Mendip Ring +

Faulkland, Laverton, Norton St Philip. 10 Miles

This walk starts from Faulkland Village Green. Grid Ref. ST 739545. Taken us through farmland round to Hardington Woods , across towards Laverton and up to Norton St. Philip, we then follow Norton Brook to Hassage through Ramsgate Wood and Knoll Wood before returning to Faulkland. This is an easy low level walk.

1.
With your back to the Village Green cross the road to enter the footpath opposite follow this path pass the pond turn left at the end, then keep straight ahead up the field to pass through a kissing gate at the top of the field take the middle path of three on the map, this takes you along the hedge line on your left, continue on this path until you reach Chickwell Lane, cross this to the path opposite now follow this path across a couple of streams to eventually reach a concrete track. Turn left and follow this round Hardington Wood and on to reach Cock Road by New Barn Cottages. When you reach the road turn left to immediately enter a footpath on your left which follows a stream to Port Way lane, here turn right then almost immediately left into a footpath, after passing through a kissing gate at the end of this field, bare slightly left on the footpath crossing the field to the far left hand corner, through a gate then continue following the path across the fields to reach Steps Lane.

2.
Once in Steps Lane continue straight ahead and take the first turning on the left, on reaching a sharp bend to the left look for a footpath on your right, take this across the field to a small gate to the left of the Row Farm go down the drive to emerge back onto the lane. Follow Row Lane pass the farm and when you come to a junction on your right, take the footpath on the left, make sure you take the right hand of the two paths here. Follow this path over a stile then on to cross a small bridge, ( after this the path differs from the map) now aim for a stile to the left of the Upper Row Farm, cross two stiles and then aim for the top right hand corner of the field to cross a stile, then go through a small gate and up the field to the top left hand corner to reach Hammer Lane, turn right, then right again at the next junction, following the lane round to reach Hill Brow Farm. On reaching the farm take the footpath off to the left on the sharp right hand bend. Now follow this path for 1.2 miles to reach Norton St Philip Church. Do not take the path off to the right halfway along this path.

3.
On reaching the Church, turn right through the Churchyard and out into the playing field at the back, now aim for the top left hand corner which takes you into an enclosed path and up to the A366, cross the road into North Street, walk to the end of the lane then turn right down Chever's Lane, follow this over the cross roads to the bottom of the hill round the bend then take the first turning right follow this lane uphill, this soon becomes a track, on reaching Mount Pleasant farm follow the path round to the right over a stile to cross the bridge, ignore the path off to the left but keep straight on to rejoin the bridleway which continues uphill to pass through a farm gate into a track, through another gate halfway up the hill at the top follow the path round to the left following the hedge on your right this will take you down to reach Hassage. On reaching the end of a track turn left and follow the lane uphill round a sharp left bend then when you reach a sharp right hand bend cross the stile up the back on your right.

4.
Aim down the field keeping Ramsgate Wood on your right follow the edge of the wood through a gate then a little bit to your left to pass through what remains of an old hedge which will take you over two stiles and into Knoll Wood, follow the path through the wood, on emerging from the wood turn left following the path below the farm and out to the lane (the path here differs from the O.S. map) On reaching the lane turn left then take the bridleway off to the right, follow this across the field to reach a gate pass through this then turn right and follow the hedge on your left until you reach a track, turn left and follow the track until you come to a path on you left with a marker post , turn here to reach the Village Green again.