Our next walk promises to be a really good one. A little hilly, some great views with woods and open heath for The Hounds to have a good run. It will be on the Mendips starting from Axbridge, the village 1½ miles west of Cheddar. Meet 10am Sunday 6th April at the car-park on the Axbridge by-pass, A371 (Wells to Winscombe road). This is above the village a mile from the A38, looking over the Somerset Levels. Coming from Winscombe this is the entrance you will see by the Axbridge town sign: |
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The route
From the car park we follow the old Cheddar Valley railway line on a nice flat level surface for half a mile north towards Winscombe. Then we enter a tunnel where you can take a shower midway if you wish and admire the embryonic stalagmites. I will check the timetable but as the last train ran in 1963 we should be alright.
We then move out of the cutting and into wild garlic laden King's Wood and descend gradually to the road at Cross. Turning right we walk along a flat road for ¼ mile. No doubt getting bored with flat stretches I have arranged that we climb/scale to the central ridge, remembering all the time that there's "no gain without pain", and you're only here for The Hounds, and who wants to live for ever . . .
After a sweaty ten minutes we breast the ridge to see most of Wales, the Bristol Channel, all of Somerset, Glastonbury Tor, Exmoor, Dartmoor on the horizon and possibly the US of A. It will be worth it. Trust me.
The really energetic can run off left to Crook Peak, the pointed hill that overlooks the M5 en route to Bristol and other flesh-pots.
The rest of us perambulate down, yes down, back into King's Wood to arrive more or less on top of the tunnel. Those feeling wan, worn and decrepit (the hounds not the owners) can if they wish make their own way back to the cars along the flat railway. (We will have done about 4 miles.)
The rest of us will cross the A38 and gently climb up to the other ridge (chanting "no gain etc" to enthuse over even more stupendous views. We will then drop down the hill to Axbridge and find our motors. (About 6 miles altogether).
Refreshments
Although it is only six miles I would suggest you bring a packed lunch as by the time we amble and natter and no doubt recover some wayward hounds I expect the walk to take around 3 - 3½ hours. For those who wish we can then drive to Axbridge village square where there is a pub, hotel and café for further refreshment.
And a promise
Unlike last time all The Hounds should be able to negotiate the stiles without recourse to JCBs or risk of hernias.
See you there (please let me know).
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View from above Axbridge. The bump is Brent Knoll,
Bridgwater Bay and The Quantocks behind.
"That was a good walk: can't wait till April 6th"