The weather was overcast but dry as 11 members of the Westbury Walkers met at Shearwater for a 6 mile walk led by Jan McCann and Paddy Yerburgh around the lake and as far as Heaven’s Gate.
The route had to be changed at the last minute as the planned one was far too muddy. Leaving the car park the group joined a large number of families walking off the excesses of Christmas and New Year. Diseased trees that had recently been removed along the footpath to Nockat Coppice did allow for more open views, but the massive replanting scheme had already begun, so it will be interesting to watch the new trees grow over the years to come.
On reaching the car park the walkers turned left and shortly crossed the road to follow a footpath down to Newbury on the edge of Horningsham. From there they followed a road past attractive thatched cottages before joining a footpath that climbed steadily to Heaven’s Gate where they stopped for lunch. They then walked back to Nockat Coppice and retraced their steps back to Shearwater.
Report: Paddy Yerburgh
It was an unusually fine day on the second Sunday in the month, for the club’s regular walk which was enhanced by no less than three rainbows during the day, when 19 members gathered in Bruton for an 8.5 mile walk led by Judy Hosegood.
From the south side of the town, they walked in a northerly direction through the more hidden areas of the town where cars seldom go. They then turned westwards and continued towards Lamyatt.
At the top of the hill overlooking the village, the group enjoyed fine views of Alfred’s Tower to the east, before turning north-east along the side of Creech Hill. They passed the site of a Roman Temple, which set everyone imagining who else had trodden on those fields. They then went in a north-west direction towards Milton Clevedon enjoying some very early snowdrops.
They continued north to Spargrove – a hamlet with a long history of flourmilling – the grander buildings associated with the milling trade being the last vestiges of one of Somerset’s lost mediaeval villages. The group then walked along Batcombe Bottom where they stopped for lunch. The walk continued through Batcombe valley returning to Bruton by a southerly footpath.
The walkers had been warned to expect some serious mud, but happily everyone managed to keep upright on even the most tricky sections.
Report: Judy Hosegood.
For more details about the walkers, please email Paddy on westbury.walkers.uk@gmail.com
