Torrential rain and flooded roads were the order of the day on Sunday 13th October as 10 brave members of the Westbury Walkers made their way to South Cadbury for a 7.5 mile walk led by Jan McCann and Paddy Yerburgh.
Thankfully, as the group prepared to set off on the walk, the rain eased off and stayed away for the entire walk. Setting off from the car park below Cadbury Castle, the route took the walkers in a southerly direction across open farmland, skirting the slopes of Charwell Field before turning south-west through the hamlet of Whitcombe where they stopped to admire a large water wheel alongside some converted farm buildings. The wheel, last used in 1965, is reputed to have been cast, rather appropriately, in Westbury.
From here the group climbed steadily up Beacon Lane to Corton Hill where they paused for a drink stop near the Beacon itself, 196 metres above sea level. Thick mist rather limited the views as the route then took them along the top of a steep ridge from where they could look down on the pretty village of Corton Denham, with its golden hamstone buildings. After a steep climb down with some slippery sections, they turned north and at the end of the village, another climb up Ridge Lane brought the group to Corton Ridge.
The mist was clearing by then and the walkers were able to enjoy views across the Somerset Levels to Glastonbury Tor and beyond as they walked along the ridge towards Parrock Hill where a relatively sheltered spot provided a good place for a lunch stop. A short but steep slope down, made rather tricky by the heavy rain, took the group eventually down to the attractive village of Sutton Montis. Following a narrow road out of the village the walkers then turned on to a field track which skirted the base of Cadbury Castle, an ancient wooded hill fort believed by many to be the site of King Arthur’s Camelot.
The many days of heavy rain did make the walk rather more challenging than normal ,but a brief appearance by the sun towards the end enhanced the beauty of the surrounding country side.
Report: Paddy Yerburgh
