Barren Down / Beacon Hill / Darshill - 11 mls

A hilly walk with superb all round views. This walk leaves Shepton passing the prison to climb Barren Down crossing the Fosse Way to reach the ancient Beacon Hill Wood, and then crossing the A37 to reach the hamlet of Thrupe. Passing Nancy Camel’s Hole and the waterfall at Darshill to return via West Shepton. This walk starts from Mendip District Council car park, or from the Kings Arms in Leg Square. If starting from the Pub begin at No. 2.

1. Leave the car park via the footpath to the Town Centre, turn left then right into Collett Park, after 100 metres turn left into a footpath between the tennis courts & the bowling green to reach the A371. Cross into Frithfield Lane and on reaching the prison turn left into Gaol Lane following this as it bends right downhill into Leg Square, cross the square towards the Kings Arms.

2. Passing the pub on your left go up the lane signed Quarry over the stile at the top crossing the field to a metal stile behind the Brewery. Once over the stile turn left, on reaching the junction at the top turn right, then turn left up some steps into the wood where you follow the path round to the right under the old railway arch and out to the A37.Turn left, when you reach the entrance to Ivy House Farm on the opposite side of the road cross and walk through the farmyard closing the gates behind you, on reaching the gates at the end, go through the one on your left and aim to pass through the gateway in the hedge ahead, keep in the same direction over a wooden stile then a stone stile still aiming in the same direction to cross a stone stile at the top of this field, now keep the wall on your right to reach a stile taking you onto the Fosse Way in the top corner of this field.

3. Turn left along the Fosse Way, after 100 metres turn right over a stile next to a gate, head across the field keeping the large trees and water trough on your left to reach and cross a wooden stile, then a stone stile on the corner into the next field, follow the wall on your left until you come to a stile at the end cross this then head half right across this field to cross another stile then onto a stone stile to reach a lane (Bodden Lane). Turn left along the road until you come to a gate on your right, go through this keeping the hedge on your right until you enter the fifth field, go straight across this bearing to your left to a stile next to the gate. Once on Kings Road turn left, follow the road until you come to a junction on your right, here you turn left over the stile next to a gate and aim towards the farm buildings on your right to cross a stile each side of a farm track, follow the fence on your right to cross the next stile then uphill to a stone stile onto Bolter’s Lane. Cross the lane to a stile opposite, then straight up this field to the top left hand corner to reach the old Frome Road.

4. With great care turn left and follow the edge until you reach the entrance to Beacon Hill Woods, roughly 100 metres. Keeping to the top path (do not drop down the hill) follow it through the woods until you reach a wide track on the far side, cross this path to reach a viewpoint. To continue the walk retrace your steps back to the wide track turn right and follow it as it winds downhill, on reaching the bottom turn right and follow a track out to reach Yellingmill Lane. Turn right and where the lane bends sharply to the right cross the stile on the left, aiming slightly right towards the second telegraph pole and onto the bottom corner of the field to find and cross a stone stile, cross the next two fields to reach a wooden stile with Yew Tree Farm on your left. Do not cross the stile but turn right up the field to cross the stile at the top. The path goes down to the gate at the bottom of the hill. Do not exit the field but with your back to the gate you go half right back up the hill to go through a gate in the top right hand corner, then follow the hedge on your left round to cross another stile and out to the A37. With care cross the road and the stone stile opposite, head straight across this field to a stone stile, then across the next field to go over a stile onto a lane.

5. Once in the lane turn left, then right at the first junction, when you reach a fork take the one to the right and follow it through Windsor Hill Farm. At the derelict building turn right over a stile next to a gate, follow the track round to the left through another gate and down the middle of this field. Where this opens out into a large field head towards the communication mast on Pen Hill and as you drop down the hill you will see a bridge at the bottom, once over this turn left heading uphill to cross the old railway via two stiles, cross this long field to pass through a double kissing gate, across the next field to pass through another kissing gate, then after the next field and kissing gate turn half right through a farm gate and onto a stone stile, after which you cross the next field heading towards the lone ash tree to cross the stone stile close by onto Thrupe Lane. Turn left and on reaching a barn on your right look for an oak signpost on your left next to a gate taking you down an enclosed track to cross a stone stile next to a gate, from here you drop down towards Ham Woods to cross a stone stile into the wood, follow this steep path down to the bottom only to climb up the path on the opposite side to reach and cross a stone stile at the top. Keeping the field edge on your right go uphill to pass through a farm gate after which you head across the field keeping Ham Western Farm on your right, entering the farmyard via a small stile next to a gate, follow the track round to the left and out to the lane.

6. Turn right down the lane ignore the turning on the left, where the lane bends sharply to the right take the stone stile on your left, then turn right to cross the stile in the corner of the field make your way carefully down the steps to the track halfway down. (The path off to the left takes us to the site of Nancy Camel’s Hole) We continue down the slope to reach a path at the bottom of the hill, cross this path and onto find a bridge over a large pipe, now follow the path between the pipe and a wire fence and at the end of the fence keep straight on following the path out to reach the A371.Turn right down the road after approx 400 metres at the entrance to the sewage treatment plant look for a signpost and stile on the other side of the road. Cross the road with care then the stile and head straight up the field to find a marker post leading you up some steps by the side of the waterfall, cross the stile at the top of the hill and keep straight on across this field until you reach a track in the middle, turn left and follow the hedge on your right, where this ends at a gateway next to a metal stile, keep in the same direction to cross a stone stile in the corner of the hedge ahead of you follow the enclosed path over the old stone stile at the end, cross two more fields to a kissing gate  behind the houses.

7. Once through the gate turn right signed Old Wells Road and on reaching the road turn right, walk along the road with care, just before the farmhouse on the left turn left into the R.U.P.P. When you reach a fork turn left and follow this path until you reach the B3136. Turn right along the road through the old railway arch, approx 10 metres past the arch go up a short track on your left going behind the houses, then turn left to enter the housing estate, follow the pavement on your right until you come to a tarmac path between house numbers 75 &77 turn right up this path signed Pilton 2 miles, then left at the top to walk along a tarmac path behind the houses. Where this path turns sharp left, turn left then immediately right into Westway Lane, follow this to the T- junction at the top. Cross Compton Road to enter the footpath opposite follow this into the field keeping to the edge with the hedge on your left, follow this round to exit via a gate onto the A371. Turn left for 200 metres, look for the post box in the wall on the other side of the road, cross the road and enter the path to the left of the said post box. Follow this round to a gate onto a gravel path, cross the bridge ahead following the path behind some new houses, When you reach a gap in the wall on your left go through this onto the old railway cross this to enter Collett Park following the path on the left round the park pass the children’s play areas and out to Park Road, cross to the footpath opposite and back to the car park.