Walking DPS.qxp_Layout 1 22/07/2021 10:16 Page 50
MENDIP TIMES
On track for the hill fort
THIS is an interesting circle in midMendip taking in a huge old viaduct and railway tunnels hidden in a deep wooded valley and an Iron Age hill fort. It is a not too strenuous walk from Rocky Mountain Garden Centre, Masbury, going south, picking up the East Mendip Way and then detouring to the magnificent viaduct and tunnels in Ham Woods. After that it is across open fields, on a quiet lane, a track and past a golf club before heading across and up. Thus we end on a high with a panorama from Maesbury Castle hill fort. Walking is on lanes, tracks and across fields. There is a longish steady ascent and then a gentle downhill before a fairly easy uphill to the hillfort. In high summer some
tracks may be overgrown so take a stick. There are a number of stiles, including several solid well-used stone stiles. The garden centre welcomes Mendip Times readers to park there and it is a great place to have refreshment and to browse their 12 acres of nursery. There is nowhere else for refreshment on this circle.
START: Turn right from the garden centre and after a 2-3 minutes take the first lane right signed to Croscombe and Dinder. Follow this quiet route for just over half a mile. En-route go across the line of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway – the green embankment on the left gives you a clue! It was a much-loved line known as the "Slow and Dirty" and ran down to Burnham-on-Sea – a journey well remembered by locals as it took them right down to the seaside, a new destination for many. The line ran to Masbury, the highest point. The station, now a private home, is next door to the garden centre and opened in July 1874. Ignore a lane right and then take the next stony track on the right after 2-3 minutes. If you reach Upper Thrupe Farm you have gone too far.
1. TRACK This old thoroughfare bends left by a renovated barn and continues south between hedges. As it drops, start to get good views south across country. After about 20 minutes, look for a crossing footpath and go left over the stone slab stile – the first of several.
With Sue Gearing PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • AUGUST 2021
2. EAST MENDIP WAY You have now joined the East Mendip Way. In the field, head for the far left
corner and exit through a kissing gate by a large gate. Go down to the lane. Turn left going uphill for a few minutes and look out for a stone slab stile right and an East Mendip Way sign. Bear left across the field, over a stone stile, and head on in the same direction towards the dramatic line of trees which is the top edge of Ham Woods. After a wooden stile, continue alongside the woods. The beautiful Ham Woods occupy a very steep valley created by glacial action and have been the scene of quarrying over the years. Go through a kissing gate and carry on. Go through another kissing gate and in this field you leave the East Mendip Way, which goes centrally across the field, whereas we are on a lesser walked path which aims for an opening in the top left corner. Maintain direction, going up, passing a lone dead ash tree and reach the hedge-line on the left and follow this on. At the end, go over the stile by a large gate and come on to the old railway line. 3. VIADUCT AND TUNNELS Our route goes straight across over the stile opposite, but stop awhile and enjoy an interesting detour – or two! Turn right a few yards and come onto the remarkable viaduct which carried the Somerset and Dorset railway across the immensely deep valley in Ham Woods. Look over the edge to see how high you are! It is also worth carrying on along this old line for another 7-8 minutes and reach one of a pair of tunnels that carried the line under Windsor Hill. This is the old down tunnel. About 60 yards before the tunnel if you want see the other tunnel, take a very short path that bears up left and at the top, take care, and
