6.68 mile Up to the Mendip Hills (taking in the Westbury Inn pub!!)
(3.5hr average pace, plus extra time for picnic at Deer’s leap and pub stop!!)
Mixture of green lane, meadows and country lanes. Suggest a dog lead if you have a dog
Start at Wookey Farm campsite. At the entrance, turn left heading towards Wookey village.
Turn right at end of Monksford Lane, to join Knowle Lane.
At junction in centre of village, follow the lane that says ‘No unauthorised vehicles’ on your left.
Continue up the green (and muddy) lane for some distance until a style directly in front on you.
Cross the style and continue along the fenced off footpath until reaching the style into an open field.
Cross the style and head on the lower side of the patch of trees and RH of the two lone trees, heading for the gate in the far corner.
Through the gate and head for the gate in the stone wall with the village houses behind (not farm, other gate).
Through the gate and keep previous line towards the gate in corner by the houses.
At main road, head L into village.
At the village hall sign, turn R up the lane.
Past two junctions on the left. At the far side of the old railway bridge, bear L up Priddy Veal Lane past the houses.
At the cottage at the top of the slope, head L up the green lane.
Cross the gate and style and carry on up the green track.
When the track opens out into the field, head to the gate in the top L of the field.
Through the gate and follow the dry stone wall on your L up the field and over the style next to gate.
Again follow the LH wall along the derelict green lane until the field opens out and keep following the LH boundary and cross the style.
Continue up through the wooded area.
When reaching the wooden gate on your left either head up a little further to Deer’s Leap picnic area or continue on the walk.
At the wooden gate, cross and follow the bridle way direction marker.
Follow the smooth grass track which turns steeply to L down the mountain amongst trees.
Over the stone style next to the wooden gate and continue down through LYNCHCOMBE NATURE RESERVE (beware of the tigers and mice!)
At the bottom by the stone building go through the gate onto the green lane and continue down onto the tarmac lane. (Lynch Combe Lane and Perch Hill).
At the Junction take the road directly in front of you. On the Square, turn L down School Hill to the monument.
Village shop and Pub.
Turn L down the main road. Past the Westbury Inn and Duck Lane turning right down Station Road.
At the end of the houses (stand facing the gate and kissing gate) head diagonally R across the field to the style about 100m by old railway line.
Then keeping the same line across the field, past the sewerage works following the short section of hedge to the style in the hedge.
Over to the concrete lane, head 15m towards Sewage treatment gates then over style into field.
Head for the gate down the LH hedge.
Cross the gate and follow the same hedge, but on the other side, past the small pond area to the metal gate in the corner.
Cross over and head straight following an old rough vehicle track, picking up the RH hedge and fence protecting a copse of young trees until reaching a metal gate with pedestrian gate in the corner.
Cross over and continue following the RH meandering hedge over the sleeper bridge.
After crossing go right through the opening turning left to follow the hedge line again.
Over the wooden bridge with styles and keep straight to a wooden gate a few metres from the corner.
Go through gate and over bridge then turn R to follow the drainage channel (there may be electric, single strand wires to keep animals in. Just duck under these)
At the next bridge turn to 10-11 o’clock and head in that direction until reaching the wonky concrete bridge.
Cross and turn L along the lane, past Knowle Farm bearing R at the stone bridge.
At the next bridge with the ford sign, bear L and on to the Long Ford (said to be the longest in the country).
At the far end of the ford, cross over the lane (or water depending on how high the river is) and over the old wooden gate in the corner of the field.
You are now back on Wookey Farm land – follow the river and path back to campsite.