Lerbourne, both signposted to Free parking. You go through a small residential estate called Worthington Close to reach it.

Buses

Wedmore is not easy to reach from Bath by public transport, particularly at the weekend. See http://www.travelinesw.com/ for a journey planning tool.

Map

Directions

When embarking on this walk, is important to always be appropriately dressed and equipped for the conditions, and to carry, and know how to use, a suitable map for the walk.

The following leader's notes for this walk are intended to supplement the map of the route, and only give an outline of the main stages of the walk. They do not provide a turn by turn guide, or describe every obstacle that may be encountered. Things may well have changed since Dave planned the route. The numbered paragraphs correspond to the waymarks shown on the accompanying map.

Several sections of this route involve walking on roads. Please follow the rules for pedestrians given in the Highway Code, https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians.html

NB: The area round Wedmore is not heavily walked, and many paths were indistinct, with relatively little signage to clarify the correct route. Also, some gates and stiles were overgrown and in poor repair.  This walk would be particularly difficult to complete succeessfully without careful map reading or the use of GPS.

1. Leave village car park by Worthington Close, go back to main road and turn L. Turn L again onto B3139. Pass the New Inn.

2. Turn R up Mutton Lane. After 150 m, go through a gate on L opposite Petit Pallais. Bear R up the field, through gate into next field, then turn R up to the track (Mill Lane), and turn left. Follow Mill Lane, bearing L where it joins a larger track after 1.2 km, to the corner of minor road (Townsend Lane).

3. Cross lane, Shortly turn L through kissing gate, keep R across field (keep high). After passing an electricity pole close to the hedge on the L, go through the gap in the hedge and continue, now keeping the hedge on the R. Look for kissing gate in corner, leading through wood to orchard and church (Bagley Варtist).

4. Go round the side of the church, and over the stile in the hedge ahead, then turn L. onto lane. After 60m, go through gap in hedge on R and over the stile. Bear right across the first field, turn right through gap, then cross fields going straight ahead, aiming for the stiles by the gates. Cross minor road (Stitching Lane), and go along gravelled track to next junction.

5. Turn left through gateway and descend long narrow field. At the bottom, turn R then immediately L down narrow track to next minor road. Turn R, and follow road through small village, coming out on the B3151. Beware - busy road. Turn L, descend for 100m, then turn R towards Mudgley Hill Farm.

6. Pass through two farms in close proximity. Initially follow footpath signs, then bear R down a narrow track before open barn, turn L at the end in front of a house, and turn R at the small green with a prominent chestnut tree in the second farm. Follow the track up hill. Part way up the hill, bear L and head towards the gate in the line of trees opposite, then cross next field aiming for the gate in the hedge ahead, to corner of gravelled track. Go L along track towards Sand, bearing R uphill to stile after two fields, then go through a series of waymarked wooden gates, turning R after the third of these, through two further gates, and turning L on a metalled drive, eventally emerging on minor road (Sand Lane).

7. Turn L and follow Sand Lane for approx 400m, then, just after passing Ash Grove Farm, turn L on a gravel track (Castle Lane), opposite line of semi-detached houses.

8. Follow Castle Lane for about 1km, passing above Castle Farm, and emerging on Heath House Road.

9. Go R and immediately L into Keyton Hill. After a little over 100m, at the slight bend, go L through gate into field, and follow the path diagonally R across it, ignoring the kissing gate straight ahead. The next 1km of the route is quite hard to follow, but proceeds generally W, parallel to Keyton Hill, which runs just above the fields to the R. Keep L across an area of wasteland, then cross several fields, passing straight through the garden of a house at one point (keep to the strip of grass below the house), through more gates and along a track, finally emerging once again onto Keyton Hill.

10. Turn R and go N up the hill some 220m to the next corner. Where the road turns R, go through the gate on L, and continue N with a hedge on the R. Walk in this direction for some 900m, aiming for a prominent avenue of tall trees on the skyline, and bearing L as you approach them. Come out on the B3139 near Blackford. Go R 20m along the busy road, then L through MKG, and go straight across the field towards prominent house, and turn R as you reach it.

11.Follow track to minor road (Redmans Hill). Turn R, then almost immediate L on footpath next to hedge, and through gate. Climb the bank and turn L along field boundary for 100m. Follow the path straight through wooded area, ignoring the gate on R. The path now crosses crop fields. Aim straight for the metal handrail of a plank bridge over a ditch, and continue to follow this line through a metal gate, now crossing grassy fields for 1 km. In the final field, aim diagonally L and make for the stile, coming out on a minor road (Quab Lane).

12. Cross Quab Lane, over stile, and continue straight ahead past Mill Farm (horses). After crossing a ditch over two stiles, bear half R to the next stile. After going through a gate into a field with the first houses of Wedmore beyond it, bear L through another gate, cross the next field, over a stile, then L down a narrow track, emerging on Lascot Hill. Turn R down hill, turn L at bottom onto Church St (B3139), past church and return to car park.