Whitstone Hill / Doulting / Bodden - 7 mls

A moderate walk with only one steep hill up and one down, the views being worth the climb. We go under Charlton Viaduct, pass The Hundred Stone, & St. Aldhelm’s Well, before coming back across Ingsdons Hill. This walk starts from Mendip District Council car park, Cannards Grave Road, Or from The Thatched Cottage Pub on the A361 at Charlton on the outskirts of Shepton Mallet. If you start from the pub ask permission to park and start from No.2.

1. From the car park take the footpath to the Town centre into Park Road, turn left then right into Collett Park, keep straight ahead passing the pond on your right and the football pitches, now start to look for the exit into Collet Avenue on your left, At the bottom of the avenue you reach the A361, cross and turn right take the footpath on your left that crosses the playing field and aim for the bottom right hand corner to exit onto the road, cross with care and take the first turning on your right between a car park on your left and a wall on your right. Look through the gate halfway along on your left at Mulberry Gardens. Continue to the end of the tarmac track keeping straight ahead onto a gravel path, take the path to your right and follow it passing under Charlton Viaduct until you come to a junction of paths, turn right here passing between a high wall on one side and a low one on the other to emerge into Brewery Lane. Turn left then left again to pass behind the art galley on your right which brings you out onto the Fosse Way. Turn right and walk through Charlton Trading estate to reach the traffic lights at the top, The Thatched Cottage Pub is on your right.

2. From the traffic lights follow the A361 towards Frome for a few metres cross the road into the No Through Road, (Frog Lane) follow this over the cattle grid into Bullimore Farm following the track straight through the farm, after passing through the gate at the end follow the track as it bends slightly to the right, ignore the first gate on your left and head for the next one, once in the field follow the hedge on your left to cross the stile at the top of the field down some steps and through a very boggy field still with the hedge on your left to reach a track via a stile, cross this and the stile opposite, then aim for the stile at the top of the hill, keep on up the hill to reach the summit. Have a rest and admire the view the climbing is over you have reached the top of Whitstone Hill. Continue across the top of the hill to go over a modified gate onto a track, turn left and continue up hill to go over another modified gate passing the Hundred Stone on the way. Keep in the same direction over the next Three stiles, ignoring the ones on your right, after the third stile turn half left and aim to the left of the farm house you can see ahead. Once across the field you will see a gate leading you onto a concrete track, turn right and follow this track through Peacehaven Farm and out to the road.

3. Turn left and follow the road crossing the East Somerset Railway at Bramble Ditch, keep straight ahead and where the grass verge widens look for a stile on your left, cross this and aim for the wall on the far side of the field. Go over the stone stile, follow the wall on your right to a stile and the A361. Cross with care, as this is a very busy road. Once across turn left until you reach the speed limit signs, turn right over the stile and walk down hill pass the old Lockup on your right to cross a stile at the bottom of the hill. Turn right, in front of you is St. Aldhelms Well. Continue up hill and as you come towards the top you will see a small gateway on your right. If you wish to visit Doulting Church go through the gate and follow the path to the Church. To continue the walk keep going uphill until you reach Rowan Cottage on your left, here turn left into Beech Close then left again to go up the left hand side of White Clover Cottage. Follow the footpath behind the school to reach a field, continue straight across this with the hedge on your left to cross a stone stile on your left, follow the path along the ridge to cross the next stile and with the wood now on your left again, follow the path over another stile down some steps and out to the road. Go up the steps opposite and follow the path across the field to go over a stile either side of the driveway, now aim for the cottage off to your right, halfway across the field turn left and aim for a stile behind the large fir trees, follow these to the next stile and then onto a double stile a little to your left, cross the next field aim slightly to your right where you will find a stile in the corner of a fence, cross this and aim for the gap in the fence ahead after which you turn right to reach the fence at the  bottom, turn left and follow the fence to go over a stone stile out to the road at Bodden.

4. Turn left and follow the footpath through the farm gate, at the top of the track turn right ignoring the kissing gate & stile on your left to follow the track through three kissing gates to reach the top of Ingsdons Hill with its’ fine view to the coast. Follow the path across the top of the hill to a kissing gate just over the brow, then follow the hedge on your left down the field to Bodden Lane, cross this via the kissing gates and go half left through the orchard to a stone stile, cross this onto the Fosse Way then the stile opposite, go straight across the field to a stile with metal rails, once over this keep straight ahead to a short marker post, turn right here to another stile with metal rails then follow the wall on your left up to a stile taking you under the viaduct into an enclosed path and out to the A37. Cross the road taking great care, turn right then left at the footpath sign up the steps under the old railway. When you reach a stile on your left cross this onto a drive, turn right then left behind the Brewery to cross the metal stile next to the gate on your right, cross the field to another stile and down the lane to reach Leg Square. Keep to the right and go down Lower Lane, at the end of the wall turn right into the footpath (Signed Fosse Way) then turn left under a small arch to follow the path up some steps and over a bridge to reach Peter Street. Cross this into Church Lane and follow the flag stone path to the Church, turn left through the Churchyard, ignore the path on your left and keep straight ahead to reach the A361. Cross with care and turn left, follow the road until you come to a footpath on your right signed to Cannards Grave via Collett Park. Take this path back into Collett Park then turn right and follow the path back to reach Park Road, Cross the road to the footpath opposite which brings you back to the car park.