Mendip Ring +

Circular Farrington Gurney, Chilcompton, Clapton. 10 Miles

This walk starts at the car park in Church Road, Farrington Gurney near the village Hall. Grid Ref ST 631556. It takes us up Rush Hill across the Golf Course to Old Down and continues to Blackers Hill Fort, then onto Chilcompton, and follows the Mendip Ring back through Clapton to Farrington Gurney. We pass through some fine old woods and past Blacker's Hill Fort before reaching the pretty village of Chilcompton a short climb to Clapton then another short climb over Langley Down to return to Farrington Gurney.

1.
Leave the car park by the steps in the far left hand corner of the car park, on reaching the road turn left then first right, at the top of this road turn right then second left to reach the A362. Turn right then cross the road to enter the footpath opposite, once through the hedge turn left and follow the path across the field to reach a lane. Turn right and follow the lane passing the entrance to the golf course at the top of hill follow the lane round to the left past the cottage, taking the path through the woods onto the golf course and follow the drive to the right, round the back of the club house and then follow the white posts across the course to reach a stile at the bottom of the hill to enter a track (Hay Street).

2.
On reaching a tarmac drive continue straight ahead to a junction turn right then into the track on your left next to a cottage (Strap Lane). Follow this lane until you reach the next lane cross to the footpath opposite, go half right and aim for the end of the trees, here you reach another track which is a bit overgrown these days, turn left along this, on reaching a gate way pass through this then half left over the field aiming for the top left hand corner, follow the path over the bridge and across the field through the stables to reach the B3139. Turn right with care walk along the B road to turn left into Coalpit Lane.

3.
Once in Coalpit Lane follow it until it bends to the left, here turn right through the gate follow the track to turn left at the first fence line on your left, follow the path downhill under the old railway arch across the field into an enclosed path. At the bottom of the hill turn left along the track, where this turns right keep straight on until you reach a junction. Here go slightly right then left through the gate roughly opposite, now follow this path along the river on your right, after half a mile you will come to a junction of paths, turn left here following the path uphill through a gate passing Blacker's Hill Farm on your left. Follow the concrete track out to reach Coalpit Lane again.

4.
Turn left follow the lane and on reaching the second footpath on your right take this path which changes sides of the hedge halfway up the field, cross the stile on your left at the top of the field, now aim slightly right heading for a gateway halfway down the hedge on your left continue down the field to reach the B3139. Cross the road turn right pass the road junction and take the first footpath on the left down the far side of Greenditch Close, on reaching the junction at the bottom of the hill turn right. Follow the path along the valley to the far end keep to the left at a junction, following the path behind the houses and out to the road at Chilcompton. Turn left along the road then take the first path on the right into the playground, cross this to the far corner, through the kissing gate into the field, turn left follow the path across the field into the road (Somerlea) follow this out to reach Tunnel Lane.

5.
Turn left, then left again into the main road, follow the road until you reach a tarmac path on the right follow this along the side of a small stream until you come to the road at the bottom, turn left following the road round pass the church and Manor Farm to reach a stile on your left on a right hand bend, cross this, follow the path slightly right up the hill to cross a stile next to a gate then follow the hedge on you right uphill over the stone stile at the top then aim for the top right hand corner of the next field, once over the stile continue ahead over the next stile then cross the field aiming for the top left hand corner through the gate onto a lane. Turn right and follow the lane out to reach Clapton Village.

6.
At the T junction, turn right and on reaching the pub take the stile on your left. Cross this and follow the path down the field through a small gully via some steps , continue downhill over another stile to cross a stream towards the bottom of the field, then aim for a gate leading onto the road in the hedge at the bottom of this field, Do not go through the gate but cross the stile just the other side of the gate. Turn right along the road passing Langley Cottages and on reaching White Bridge Farm take the path on the left, through a gate following the path across the field through another gate then up the hedge line on your left to cross a bridge and gate at the top of the field, once through the gate aim slightly right uphill towards a stony track, follow the track towards the top of the hill where it bends to the left continue ahead aiming for a gate or stile in the hedge at the top of the hill. Take the path through the wood crossing Langley Down Lane. Once through the wood follow the path down the hill aiming to the houses at the bottom of the hill and on out to reach the A362. Turn left along the road then take the turning on the right (Main Street) pass the Farm Shop where this road turns left continue straight on down the lane which looks like a drive but isn't, continue down the track to enter a field at the bottom, once in the field continue straight ahead to turn left go through a gate back onto the road, then follow this back to the car park.