| Sunday 26th February Lydeard Hill Quantock Circular | ||
| Thirteen Taunton Deane Ramblers set out
from Lydeard Hill car park, 9 on a nine mile walk and 4
on a fourteen mile walk. All walked round Middle
Hill to The Slades where the shorter walkers where joined
by three more rather warm and breathless latecombers.
Continuing on towards Quantock Combe the group had to
negotiate a deeply rutted track due to forest harvesting.
Dare one ask if this bridleway surface will be replaced? Joining Rams Combe to continue to Crowcombe Combe Gate the group took the grass track parallel to the Quantock Ridgeway and walked in almost spring like sunshine which helped considerably against the rather strong head wind. After a brief stop to admire Triscombe Stone marking the Bronze Age cross roads, a brisk climb in an increasing wind took us to the Trig Point at Wills Neck. This, now looking rather sad and neglected, marking the highest point on the Quantocks. Taking the track through Bagborough Plantation, the group completed a very enjoyable walk returning to Lydeard Hill. |
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| Sunday 26th February Priors Park Woods | ||
| The debut walk leading of Sheila & Rosie produced a good turnout of more than 20 members and in true leader style they 'marched them up to the top of the hill and they marched them down again' Returning to the Lamb & Flag the group were joined by the Chairman and spouse (who for some reason had done a different walk?) for a super tea of sandwiches and cakes, all supplied at a bargain price. | ||
| Fri.
24th February. Wellington Urban Circular (photos RogerConway) |
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| On a raw, artic evening, 15 members undertook warm up exercises whilst the leader took the supper orders. Then off we went at a pace designed to keep us from freezing, on an interesting trip around the sights of Wellington. Brief stops were taken at the key points whilst the leader gave a brief talk about them and we learned about the discovery of the Monmouth Rebellion, the Alma Mater of Jeffrey Archer & Keith Floyd, the house who's builder thought was in Devon not Somerset and the actual Well (see photo above) at Rockwell Green. Back to the Eight Bells for a well deserved meal. | ||
| Wed.
22nd February. Taunton to Norton (photos RogerConway) |
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| A walk designed to show that, in such a lovely area, we can have an enjoyable short rural walk that starts from the very centre of the town. The walk started with a short distance on the shopping streets of Taunton, before heading north along Chip Lane to reach the route of the former Grand Western Canal, where we headed West past Turner's Allotments and Frieze Hill Community Orchard and down to the new park & ride facility at Silk Mills. We went across the very busy road and into the fields, to follow the Norton Brook and the Great Western Railway to Norton Fitzwarren. After a short drinks stop we headed south and rejoined the route of the canal to work our way back to Silk Mills. Through Roughmoor to reach the north bank of the River Tone and then passing by the Weirfield Nature Reserve and French Weir Park we cross over the footbridge to our starting point. | ||
| Sunday
12th February Lydeard Hill, Aisholt, Triscombe &
Wills Neck (photos Ken Burgess) |
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| Leaving the car park at Lydeard Hill walkers went a short way along the ridge before bearing round to the right skirting Aisholt Common before entering the Quantock Forest through which the walk continued along recently disturbed forest tracks to the head of Cockercombe. The route then climbed up to near Triscombe car park before going north to the top of Quantock combe near Quantock Farm and a short climb back to the ridge. After a short stop for refreshment the walk continued along the ridge to Triscombe Stone and the climb to the highest point on the Quantocks at Wills Neck for a brief stop to admire the 360 degree views as far as Bridgwater Bay, Steepholm, South Wales, Minehead and the Blackdown Hills. From here walkers returned on rather muddy paths to Lydeard Hill. | ||
| Wed.
8th FebruarySnowdrop Valley (photos Ken Burgess) |
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 Scarlet Elf Cup fungus |
The morning walk followed a section of
the Coleridge Way. A short descent from the produce
market car park then a level walk towards the Raleigh
Manor Hotel then a sharp descent through woodland to
cross Drapers Way and join a path into Blagdon Wood. A
second steep descent down a path that starts out as a
narrow gully before opening out where it reaches a
junction of streams. The main one was followed upstream
for a short distance and the valley provided the first
sighting of the snowdrops that are so prevalent in this
area. After a second crossing of the stream there was a
rather demanding climb out of Mansley Combe. From here a
fairly level path led to Dunkery Gate and a short section
of road walking walkers joined the track called Long Lane
to descend to Luckwell Bridge. After crossing the main
road the walk continued alongside the River Quarme then
climbed steadily back to Wheddon Cross and the ‘Rest
and be Thankful’ where lunch was enjoyed. As usual the afternoon walk was better attended and first visited the church at Cutcombe before descending across open fields to enter Kersham and Stowey Woods where, as usual, the snowdrops were in flower. The walk left the woods and went uphill on the main road before turning towards Steart Bridge and the River Avill. During the refreshment stop it was noted that the snowdrops were not at apparent as usual and the effects of the cold winter were obvious as walkers continued up the lane alongside the river to North Hawkwell Wood, which is the area, people recognise as ‘Snowdrop Valley’. Here the banks that are usually carpeted with flowers were rather disappointing with the majority of the flowers still being in bud. The return to the car park was a rather steep ascent up the path that had been descended in the morning. Despite the disappointment of the lack of fully opened snowdrops the walks had proved interesting with several sighting of the Scarlet Elf Cup fungus. Its bright red colouring contrasting with the pure white of the snowdrops. |
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| Sun.
5th February Wind Down & Around (photos Stewart Owen & Wendy Camp) |
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The sun shone warmly on the dozen walkers
assembled at the gates of Fyne Court on Sunday, a relief
from the bitter cold of the previous couple of days.
This had ensured though that the paths up through Wind
Down Plantation were nowhere near as muddy as when the
route had been recc’ied the week before. The
group stopped to watch several roe deer amble off up the
hill before tackling the ascent themselves. At Pightley
the route turned towards Barford House and Enmore where,
after crossing the golf course, lunch was taken in
woodland - with some discussion as to the type of birds
that had left their mark so copiously! At the pretty village of Goathurst some of the group entered the church whilst the remainder sat in the sunshine. Inside they admired the wonderful monument to Sir Nicholas Haswell and his wife whose effigies are surrounded by the kneeling figures of their 6 sons and 3 daughters. Passing Haswell House, the gardens of which were once a place of recreation for the people of Bridgwater, the path led uphill to Rooks Castle Farm before dropping down through the lovely beech trees in Kings Cliff Woods to join the Macmillan Way. On reaching Broomfield one sharp-eyed walker spotted a bat, enticed out by the warm weather. 12 miles in warm sunshine –a pleasant surprise for the first weekend in February. |
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| Wed. 1st February. Dowlish Wake (&
Cider Mill) (photo Roger Conway) |
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| A number of members took lunch at the New Inn before walking and when the later comers assembled there were 20 of us walking. Because of the recent dry weather, the normally muddy sections of this popular route were easy and a brisk pace was maintained, due we suspect, to the leaders desire to get to the cider tasting! In the hamlet of Cricket Malherbie there were early snowdrops, a sure sign of spring on it's way. The expected cider tasting was a great success and we all departed home with a warm 'glow' | ||
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