Bodden, Cranmore, Doulting - 10.5 mls

A hilly walk for the railway enthusiast, we climb to Barren Down crossing farmland to Bodden following the East Mendip Way for a few miles to reach Cranmore Tower before dropping down to Cranmore and the East Somerset Railway. On the way back we cross Ingsdon Hill with its fine views, then pass through Doulting Quarry and back to our start point via Collett Park. This walk starts from Mendip District Council car park Cannards Grave Road, or from the Strode Arms, Cranmore. If starting from the pub ask for permission to park then start from No 4.

1. Leave the car park via the path to the town centre into Park Road, turn left then right into Collett Park. After 100 metres turn left into the footpath taking you between the tennis courts & the bowling green to reach the A361. Cross the road and turn left, continue until you come to a path signed to the Parish Church, turn right and follow the path into the churchyard, pass behind the church to reach a gate on your right, go through this following the path out to Peter Street. Turn right down the hill, at the bottom turn left into Lower Lane and at the end of the wall on your right, turn right over the River Sheppey and up the tarmac footpath signed Fosse Way. On reaching the top, cross the metal stile continuing straight ahead to pass through the kissing gate on your left at the top of the hill. Cross the old railway through the kissing gate opposite and head up the field to pass through the gateway at the top. Ignore the path off to the left but keep straight ahead up the field to pass through the second gate on your right to reach the A37.  

2. Be very careful crossing this very busy road. Pass through the kissing gate opposite keeping the wall on your left, head for the gateway in the next hedge line, then cross the next field to a stone stile, once over this keep in the same direction across this field to reach a stone stile with metal rails, cross this onto the Fosse Way. Cross the stone stile opposite and head a little to your right towards the large trees where you will find and cross a small stone stile, still in the same direction cross this field to go over two stiles one each side of a track. From here head slightly right downhill towards the large trees (keeping the bungalow on your right) where you will find a gate leading you onto Bodden Lane. Turn left up the hill to Bodden and on reaching the junction turn right. When you reach a house called The Hayloft turn left over the stone stile and follow the way marked path through the garden to exit into a field via a stile in the top right hand corner. Turn left down the middle of the field towards the barns to cross a double stile, then keeping the buildings on your right pass behind the farm over two more stiles to emerge into a field. Follow the line of telegraph poles on your right towards a gateway, to the left of which you will find a stone stile. Cross this, the road and the stone stile opposite, then cross the field towards a stone stile in the next boundary. Do not cross this but turn left following the boundary on your right to the top of the field to cross another stone stile. Ignore the stile on your right but cross the field keeping the large trees on your left to find and pass through two kissing gates to reach the lane at Newman Street.

3. Turn right and after a few metres turn left through a metal kissing gate, go straight up the slope passing the ring of fir trees on your left to go through two kissing gates, continue straight across the next field to go through a lift barrier and over a stone stile and then a kissing gate. Cross the next field in the same direction to go over a large stone stile onto a lane. Turn left, and then right at the lane opposite Temple House Farm, follow this until you reach the main road, Cross over the road and stile opposite then follow the track as it bears to the right then the left to reach a kissing gate at the top taking you into a field. Keep straight on to pass through the gate on the far side of the field ignore the path off to the left but keep straight ahead, and where the field narrows at the far end go through the kissing gate in the corner next to a farm gate. Now aim for the bottom corner of the woods in the dip, after which you climb up to the kissing gate on the far side of the field. Go through this, turn left through the next kissing gate then up a short track to reach a bridleway where you turn right, Go through the gate passing the house on your right to reach a field, continue across three more fields via bridle gates to reach Dallimore Lane. Turn left uphill follow the bridleway through a small gate at the top, keep straight ahead and on reaching a junction in the track next to a gate signed West Cranmore Estates. Private Woodlands, turn right. When you reach the gate at the end go through this and turn right again, following the boundary on your right uphill. Cross the track at the top passing Cranmore Tower on your left (do not go to the Tower as this is a private residence). Still keeping the boundary on your right go straight ahead through the woods to pass through a metal squeeze stile into a field, head straight on downhill. After a few metres go through the kissing gate on your right and follow the well trodden path across this field to the far bottom corner to reach Dallimore Lane via a kissing gate. Turn left downhill, and on reaching the lane at the bottom take the footpath opposite, which bears to the left behind the houses to emerge into Pawelski Close and the A361. Turn right along the main road and just after the small church on your right cross the road to enter the footpath opposite. Go half right across this field to pass through a kissing gate and still in the same direction cross the next field towards the houses passing through a kissing gate on to the road. Follow the road to a T-junction, turn left and on reaching the bottom of the hill turn right. On your left is Cranmore village pond with its wicker fishermen and on your right is The Strode Arms.

