Walking Sue Gearing

Drink in the pleasures of this Blagdon circle

WITH wine flowing during the festive season, it is appropriate that this circle takes the walker through a beautiful English vineyard on south facing slopes near Blagdon Lake. We also follow the shore of the lake with its fine views, water birds and fishermen. Walking is on field footpaths and tracks and for a mile along a quiet lane. There is only one stile. The main hill up to Blagdon is at the start and walking after that is easy with downhill, flat and some gentle hills. PARK: Down by the dam across Blagdon Lake. I favour parking in Park Lane which runs along the side of the lake on the south side (Blagdon side) of the dam or you can park on the roadside on the north side of the dam. Either is fine. From Blagdon village High Street turn down the road by the Village Club and drop down to the lake. Just before the dam, turn right on Park Lane, or proceed to the other side of the dam.

START: Go along Park Lane away from the dam with the lake on your left. If you are parked on the other side of the dam, cross it and turn left in Park Lane. After a few minutes go round a bend and take the first right.

1. DARK LANE

This is a sunken thoroughfare called Dark Lane. Almost immediately, go up steps right and follow the higher path above Dark Lane. It is quite a gentle ascent. Pass a seat and then drop down steps back onto the lane and turn right to a junction on Blagdon Lane.

Turn uphill left more steeply – but not for long. Before you get to the top, opposite Station Hill Cottage, turn right towards a garage and Headland and immediately turn left up a grassy path. At the top turn right into Garston Lane.

2. FOOTPATH

At the end take the footpath down the concrete drive on the right. Continue down when it becomes a narrow path between hedges. Go through a kissing gate and carry on down and after the next gate enter a field. Here follow the right side down and then it bends left across the field. Bear down slightly right still descending, clipping a hedge corner on the way down. Below you behind a hedge is the line of the old Wrington Vale railway close to the former Blagdon Station, now a private house.

Go through a gate at the end and here you cross the old line, although there is nothing now to see. Continue down the grassy track. Ahead is a small sewage farm but don’t go that far. At the hedge corner, turn left along the top of this narrow field. Go along a path in a wood. Cross a footbridge over a stream. Soon, turn left towards a gate into a field. Head along the bottom to the end.

3. STONE SLAB BRIDGE

Don’t go ahead into the next field, but instead turn right over a large old stone slab footbridge (Uxford Bridge). Walk near to the bottom of this next field by the stream. You may have to go round a large clump of thistles of which there are

With Sue Gearing

many in this field, but basically continue to follow the stream. Near the field end, bear across and round to the right corner, crossing a small stream/gully with no bridge. Turn left in the same direction as before along the bottom of this field and at the end turn uphill right to a metal gate above.

Now, on the top, go straight ahead along the fence line. In the corner there’s a gate and footbridge to cross.

4.TRACK

Go ahead to follow the track uphill. Ignore the misleading footpath marker and gate into the field. You couldn’t get out the other end when I came. The track is leading you up to Aldwick Estate and vineyard. This is not just a wine producer but also a beautiful wedding and special events venue.

5. VINEYARD

Near the end of the track, go through a large wooden gate on the left following the footpath arrow. Bend right along the edge of one of the vineyards. At the end, cross a footbridge and reach the lane at Aldwick.

Length 4.2 miles, about 2-2.5 hours walking. OS map 141 Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West 141 and 154 Bristol West & Portishead. Postcode: BS40 7SB for Park Lane and BS40 7TA for the Village Club – then drive downhill to the lake.

6. LANE

You will follow this for 0.8 miles. Turn right passing the farm right and more vineyards on the left. Stay on the lane which is very quiet, going past a line of houses, and then between high banks. Observe the “see and be seen” rule as you go along the lane. It is much safer than the old rule of facing the oncoming traffic.

Reach Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity. This is a chilli farm providing learning and employment in a unique environment for young people and adults with social and learning difficulties.

A little further on pass Butcombe Farm with its holiday cottages.

7. JUNCTION

Not much further on, at the T-junction, turn left on the lane in the direction of Butcombe. But we have just under another 0.2 miles lane walking.

8. TWO GATES

Arrive at an entrance on the left to White Cottage and the Hermitage. On the other side of the road, are two large field gates. Cross the stile at the side of the second gate. Head down to the bottom right corner of the field, and through the opening. In this field bear down and across to the bottom left gate. Come onto a footpath and turn right. Shortly a kissing gate leads you left. Go down a few yards and then take the path right (Ignore the bridge ahead). You are now heading along towards the main part of Blagdon Lake. After our very dry summer, the lake is very low so it will be a while before you actually see the lake waters.

9. BLAGDON LAKE

Cross a long footbridge and carry on getting close alongside the lake with good views across to Mendip and Blagdon village. There are one or two seats along here, ideal for a picnic or just watching the lake birds.

10. DAM

Eventually come out onto the road by the dam. Turn back to where you parked. Up in Blagdon village there are pubs and also Coco’s coffee and fashion shop just up alongside the Village Club.