Starting at Bruton Community Office

Walk west along the High Street (against the traffic) and take the first right turn up steep and narrow St Catherines Hill. Ignore a turning to the right opposite the Scout Hut. At the next crossroads turn left and follow Tolbury Lane downhill, with delightful views ahead. Take the obvious track to the right (signed Creech Hill Lane) and continue straight along it, eventually cross Coombe Brook by a footbridge. (This spot, known as Ladywells, can be very muddy).

Shortly after the footbridge, the track swings left to enter Huish Lane, a narrow, steep (and often very muddy) green lane. (Ignore the path continuing along the river and the gate into the field on your left). In mid-spring the lane is carpeted with wild garlic. Climb fairly steeply and continue to follow the lane as it doglegs several times, levels out and enters more open country, becoming a farm track. Eventually reach a point where the track turns left down to the road, and another track leads off to the right past a barn.

C2

The ‘official’ footpath heads over the stile immediately opposite. Climb over the stile and go diagonally across the small field to the gate opposite. Go through the gate into the yard then through the yard and onto the lane. [Alternatively, if there are cattle in the field, there is a permissive route up the track to the right from C2 past the end of the barn, then left along the back of the barn to reach the crossroads described below. This route can be muddy].

On emerging from the yard reach a very minor crossroads. Turn right (not sharp right, which leads back past the barn). Continue gently uphill through open country with increasingly impressive views to the west through gaps in the hedge. Eventually the lane turns sharp left and downhill at a couple of houses. A bridleway leads off to the right (towards Creech Hill). Don’t take the bridleway. Go straight on through a gate immediately to the right of the house ahead, through part of its land to reach another gate.

C3

Lamyatt Church can be seen below you, beyond a band of trees. There is no clear footpath. Head steeply downhill straight for the church tower and continue on the same line past a prominent tree as the church tower disappears from view. A small gate into the woods becomes visible. Go through the gate, down the steps to a footbridge and back up the other side to emerge in the remains of a bowling green immediately behind the church. Go over a stone stile into the churchyard, round the church, through a gate and down to the road.

Cross the road and take the footpath across the field, rejoining the road by the houses ahead. Turn left and follow the road to reach the B3081 at Milton Clevedon.

Turn right along the B3081 past the cottages of Milton Clevedon. Take great care as the road is narrow and there is no footway. Pass a drive leading up to your left (to a former pub) and turn left down a farm track after the last houses.

C4

There is a footpath sign at the turning off the B3081, but it is not clear which is the correct route. Either go through the gate on the right just after you leave the B3081 and follow the parallel track in the field, or continue down the farm track till it turns sharp left, at which point climb over the wooden rails to your right to join the track in the field. In either case go through the gate ahead.

Follow a clear path across the next field to a gate opposite. (This is the second gate from the left. It’s often open, so only the gap in the hedge may be visible). Cut across the corner of the next field, through another gate, then gently downhill along the left-hand field margin of this and then the next field. Reach another gate. The next section poses some navigational challenges.

C5

The correct route goes over the stile to the right of the gate into the trees, then immediately left across a very small wooden bridge into the next field. The bridge is broken, and this route is completely overgrown and impassable. Instead scramble over the gate as best you can (it is tied shut) and head half right across the next field. There is no visible path. Cast about to find another decrepit gate in the hedge on the right-hand side of the field. This, too, has to be climbed over. Cross a bridge then go through a decent gate.

Head diagonally through the field (no path is visible) away from Spargrove Manor and well to the left of the tithe barn that becomes visible ahead. Eventually find a gate into the copse, and a clear path to a gate into the road. Turn right to return via Greenscombe or to go on towards Batcombe.

Spargrove to Bruton via Lamyatt (route C)

Go through the gate just before the river, on the opposite side of the road to Mill House (there is a footpath sign). Follow the path to another gate. The path disappears. Head half-left and slightly uphill almost in front of the Manor House, then drop down to a gate in the thick hedge at the far corner of the field.

Go through the gate, and find a way over the next gate, which is both falling over and tied shut. Head left, slightly away from the hedge on you left (there is no path to be seen) cutting across the corner of the field to find another gate. This, too, is tied shut. (The correct route crosses the ditch to the left of the gate but is impassable). Scramble over the gate.

C5

Follow the right-hand field margin straight ahead (now on a path), through a gate, and continue into the next field along its margin, climbing gently. After the next gate cut across the corner of the field to another gate. The path runs across the next field to a gate in the opposite corner. After the gate either climb over the wooden rails on the right to join a track or continue to a gate on the right which leads to the track. Turn left up the track to emerge on the B3081.

C4

Turn right and walk down into Milton Clevedon, passing houses and cottages on the right. Take care as the road is narrow and there is no pavement. Turn left off the B3081 at the junction onto a minor road. About 600 m along the road turns sharp left at Lamyatt Lodge. Turn off the road to the right and into a field, then head straight across the field on a clear path directly towards Lamyatt Church.

Cross the road opposite the Church, walk up to and into the churchyard, round the church and over a stone stile. Continue past a disused bowling green on the left, then into the wood ahead. The path drops down sharply, over a bridge, climbs up the other side of the gully, through a gate, and vanishes.

Straight ahead two houses can be seen on the skyline. Climb directly uphill through the field, eventually reaching a stile. Go over the stile past the side of a house to emerge on a lane.

C3

Take the lane straight ahead. Views open up to the west. The lane doglegs twice and heads gently downhill to reach a junction. At the junction go into the farmyard almost opposite, leaving the yard through a gate at the right-hand side and into a small field. Go diagonally across the field and over a stile to reach a junction of farm tracks. [Alternatively, cattle in the field can be avoided by turning left at the first junction, then right at the front of the barn down a permissive track].

C2

Take the track straight ahead [turn left if following the alternative route]. Follow the track as it doglegs and becomes a footpath, narrowing with bushes then trees on either side to become an enclosed green lane (Huish Lane). After a fairly steep and often muddy downhill stretch the lane reaches and crosses Coombe Brook at Ladywells. Keep straight on to reach Tolbury Lane.

Turn left up the lane, then right at the crossroads at the top. Go down St Catherines Hill to the High Street at the bottom, turning left to return to the Community Office.