u3a Group Details
Walking
Week 1, Wednesday 10.15 for 10.30 start
Venue: Various
Leader: Norman Andrew
Tel: 07940 812514
Email: norman.andrew2@outlook.com
Please contact Norman for details.
Please note, no dogs are allowed on walks.
All walks undertaken at your own risk.
Summer 2024
Wednesday 03rd April 2024.
A route of approximately 3.7 miles. About 2.5 hours.
(2 miles away from Street and 5 minutes drive)
Start / End… The Castlebrook Inn, Compton Dundon. TA11 6PR.
After walking through Compton we ascend a fairly steep hill climbing up about 86 metres towards the Hood Monument for the great views of the area. The route continues along the ridge of Collard’s Hill. (We last walked this part in July 2022) before looping round to return down to the Castlebrook Inn via Pages Hill.
Spring 2024
Wednesday 20th March 2024.
A route of approximately 4.00 miles. About 2.5 hours.
(7 miles away from Street and 14 minutes drive)
Start / End… The Halfway House Pitney Hill, Somerton/Langport TA10 9AB
The Pub won the 2023 CAMRA first prize award for 2023!
There certainly is mud!….but because the tracks are generally stoney underfoot there are puddles. If you are comfortable with Wellies there are no problems. If you have waterproof walking boots, then careful walking, looking for a firm patch, is do-able. For those folk who did the last walk I would say it is less muddy? Poles might be good.
It is basically a walk on stony tracks, fields, and tarmac. We go up and down gentle slopes as well as flat sections. We will take it slowly and have rests.
Wednesday 06th March 2024.
A route of approximately 2 miles
(7.4 miles away from Street and 14 minutes drive)
Start / End… The Leather and Lace Inn…. Chilton Polden….. TA7 9EW
I reccied the route yesterday and it is best described as field walking with some stony tracks. It is basically a flat walk. It will be muddy this time of year.
Wednesday 7th February 2024.
A clockwise route of approximately 4.2 miles. About 2.5 hours.
(6.5 miles away from Street and 12 minutes drive)
Start / End… The Fox & Hounds, Broadway Road, Charlton Adam, TA11 7AU
This straightforward circular walk of 4.25 miles is predominantly flat.
The Fox and Hounds is a popular pub with varied specials. There is a large garden with parasols as well as indoor seating.
Please park compactly at the far end of their car park.
Wednesday 24th January 2024.
Route approximately 3.5 miles. Approx. two hours.
(9.9 miles away from Street and 19 min drive))
Start / End…Dulcote BA5 3PZ (what 3 words: kennels.bends.avoid)
Take A39 from Street to Wells…then the A37 towards Shepton Mallet…then the B3139 to Dulcote
On entering Dulcote you will see a fountain (which looks like a big moss covered stone) Bear left and park along the cul-de-sac (Durston Road) between the fountain and the railway bridge.
Note! ….. Do not go further than the railway bridge because of a “tank trap” in the road!
This is a flat walk with one stile along the Strawberry line and Bishop’s Palace fields.
Start / End… The Lime Kiln Inn ….Knole, TA10 9JH (on the A372)
Route approximately 4.1 miles. (8.7 miles away from Street)
I reccied this walk and managed to find a route which is not absolutely sodden. It was actually quite interesting.
It is of necessity, mainly on drove tracks with some field sections along the Macmillan Way. The whole route was not particularly muddy…
There are three standard stiles.
A gentle slope up at the start for some views of the flooded levels, and then gently down again….. We will bypass Knole Hill which the locals were telling me is currently impossible.
Autumn 2023
Click the photo and map for larger view.
Wednesday 15th November 2023
Start / End Glastonbury Rural Life museum car park, Chilkwell street BA6 8DB
This is another local walk.
Two years ago we walked half of the “Glastonbury Way” in an easterly direction and saw Gog and Magog.
This walk is basically the other half!
Those of you who wish can download an App…Wheeeh!
Search the Apple store or Google play for “Glastonbury Way.” It gives an audio commentary if you wish to find out all about the pilgrimage route.
There is a steady significant climb early on the walk to get the great views from the top of Wearyall Hill….(not the Tor)… then descending to the flat levels.
It is a mixture of tarmac and fields with no stiles and could still be somewhat muddy if rain continues. I guess poles are recommended.
Wednesday 01st November 2023
Route approximately 3.6 miles.
Start / End……… The King Alfred Inn, 38 Leigh Rd, Street.. BA16 0HB
This is a local walk for a change, and is a flat one in town and country.
With all the recent rain it will probably be somewhat muddy in parts.
There are a few standard stiles.
Wednesday 18th October 2023
Start / End Higher Backway free car park, Bruton BA10 0DP (aim for the primary school)
Parking also available at the adjacent Tolbury Mill free car park, Higher Backway, Bruton BA10 0DT also a few on road places in the vicinity.
Also…. should the above area be full, there is on road parking up the nearby hill called Coombe Street… which is the B3081.
16 miles and 30 minutes drive from Street
This is an easy walk of approximately 2.7 miles 2.5 hours, which includes some free time at the Hauser & Wirth gallery and garden (which has a takeaway coffee shop)
Wednesday 04th October 2023
The village car park is opposite the entrance to East Lambrook Manor Gardens, East Lambrook, South Petherton TA13 5HH.
There is also a pub car park for the Rose and Crown pub next door TA13 5HF but please only use this if you are lunching there.
Approx. 3 hours leisurely walk….. 4.5 miles
Approx. 14 miles from Street and 26 minutes drive.
This walk is from East Lambrook to Stembridge, then to Kingsbury Episcopi and back, and is about 4.5 miles long.
There is a shorter option of 2.5 miles if you arrange with a friend to leave a car at Kingsbury. See details below.
