Burford / North Wootton / Croscombe Walk - 11mls

A hilly walk leaving via West Shepton crossing Knowle Hill to reach Buford, then following Folly Lane down to North Wootton and onto climb Worminster Sleight before crossing the old railway to then drop down to Croscombe and back along the ridge to reach Shepton via Darshill. This walk starts from Mendip District Council car park Cannards Grave Road, or from The Crossways Inn at North Wootton. If starting from the pub ask permission to park, then from the crossroads with your back to the pub take the road signed Worminster, Dulcote, follow this for ¼ mile to reach Sidelands Barn where you join the route at No. 3.

1. Leave the car park via the entrance onto Cannards Grave Road, turn right then left over the pedestrian crossing, turn right and follow the pavement round to the left into Compton Road, cross this into Kingsland Road and follow it for approx ½ mile, on reaching Strode Way turn right and follow it under the old railway arch along Kent Lane to reach the B3136. Turn left and carefully follow the road for 200 metres to turn right into the R.U.P.P. just before the remains of the old railway arch, follow this as it changes from track to path. At the junction follow the track to the left and continue on to reach the road at the top, turn left over the old railway bridge then turn right next to the large stones into Mill Lane (not signed). This can get very muddy in places. On reaching the lane at the bottom turn left and follow the road round to a junction, keep straight ahead towards Knowle Farm, On reaching the end of the trees on your left look for and cross the stile on your left aiming for the house at the bottom of the field, cross the stile onto the lane and turn right. On reaching Manor Cottage on your right, turn left into the lane then once over the stream where the lane turns left, go straight ahead up the steps and over the stile into the field due to a spring rising here it is always wet. From the stile aim straight up the hill to reach a double stile at the top, this is a good place to stop for some refreshment both liquid & visual.

2.  Once over the double stile cross the next field slightly to the left to pass through the gate, (the house to your right is Burford House). Keep in the same direction down the field to pass through the gate at the bottom and onto the road. Turn right and follow the road uphill until you come to the crossroads at the top. Turn right and still following the road (with good views both North & South) for approx ½ mile. Just after the junction on your left and where the road bends to the right continue straight ahead into the bridleway (Folly Lane). Keep on along the track to pass through a bridle gate at the end into a field, follow the hedge on your left cross this field pass through the gate at end and keep straight on, the hedge is now on your right, follow this through the next gate and round two sides of the next field to pass through the gate into a track. Continue along the track until you reach Folly Lodge on your left, opposite which you cross a stile, now head for the telegraph pole in the middle of the field then onto cross the stile in the hedge at the bottom onto a lane, turn left towards North Wootton. If you started from the pub keep straight on to return to the Crossways Inn.

3. On reaching Sidelands Barn take the lane on your right and follow this until it bends sharply to the left, here turn right into the driveway of Bark Mill, on reaching the bridge turn left across this and then the orchard to cross a stile into the field, follow the hedge on your left round two sides of this large field to cross a smaller field over a stile onto a lane. Turn right and where the road bends to the right go straight ahead pass the workshop on your right and up some steps to go through the garden, then follow the fence on your right to a stile leading you into a field. Head straight across the field to a stile next to the gate, once over this keep straight on towards the wood ignoring the small gate on your right as this is private. Enter the wood via a drunken stile and exit via a sober one into a field, follow the wood on your left until you come to a small marker post pointing you down to the end of the wood at the bottom of the hill, follow the wood on your right round to pass through a gate onto a concrete track, turn right and just after the stream cross the stile on your left aiming for the barns at the top of the hill, go through two farm gates to follow a fence on your left through a metal gate and down to reach the road at Worminster via a smaller gate. Note the ancient cross on your right.

4. Turn left up the road, where it bends to the left go up the steps in the bank on your right to cross the stile at the top, cross the field to go over the stile in the top left hand corner onto a track, turn left and follow this track until it turns right, keep straight ahead through a gate (ignore the next gate on your left) cross the field keeping the hedge on your left (with good views across Wells) to pass through a gate into another field. Follow the path through the middle of this field to drop down to cross the old railway via the kissing gates into a field. Pass the small copse on your left to cross a stile behind it taking you into an enclosed path to emerge into Churchill Lane. At the top of the hill keep straight ahead following the road to a crossroads, cross over into the lane signed Croscombe. Follow this downhill and on reaching a cottage on a sharp bend to the left, go straight ahead into the track passing the cottage on your left, follow this sometimes muddy track until you reach a lane, turn right uphill to a T junction, Turn left and with care follow the road until you come to a junction, look for a signpost on your left, next to which you will find some steps, climb up these to cross the stile at the top, then head for the far left hand corner of the field to cross another stile, our path now drops downhill to the houses below, keeping these on your right go over the stile and down the concrete track to reach the road, continue down the road to reach the River Sheppey

5. Do not cross the bridge but turn right in front of the houses following the path round with the river on your left to cross a stile at the end of the last house, aim for the large tree next to which you cross a stile, continue up the hill to a stile in the fence on your left cross this, down the bank, then follow the path across this field to the stile you can see in the distant field boundary. Once over this pass the large tree on your left then follow the hedge on your right, where this ends cross the gap to pick up the hedge again (often muddy here) at the end of this hedge next to a metal gate and stile cross the field to go over a stone stile on the corner into an enclosed path. Go over the old stone stile at the end then cross two more fields to pass through a kissing gate. Ignore the path on your right but go straight ahead behind the houses to eventually reach St. Peter’s Road, follow this down to the A371. Cross with care into Forum Lane then turn first right following the cottages on your left round to go through a kissing gate, keep on the tarmac track through two more kissing gates to reach a road, go straight on following this road until you reach the T junction with Cowl Street.

6. Turn left uphill over the small roundabout, under the old arch and on reaching No 56 turn right into a footpath to reach and cross Waterloo Road. Turn right then left up the steps to enter the field at the top, now turn right and follow the wall across the field to reach a metal stile cross this and follow the tarmac path downhill, Just before you reach the bottom look for a small archway on your right, go through this and follow the path up some steps over the bridge to reach Peter Street, cross into Church Lane, follow the path up to the church, do not enter the church yard but turn right following the path round to pass in front of the of the church, then turn left into a path passing the church on your left follow the path round to the right then turn left to emerge into Goal Lane, keep straight ahead to reach Firthfield Lane, turn right uphill to reach the A361. Cross into the footpath opposite pass the bowling green & tennis courts to enter CollettPark, turn right and follow the path out to Park Road, turn left then right to reach the car park.