Walking Sue Gearing

A walk on the wild side

JUNE’S circle explores the countryside to the north of Clutton, where the highlight is going through beautiful Folly Farm on permissive paths. Folly Farm, cared for by Avon Wildlife Trust, is a working farm and wildlife sanctuary where you can see butterflies, birds and wildflowers including orchids (mainly in June). It has an amazing natural amphitheatre and from there and from Round Hill there are superb views over Chew Valley Lake. Walking is a mixture of flat and undulating country with climbs and downhills. The start is uphill on lanes through Clutton and then we follow field footpaths and lanes and there are many kissing gates (KGs) and very few stiles. A busy main road has to be crossed twice. Please note: No dogs allowed on Folly Farm land.

This lovely route came from Twenty circular walks near Timsbury a new book of walks written by Peter Bradshaw, Larry Curringham and Sue Fraser (details at the end).

PARK: At Clutton on the A37 south of Pensford. Clutton church is in the village signposted off the main road. There is a small car park there and parking nearby on the road.

START: With your back to the church, turn left soon passing the small triangular green on the right with an oak tree, the King’s Oak.

This is a replacement for the original oak, now just a stump on the green, planted to commemorate Edward VII becoming king.

Follow Church Lane along and up in the Pensford direction. Turn left at the Tjunction and almost straightaway, go right on Broomhill Lane. At the end, take the middle footpath on Tarmac going straight on and up.

1. MAIN ROAD

Reach the A37 and cross with care, through a kissing gate (KG) into the first field, following the Three Peaks Way.

The Three Peaks Circular Walk covers 16.5 miles of hilly, field-footpath terrain. The route takes you around Pensford, Clutton and Chew Magna and the “peaks” are Maes Knoll, Knowle Hill and Blackberry Hill.

Keep straight on through a small and then a long field, with a Bristol Gate at the end on the right. Turn left in the same direction as before, through a gap at the end. Keep on, bearing right to reach a KG in the corner. Maintain direction in the next field and take the KG into Tynemoor Wood.

2. WOOD

The entrance is muddy due to the stream. Follow the stream closely on your right through the wood and exit through another KG. Turn right in the field, ascend and suddenly get a surprising view from the brow over towards Stowey Church and House and Chew Valley Lake.

The church and house are now separate from Stowey village which has reduced considerably over the centuries.

Drop down and stay close to the bottom of the hill to reach a KG in the left corner. Turn right round the field edge and round one corner. Then take the KG in the right fence and bear left under two trees. Go through another KG and cross a plank bridge. Now head diagonally across to yet another KG by a large field gate. Once through bear left across this field to find a Bristol Gate onto a quiet lane, which in parts is not much more than a track.

3. LANE

Follow it right. Cross a small ford and reach a T-junction with a track. Here we go left for about 350 yards. Reach a right bend and go ahead through a gap in the hedge and follow the marked path right alongside a beautiful house and garden. Bend left. Go through a gate and then diagonally across the field, meeting the end of a drive and then onto a lane at the end with a sign for Folly Farm on the right.

4. FOLLY FARM

Folly Farm is a traditionally managed working farm and 250 acre nature reserve run by the Avon Wildlife Trust. The centre, which we don’t see on this walk, has also become a popular rustic wedding venue.

By the information board there is a wooden KG and then go up the drive. At the right hand bend turn off left onto one of the colour-coded permissive paths into a wood, up steps. Keep straight on through the wood on the main path. At a clearing maintain direction, ignoring a right turn. The path bends right through this beautiful peaceful area and takes us out to the open and a bench. Go left across to a gate. Once through head diagonally left across to the far corner and a KG. Follow the narrow path into the open.

5. ROUND HILL

Round Hill is up on your right. The terrain here is rather rough and uneven and after rain may be muddy. Follow the wooden posts straight on, climbing. Bend round to the right with brambles on your right. Reach an area with many anthills. Then continue to bend round quite sharply and climb, this time closely following gorse and brambles on your right. Reach a marker post and turn left up to the top of the hill. Here is a gate on the right into a fenced, quiet area with a bench and wonderful views.

Come out and go down the grassy ridge, bearing off left near the end to go through a wooden KG by a large field gate. Go straight on and at a finger post ignore the right path and maintain direction through Folly Woods.

6. FOLLY WOODS

At the next fork take the right wide grassy path between trees. About 50 yards before a large field gate ahead, turn right on a small, slightly hidden path just before a marker post and a red arrow. This leads to a T-junction of paths. Turn left on the red and green arrow marked path. Cross a bridge and go up steps and through a KG. Bear left in the meadow which in June is a great place for wild flowers and orchids, mainly due to the fact it has remained unimproved for centuries. Go through a KG and in the next field go uphill along the left hedge. Continue on towards a long low bungalow on the left and here get a feel of the wonderful large natural amphitheatre overlooking Chew Valley Lake. Keep on past the bungalow with the hedge on your left. Pass a bench and look for the exit on the left through a KG. Go ahead across to another KG and onto a quiet lane. Follow it right.

7. FIELDS

At the end cross carefully over the main road again to a metal gate. Bear left and down the field under the power line. Don’t go too far left. Reach the bottom hedge and look for a somewhat hidden kissing gate just to the right of a line of trees. Then go down across the next field towards Taylor’s Farm to a Bristol Gate onto the lane. Cross straight over to a KG and pass farm buildings on your left. Pass a large metal gate and then soon reach a small gate out onto a track. Almost immediately turn left and go across a wooden bridge with a stile each end. Maintain direction to a KG on the far side onto a quiet lane which leads back towards Clutton. Turn right and after 450 yards, just after The Ramblers, go up steps onto a narrow path.

Distance 5.8 miles, about 3-3.5 hours walking. OS Explorer 142 Shepton Mallet & Mendip Hills East, grid ref 623 589. Postcode BS39 5SH.

8. OLD RAILWAY ROUTE

Another KG leads to a crossing track, which was the route of the old Bristol and North Somerset Railway. Ahead down steps you can see Burchells Pit spoil heap, but don’t go down there.

Clutton has a long history of coal mining from at least the 17th century. Burchells Pit opened around 1908 when mining was exhausted at nearby Greyfield Pit. It only remained working until 1921. The railway and Clutton Station opened in 1873 and was mainly serving the Somerset Coalfield but also carried commuters to Bristol. The station closed to passengers in 1959 and to goods in June 1964 and the railway came to an end in 1973 with the demise of the last colliery at Kilmersdon.

Turn right along the old railway route. Cross a bridge, pass the old scout hut and continue along the former platform of Clutton station. Go through a metal KG and out on the lane to join Station Road in Clutton.

9. CLUTTON

Go straight over and down Venus Lane, past the village hall. The hall, opened in 1933 as the Miners Welfare Institute and YMCA and was funded from a levy of a penny per ton of coal. Soon, see the church tower ahead.

Route taken from Twenty circular walks near Timsbury by Peter Bradshaw, Larry Cunningham and Sue Fraser, price £6. (Walk 18). Available from Health & More or Canine Craze in Timsbury, Radstock Museum, the Farmborough Community Shop and the Oldfield Park Bookshop, Bath. To order by post telephone Oldfield Park Bookshop on 01225 427722.