West Compton / East Compton / Cannards Grave - 6 mls

This is an easy walk with some fine views across Glastonbury Tor & the Levels, passing through the hamlets of East & West Compton. This walk starts from Mendip District Council Car Park in Cannards Grave Road or from The Highwayman Pub at Cannards Grave. Start at No. 5 if you are starting from the pub. Always ask permission to park your car.

1. Leave the car park by the footpath marked Town Centre into Park Road turn left then right into Collett Park, take the path to your right to pass the children’s play areas on your left, go through the metal barriers at the end of the park onto the old railway, turn left down the slope and follow this path until you reach the new houses on your right, look for a path through the wall on your right, turn right and cross the bridge over the balance ponds, turn right then pass through a gate on your left at the bottom to follow this path round to meet the road. Cross the road turn left then take the first footpath on your right through the gate following the hedge on your right to reach and cross a stile which takes you out to Compton Road.

2. Cross the road into Westway Lane, where it bears to the left keep straight ahead to enter a tarmac path where you turn left to walk behind the houses until you reach a wooden stile with a large stone step. Cross this and follow the well-trodden path slightly off to the right through a gateway and up the hill over two stiles before crossing a stile onto the road at the top. Cross the road turn right then left at the crossroads, a few metres down the road you will see some steps to your right, go up these and over the stile into the field aim for the barn in the bottom corner of the field where you will find a stone stile taking you onto the lane.

3. Turn right and walk down the lane to reach West Compton. At the junction keep straight ahead then as the road bears to the left go straight on again signed Knowle cottages 1/2 mile, walk up the lane and take the first lane on your left, follow this as it turns to the left to bring you back to a T junction where you turn left again, follow the road as it bears to the right and walk back up the lane straight ahead of you which you walked down earlier. When you reach a sharp bend to the left take the stile straight in front of you and follow the footpath over the stile ahead to eventually reach and cross a small stream, follow the track up hill through a farm gate then head a little to the right up hill to reach a stile next to a gate on the far side of the field.

4. Cross the road with care over the modified gate, head straight across the field to a double stile and bridge, keep on in this direction for two more fields to come to a farm track. Follow this pass the renovated farm buildings and as you approach the farmyard turn left through an old gateway and with the hedge on your right walk up the field to find a stile halfway up, cross this, turn left and follow the path through the bushes bearing to the left, at the end to follow the hedge to a stile, cross this and aim for the gate, cross field to your right this brings you back onto the farm track which you follow passing the farm and houses to emerge into a field, turn half left and aim for the large tree where you will find a stile, cross this and still in the same direction aim for the corner of the hedge in front of you, now follow the hedge on your right until you emerge into a large field, go straight across this to a stile to the left of a barn through an enclosed path, cross a stile onto Church Lane. Turn left to reach The Highwayman pub.

5. From the pub car park continue along the minor road pass the cottages on your right and follow the lane out to the main road into Shepton. Cross the road and look for stile in the fence/ hedge on your right cross and aim for the back of the house on your left where you will find a stile cross this and follow the path across the next field to emerge into a new housing estate, follow the path down Walnut Grove to turn right passing a grassy area on your right, follow the road round to Starling Way. Continue into Cannock Square keep in the same direction through an alley cross a road and keep straight ahead to reach the old railway line. Turn left and follow the tarmac track until you come to a path off to your right taking you back into Collett Park. Walk pass the pond and turn left to walk up pass the play areas back to Park Road, turn left then right to reach our start point.