guided walks Somerset Weekends

The Mendips

The Mendip Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Somerset which stretches from the market town of Frome in the East to the Bristol Channel in the West. This area encompasses some of Somerset’s most attractive and varied landscape, from the limestone summits of the Mendip Hills to the pastureland of the Somerset Levels. This area offers the walker a variety of walking country, which still remains to be discovered by many people. This walking weekend in the Mendips gives you the opportunity to explore this interesting area visiting such places as Wells, the smallest city in England and the conservation villages of Mells.

This weekend break enables you to discover this attractive area of the Mendips, which is full of history and beautiful countryside and is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty You have the opportunity to visit the Cathedral city of Wells and visit the interesting conservation village of Mells where the nursery rhyme 'Little Jack Horner' is reputed to have originated.

Blagdon Lake was completed in 1899 to supply water to Bristol and nestles in the valley and is a delight for the walker to circumnavigate with wonderful views of the surrounding Mendips.

You will be staying at the Centurion Hotel,Midsomer Norton, a three star Best Western hotel with leisure facilities, including a swimming pool and sauna. It is situated 11 miles from the City of Bath and is an ideal base to explore the area.

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Your Programme

Day 1: Arrive

Day 2: Wells-Dinder-Croscombe (E:7mls/11kms)

You start this walk in the centre of Wells, which is known as the smallest city in England. The route takes you along the moat which surrounds the Bishops Palace and then into Kings Wood before reaching the boundaries of Croscombe and then onto the village of Dinder. You continue through woodland and pastureland to arrive at Wells Cathedral.

Day 3: Blagdon Lake and Beyond

(M: 6 mls / 10kms)

This walk takes you from Ubley across the rolling green countryside of the Mendips with Blagdon Lake, a haunt of trout fishermen, nearly always in view. The walk circuits this man-made lake to arrive at Blagdon and you are always close to the lake and sometimes right along the edge.

Day 4: The Nursery Rhyme Walk

(E: 6mls/10kms)

This circular walk takes you from the conservation village of Mells across open farmland and along part of the Colliers Way, which was once the railway line taking coal from Somerset to London and onto the Babington House estate. You then return to Mells through the hamlet of Upper Vobster.

Depart after walk