Mendip Ring +

Rodney Stoke, Lodge Hill, Knowle Bridge, 9.5 miles

This walk starts from Station Road in Westbury sub Mendip Grid Ref ST 500484 and heads up through the village to cross over Broadway and Westclose Hills with fine views across the moors, then drops down to the Thankful village of Rodney Stoke before following the Mendip Ring along the River Axe to reach Lodge Hill and then returning to Westbury via Knowle Bridge and Erlon Lane.

1.
From the bottom of Station Road just before the industrial estate take the road into the housing estate Lodge Hill Road, follow this round to the right to enter the footpath at the top following into Duck lane and out to the A 371 turn left and follow this up to cross the road passing the village cross and into the village square, then turn left into The Hollow take the first path on your right which is the second one marked on the map as the first one on the map doesn't exist on the ground. Follow this path up the hill bearing to the left across the top of the hill to reach Westfield Lane. Turn left down the Lane to cross the A 371 into Millway. Follow this down to reach the junction with Stoke Street, turn left and follow the road round to the left passing the church.

2.
Follow the lane and on reaching the junction take the lane to the left (Barrow Wood Lane) follow this and on reaching Treasures Farm the lane turns into track continue along this across the fields until you reach the River Axe, turn left and follow the river until you come to a path off to the left next to a large black plastic water trough. Follow this path across the fields to reach Short Drove, at the junction take the lane to the left, at the next turn to the left, cross the stile next to the gate on the right follow the path slightly to the right to cross a track then head for a stile in the hedge halfway up Lodge Hill keep in the same direction to cross another track then follow the hedge to reach the lane via a field gate.

3.
Turn left and follow Moor Lane round to reach Lodge Hill Farm, turn right through the farm and follow the lane to turn left at a junction, keep following the lane until you reach a gate, continue into the field and follow the hedge line round to the right, through another gate across the field, over a small bridge then turn right and immediately left down the right hand side of the hedge line to cross a bridge and stile continue ahead to reach a farm gate, through this then turn right along the rhyne, where this turn right you go diagonally left heading towards a bridge across the River Axe and onto Long Drove.

4.
Having crossed the bridge turn left and follow the lane past Knowle Farm, on reaching a T junction turn left over Knowle Bridge and follow the lane for a while after passing the farm on your right, start to look for a footpath on your left, cross this over a small bridge and stile and follow the path to cross Erlon Lane continue across several more fields to reach a junction of paths turn right and cross the concrete drive way leading to the sewage works, continue across the fields to reach Moor Lane just below the old railway bridge turn right back to your start point.