4. From the pub walk to the T-junction, and if you wish to visit the East Somerset Railway cross the road and enter via the car park. To continue the walk take the No Through Road between the car park on your left and the sidings on your right, follow this pass the station, cross the railway lines going into the sidings, keeping on towards the cottage ahead. Just before you reach this look for a signpost on your right taking you up the side of the wood over a stile into a field. Follow the wood on your left and where this ends keep straight ahead aiming for a stile in the top right-hand corner of the field then on to reach the A361. With care cross this into the road opposite (Tansey) then turn left into the playing field either via the gate or stile, pass the tennis court on your left aiming to cross a stile in the hedge beyond, once over this head in the same direction towards a gate, over the stile, and then on to cross a stile in the top corner of the next field. Once over this follow the hedge / wall on your right through a stone squeeze, cross the next three small fields and on reaching the fourth field turn slightly right aiming for the building in the top corner, go over the stile, turn left and out to the road. Turn right up the road and in a few metres take the footpath on your left passing the new workings at Doulting Quarry. Soon you reach a path off to your left taking you through the quarry workings to a stile, cross this, turn right, and follow the path to a T junction. Turn left through the woods to reach a marker post next to a large tree, turn right to reach a track where you turn right again then in a few metres take the path off to the left. Follow this to pass through a squeeze stile at the end, turn left taking the path through the large bank ahead of you and on reaching the other side, turn right and follow the bank round to a marker post level with the last house away to your left, turn left across the field to cross a stone stile onto the road at Doulting.

5. Turn right, then take the second turning left (Carey Close) through the kissing gate at the end, keep straight ahead through another kissing gate to reach a junction of paths, turn left passing behind the skateboard park through a kissing gate into an enclosed path which takes you behind the school to reach Beech Close, at the junction turn right following the lane downhill. (If you wish to visit Doulting Church, when you reach The Old Bell House, turn left through the gateway in the wall opposite). To continue the walk keep on down the lane to reach the bottom, on your left you will find St Aldhelms Well. Keep straight on then just before the gate ahead turn right, following the path round the ponds to reach a stile at the end, go over this ignoring the path off to the left, go straight up the hill, On reaching the top keep straight on towards the large tree in the boundary straight ahead, next to which you will find a well hidden stile in the hedge. Once over this follow the hedge on your left uphill until it becomes a wire fence where you will find and cross a stile, now aim for the gate a little to your left at the top of this field which takes you onto a track. Turn left and follow the track through a kissing gate then a stone squeeze and another kissing gate to reach the top of Ingsdon Hill.

6. Keep straight across the top of the hill to follow the path as it drops down to pass through another kissing gate, then follow the hedge on your left downhill to reach the lane via a kissing gate. Cross the lane through the kissing gate opposite then slightly left through the orchard to a stone stile taking you onto the Fosse Way. Cross this via the stile opposite following the path across the field to go over a stone stile with metal rails now keep straight on to pass under Charlton Viaduct and onto reach the tarmac lane (Kidds Lane). Keep straight on along the lane to reach the A37. With care cross the road, turn left uphill to reach a stone stile leading into the school playing field cross this to the stile at the top and on to the A361. Turn right, with care cross the road and on reaching Collett Avenue turn left to enter Collett Park at the top, turn right and follow the path pass the pond and the play areas to exit onto Park Road, turn left then right back to the car park.