CLUTTON to LITTON
Walk Length and Type
A linear walk of approximately Distance 5mls/8kms
Description of Walk
This quiet rural linear walk is part of the Radstock Ring and starts in Venus Lane, Clutton, by the village hall. West of Clutton it crosses the A37 and covers fields and tracks giving good views across the valley to the south. A few miles along is the quaint village of Hinton Blewett where refreshments can be had at The Ring O'Bells pub. After leaving Hinton Blewett there is a descent to Litton water reservoirs, home to a variety of wild life. Leave the reservoirs and quickly reach Litton village with pretty properties, a pub and an interesting church. The route is generally gently undulating.
Description of the Area
In the 1086 Domesday Book, Clutton was called Clutone and meant 'A rocky hill enclosure'. It was part of the North Somerset Coal Field, many of the mines owned by the Earl of Warwick, who, with his wife Daisy Greville, had a terrace of houses built (Maynard Terrace) for miners and their families. Its village pub, The Railway Inn is situated in the centre of the village and reminds us their was once a railway running through the village to Bristol. The parish church, St Augustine of Hippo, was originally built around 1190, but has undergone much restoration.
Walking between Clutton and Hinton Blewett you will cross ancient pastureland, covered in diverse flowers and insects and a multitude of wild life. In the lane between Clutton and Hinton Blewett is the Grade One redundant 12th century church St James Church, Cameley, where there is much to see https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-james-cameley The walk description indicates where to take a detour to view the church.
Tucked away in a maze of country lanes is Hinton Blewett. The village green is known as The Barbary and has an information board. Copper coins from the reign of Emperor Claudius (AD41) were found on the green. The lower green has a seating area under a shady tree and fronts the village pub, The Ring O Bells. Fields south of Hinton Blewett are often stocked with cattle and can be muddy, particularly in winter.
Litton is a small village at the end of your walk. Its Church, St Mary's is 13th century but there is some evidence of a Saxon church on the site. The shape of some of the existing fields in Litton with cross-slope and down-slope field banks and cultivated ridges forming an interleaving irregular mosaic suggest they are of medieval origin. Litton Reservoir was built in the 1850's and the village almost doubled in size to house the workers who built the reservoir. The village also hosts a cosy country pub with accommodation, 'The Litton', where meals are served.
The Basics
Distance in miles and kms: 5mls/8kms
Gradient: One moderate climb approaching Hinton Blewett, one steep slope to the water reservoir.
Severity: Moderate Approx time to walk 3 hours
Stiles: Seven Maps: OS 141 & 142 Path Description: Field paths and country lanes. Dog friendly: Yes Public Toilets: None Nearest Refreshments: The Railway at Clutton, and cafe at Somerset Toiletry Company, A37, Clutton. The Ring O Bells, Hinton Blewett and The Litton at Litton
Public Transport: Check timetable and availability with http://travelinesw.com There is no direct link between the two villages. There are buses to the main A37 at Clutton from Bristol, The Mendips and Somer Valley. A further walk from Litton of approx 1.68kms to The Crossroads, Chewton Mendip provides access to a regular bus service between Street and Bristol.
Start point: Roadside by Clutton Village Hall, Venus Lane, Clutton
Parking: On the road side, Venus Lane, Clutton. Please seek permission from management if using the Village Hall Car Park.
Map
The Route
[1] This section of the walk commences at Clutton Village Hall, Venus Lane, Clutton. With the hall on your right walk along Venus lane to the village church. Go past the church and turn right through a metal kissing gate and cross the field, over an old stone bridge with metal pedestrian gates on each end. Walk straight ahead and to the left of the telegraph pole, (beware of rabbit holes and badger setts). After the telegraph pole bear diagonally right down to the corner of the field through the Bristol gate and meet the A37 main road.
[2] Turn right and walk 50m along the pavement to the cottage on the opposite side of the road. Cross the busy road with care and walk along the gravel drive through a garden. Go through a metal kissing gate and walk ahead to a track and bear right. Walk up the track with trees on your left. At the top of the track bear right, cross the track and then walk alongside the hedge on the right of a large storage container.
[3] After a further 125m find a metal kissing gate in the hedge, go through this and cross the mud track and through the metal pedestrain gate. Walk diagonally left to the far left corner of the field, and through metal kissing gate, continue along the bottom of the field and at the end turn right for a few metres and go through two metal pedestrian gates into an open field. The route now has views of Cameley Lodge on the left and goes slightly diagonally right, past the oak tree to the far right corner. Here the path goes through a thick hedge line with metal kissing gates on both ends and a rough path to navigate
[4] If possible, walk through the thicket ahead using the cleared path. (If this path is overgrown with brambles turn right, walk up the hill to end of hedge on the right and turn left). If you use the path walk to the clearing and turn left. Follow the contours of the pasture land to a metal kissing gate part way down the slope. 
Walk downhill across the next field to the left corner noting the ant tumps which can denote ancient pasture land. Go through a wooden kissing gate onto a byway known as ‘Nanny Hurn’s Lane’. Turn left and walk down to the road.
[5] Turn left and walk 200m along the lane to the first metal kissing gate on the right. (At this point if you wish to visit historic Cameley Church carry on along the road for approximately 500m)
[6] Go through the metal kissing gate, turn diagonally right up the hill to the metal kissing gate halfway up the hedge. Go through the gate and turn left. Walk towards the left of the trees at the top of the hill and then walk across the field slightly diagonally right to the wooden kissing gate. Cross the next two fields using wooden kissing gates. In the third field go straight ahead and through the metal pedestrian gate, then across one more field and through the metal kissing gate to the road. At this point turn right towards the village of Hinton Blewitt.
[7] When you reach the parking area cross the village green towards the Ring O’ Bells Inn and turn left along the road bending to the right past the entrance to St Margaret’s Church. At the road junction go straight ahead following the footpath through a series of kissing gates. This leads into a small uneven field and you should make your way slightly uphill to a kissing gate to the right of a house.
[8] This leads into a road and you should turn left along the road and take the first right into Hook Lane. Go past the playing field on your right and take the next footpath on the right crossing a stile next to a metal field gate. Bear slightly left across the field heading for a stile in an irregular hedge and follow the waymarkers diagonally across the field to a stile in the hedgerow. Go diagonally across the field to the left of a telegraph pole to a wooden pedestrian gate next to a metal kissing gate in the far corner of the field. Go straight ahead passing a large oak tree and then across the field to a clump of trees in the far corner. Go through a metal kissing gate and turn right and carefully go downhill to a metal kissing gate by the lake.
[9] Turn left alongside the lake and ascend the slope to the dam wall of the higher lake. Continue along the path at the side of the lake with the lake on your right. The path eventually leads to a lane. Turn left and you will soon see a stile on your right at the top of a bank. Go over this and follow the hedge line on your right to a double wooden stile. Go straight ahead to another stile and then straight forward to the cottage with the mushroom stones outside. You are now in the village of Litton.