We walk through the village to Stembridge using small local roads and footpaths through fields and orchards. There are some wobbly stiles and one or two narrow bridges over streams, but the walk is mostly level. From Stembridge we continue via footpaths and a small section of road to Kingsbury Episcopi passing the village lock-up.
We will then walk to St Martin’s Church which is very interesting and then continue via the River Parrett Trail back to East Lambrook. This again is a level walk over fields.
Summer 2023
Canal Walk, August 2023
Avalon Marshes, July 2023
Start / End – Avalon Marshes Centre, Shapwick Road, Westhay BA6 9TT
A flat route of 3 miles ….7 miles and 16 minutes away from Street
I have shortened the published walk to 3 miles as it is quite hard work with tall grasses and sticky clay mud in a couple of places.
I recommend walking poles and good footwear.
Compton Dundon, July 2023
Start / End – Compton Dundon Village Hall car park Ham Lane, Compton Dundon TA11 6PQ
Thank you to Maz for leading this walk.
A straight-forward local walk of 3.6 miles and approximately 2 hours.
There are a few standard stiles and a fair amount of summer overgrowth.
Curry Rivel, June 2023
Start /End – The Firehouse car park, Church St. Curry Rivel, Langport TA10 0HE.
There is also plenty of on road parking nearby.
12 miles and 22 minutes drive from Street.
Approximately 4 miles. Aiming at around two and a half hours.
It is an AA recommended route which is varied in terrain.
A good walk involving a mixture of field, track, and tarmac… with the first section being a gentle climb to reach Burton Pynsent Monument.
We are rewarded by excellent views over the Mendips.
Then we descend through amazing beech woods, before a short steepish road on tarmac to the second half of the route which is flat,
There are two stiles en-route.
Nunny, June 2023
Start /End … Nunney,
Old Quarry Gardens car park (free) BA11 4NL (Approaching from A361 …Car park on left just before the 30mph and Nunney village sign….. 35 minute’s drive from Street)
Note a 2.1 metre height restriction but lots of on-road parking available.
Approximately 3.5 miles, aiming at around two hours
Clearly it is a well-known and well-trodden popular route. The path is wide enough and has grassy sides. There are no stiles….Instead there are a large number of kissing opportunities! The Combe section needs attention because the exposed tree roots which proliferate and are a trip hazard…… so walking poles and boots are recommended. It is a fairly level walk.
A highlight is a free visit to the Castle?
Babcary, May 2023
Start /End … The Red Lion car park Babcary, TA11 7ED.
(9 miles away & about 17 minutes from Street.) A route of 3.7 miles walking, aiming at around two and a half hours.
A straightforward easy to find! local starting point.
A simple circular walk which I reccied yesterday. Mainly fields with some tracks. The grasses are quite thick and nettles and brambles are around this time of year, so I suggest wearing trousers with arms covered. Two or three standard stiles, and a gentle climb and descent. Cattle and sheep are possible.
We pass through the Babcary Meadows Nature Reserve en-route.
Mendips, May 2023
Start /End … Blackmoor reserve car park. Velvet Bottom. (no useful postcode)
We are up in the Mendips having had the car do the climbing!
The route goes through old lead mining land. This walk is largely flat but is quite stony and tricky in parts.
Poles and/or care will be needed from time to time. Also sturdy footwear or walking boots.
I found this a very interesting and an unusual landscape.
There were loads of wild flowers including early wild orchids. (I think!)
Please take care….My Android phone (Google maps) took me the wrong way.
You need to approach the car park from the West. (Charterhouse) and not the East which is only an impassible byway.
Meare, May 2023
Start /End … Blakeway Stone works along Ashcott road BA6 9SU.
(6.2 miles away & about 13 minutes from Street.) Route of 3.7 miles walking aiming at around two hours.
The circular walk has only 2 bridge type stiles and 1 normal stile. There are various pedestrian and kissing gates and lots of field gates to open and close but all simple enough. There are NO hills.
Wookey, April 2023
Start /End … Ring o Bells Inn @ Wookey (not Wookey hole) BA5 1JZ
(8.4 miles away & about 25 minutes from Street.) Route of 4 miles walking aiming at around two hours.
I am grateful to Elaine J for leading this walk.
It starts and ends, at The Ring of Bells, High Street, Wookey BA5 1JZ.
Parking will need to be on street but shouldn’t be a problem if a little time is allowed.
A short walk along the road leads to footpaths across fields following the river Axe part way, and then heading to a short ascent to the Yarley Tree! Here there are super views of the Mendips and over to Glastonbury Tor.
We then wend our way across more fields and descend back to Wookey. There are quite a few stiles and the walk is approx 4 miles taking just over 2 hours. The village is pretty with a lovely church, fords, and a working mill nearby at Burcott, selling freshly milled flour, spelt and bread when open.
There is a climb across the field to the tree and then a downward stretch towards the end of the walk. Naturally, people can take the slopes at their own pace.
Spring 2023
Somerton, March 2023
Start /End … Somerton main (Unicorn) car park (3 hours free) TA11 7PR near the library and Co-op. (5.3 miles 11 minutes from Street)
Approximately 3.6 miles, aiming at around two hours max
We did the recce, and it is almost flat with a mixture of footpaths over fields, woods, and back roads.
There are no stiles although one fallen tree that has to be negotiated with care. However, the route is perfectly manageable with attention.
Westhay Levels, February 2023
Start /End … Sweets Tea rooms and Museum.
Blakeway, Wedmore BA6 9TX (16 minutes drive from Street)
Stay on the B3151 going towards Wedmore….the entrance gates are on the right.
Approximately 3.5 miles, aiming at around two hours
Walton, January 2023
Start /End … Walton Village Hall car park, Meadow Lane, Walton, Street BA16 9LA. (Permission kindly given)
