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East Compton / Prestleigh / Mendip Vale Walk - 8 mls A moderate walk leaving Shepton via Compton Road over the ridge to the hamlet of East Compton, crossing Beard Hill with its’ good views on our way to Prestleigh, then climbing up to Doulting Sheep Sleight passing Mendip Vale Station as we drop back down to Charlton to return to our start point via the old railway track and then some of the back roads of Shepton. This walk starts from Mendip District Council Car Park Cannards Grave Road, or from the Prestleigh Inn at Prestleigh. If starting from the Pub ask permission to park and start from No.3. 1. Leaving the car park via the entrance to Cannards Grave road, turn right, then left over the pedestrian crossing, once over this turn right and follow the road to your left into Compton Road, follow the road for roughly ½ mile, at the end of the houses keep straight on into the narrow lane ahead to reach a T junction, cross into the No Through Road to East Compton
following the lane as it twists and turns to reach the track at the bottom. Turn right and follow the track until you reach two gates. Go through the one straight ahead bearing a little to your right to reach a stile in the hedge ahead, follow the marked path round to your right to reach a small marker post pointing to a stile on your right, go over the stile turn left and walk down the field through the gate onto a track. Turn right and follow the track, just after the end of the buildings on your left, cross a stile on your left,and follow the hedge on your left down hill over a plank bridge at the bottom then climb back up to a stile at the top of the hill. Ignore the stile onto the road but turn right walking along the edge of the field to cross a stile and bridge, keep straight on along the hedge to cross a stile on your left halfway along this field to reach the A361.
2. Cross the road with great care to the footpath opposite, once over the stile follow the hedge on your right to reach the bottom of the hill, cross the stile onto a track then cross the stile opposite, bear slightly to your right to skirt the car park and drive of Bourne Farm to reach a stile at the bottom taking you out to Platterwell Lane. Turn left along the lane until it turns sharply to your right. Carry straight on over the stile then pass through the gate ahead and then over the stile in the next field boundary after which you go half left heading for the bottom left hand corner to cross a stile, follow the hedge on your left to cross a double stile and bridge on your left. Turn right, over another double stile and bridge into an orchard, keep straight on across the orchard to cross a stile on the far side a little to your left taking you into a small wood, go through the trees to reach the field. Once in the field go slightly left uphill to gain the highest point for the best views. Cross the top of the hill dropping down to find a stile taking you back onto Platterwell Lane, Cross the lane over the stile opposite into Platterwell Farm, follow the drive through the farm to reach the A37. Be very careful crossing this road. Cross to the path opposite and follow it round to cross the stile on your right, turn left and follow the fence until you come to a track, follow this track until you reach a stile on your left (approx ¼ mile). Cross this stile heading half right to find another stile at the top taking you onto a track, turn right through the gate ahead and follow the hedge on your right until you reach a stile on your right which you cross. On your left you will see an entrance to the Prestleigh Inn.
3. With your back to the pub walk down hill to follow the track towards the exit of the Bath & West Showground, on your left you pass a small fenced paddock, at the end of this turn left into an enclosed path via a bridle gate, this takes you out to the A371. Cross the road with care to walk up Prestleigh Lane opposite and as you leave the houses behind look for a stile on your right at the top of a bank, cross this and head uphill towards the gate in the next hedge after which you head for the Farm, keep the buildings on your right to exit the field via a farm gate onto a concrete drive. Turn left then at the next gate on your right go through the squeeze stile and head for the stile in the hedge to your right. Do not cross this but turn left to walk uphill through a gate until you come to a double stile on your right, do not cross this one either but go half left aiming for the stile you can see on the skyline. Once over this stile keep straight on to reach a track which you cross via the stiles on both sides into the field, from here head very slightly left aiming for the bottom left hand corner of the field. As you approach the double stiles in the corner looking to your right you can see Mendip Vale Station, end of the line for the East Somerset Railway. From the stiles head down hill to cross a stile next to a water trough then turn right to cross the old railway via a stile each side, from here you head for a double stile near to the large tree a little over halfway down the hedge on your left, then keeping in the same direction cross the next field to go over a stile to reach the A361.
4. Cross this busy road with care then turn left and walk along the road for approx 400 metres to reach the first turning on your right (Bodden Lane). Go up this for approx 400 metres to a footpath on your left, go over the stile aiming for the post and rail fence away to your left, keeping this on your left follow it to the end where you will find a path between the wall and a hedge, follow this out to the back of Charlton Industrial Estate, turn right up the Fosse Way for roughly ½ mile and on reaching the Gas Pumping Station on your left, turn left, following the footpath through the gate and on to a stone stile in the old wall in front of you, once over this keep straight on to reach Ivy House Farm. Go straight through the farmyard closing the gates behind you to reach the A37. Cross the road with care to the footpath downhill a little to your left, go up the steps and follow the path under the old railway, ignore the path on your left and keep on uphill through the woods to follow a path with a wall on your right and the trees on your left to reach a field. Turn left to reach a metal stile at the bottom of the field leading you into a tarmac lane, follow this lane to the bottom of the hill to emerge into Lower Lane, turn left to reach Leg Square, cross the road to go up Gaol lane (Signed Leg Square leading to Gaol Lane). Follow this round to the left and at the top of the hill you reach a T junction, turn right up Frithfield Lane to reach the A361. Cross with care into the footpath opposite leading you pass the tennis courts and bowling green to reach Collett Park. On reaching the park turn right and follow the path to exit onto Park Road, turn left then right into a footpath taking you back to the car park |