Walk Length and Type
A Linear Walk as part of the Radstock Ring. 3.4 miles/5.6kms
Description of Walk
This linear walk as part of the Radstock Ring starts at Gurney Slade and takes you along country lanes and you climb up from the valley and onto open pastureland to Ashwick and on through woodland and across fields to Stoke St.Michael.
Description of Area
The area around Ashwick has evidence of occupation since the Iron Age, being in close proximity to Maesbury Castle. In Roman Britain, the Fosse Way was constructed, which passes to the east of the parish. Ashwick as a settlement was called Escewiche, which translates as 'the hamlet or farmstead by the ash trees.
The village of Stoke St. Michael became a centre for cloth manufacture with fulling mills being established on the River Frome to the north of the village. Henry Fussell established paper mills in 1803, and his family, who came from the village, including James Fussell established their iron works and edge-tool business in Mells.
Quarrying of basalt takes place in nearby Moon’s Hill Quarry. Several significant caves of the Mendip Hills are close to the village including Stoke Lane Slocker, many falling within the St. Dunstan 's Well Catchment and those at the disused Fairy Cave Quarry.
The Basics
Distance in miles and km: 3.4 miles/5.6 kms
Gradient: Undulating
Severity: Moderate
Approx min time to walk : 2hrs
Stiles: Many, including stone stiles
Maps: OS Explorer Maps 141/142
Path description: Field footpaths, country lanes, bridleways and woodland paths
Dog Friendly: Yes
Public Toilets: None
Nearest Refreshments: Gurney Slade Stores, George Inn, Gurney Slade or Stoke St. Michael Stores, or Knatchbull Arms, Stoke St Michael
Public Transport: Check timetable and availability with http://www.travelinesw.com
Start Point: Gurney Slade Village Hall, Binegar Lane, BA3 4TR or Gureny Slade Bottom, (if continuing from previous walk)
Parking: Binegar Lane, Gurney Slade off the A37 BA3 4TR
Map
Walk Route
[1]If you park in Binegar Lane, Gurney Slade walk downhill towards the A37, opposite bungalows 9 and 11 take the footpath on the right. Meet the A37 and cross the road. Take the lane on the left of Gurney Slade Stores, shortly after the stores turn left into a lane. Walk for 700 metres passing the quarry works and Treetops and on to Treetops Cottages then turn right up a driveway passing 1 & 2 Treetops Cottages and through a metal kissing gate.
[A] If continuing from the Ston Easton to Gurney Slade section of the walk, in Gurney Slade Bottom turn right and walk along the lane passing Waterworks Cottage and then immediately on your left turn up left passing 1-2 Treetops Cottages.
[2]It becomes a track. Ignore a footpath on the left (on a bend) and continue as it passes through derelict buildings and several gates of Tape Hill Farm. Past the buildings continue to walk along the track with a view of Cranmore Tower on the horizon, through a wooden kissing gate to reach Bays Lane. Cross the lane, turn right and take the stile immediately on the left and in field bear diagonally right to kissing gate in middle of field and continue across the field to reach kissing gate. Go right, on an often muddy track, to reach stile and Blackeys Lane.
[3]Go right on the lane and then opposite the entrance to Stroude's Farm pass through the gate keep straight ahead and follow down the dip to hedge on the right and head for top right hand corner to reach a gateway with way mark signs. Through the gateway turn sharp left heading for trees and far hedge to find a stile left of an electricity pole. Continue over two stiles to a landscaped field, walk with the hedge and gate on your right to a stile in the corner. Over the stile enter an open field. Walk with field boundary on your left to gate and stone stile onto lane near Ashwick Church. 
[4]Turn left and opposite the Church turn right over stone stile and walk down dip to go through stone stile and gate in the bottom and then climb up hill with hedge on your left to pass through a kissing gate and then over two stone stiles to reach lane in village.
Turn right and almost immediately next to property "Winwhistle" turn left over stile and a further stile to field. Walk along to pass through kissing gate to next field. Continue along the hedge to find stile and then continue in same direction to stone stile and busy Bath Road.
[5]Turn right and walk with care shortly crossing road to stone stile into field. In the field walk diagonally left making for half way along long field border to find further stone stile to enter Harridge Wood. Here turn right and then almost immediately left to drop down to valley bottom where you turn right and cross a stone footbridge over an often dry stream and then climb through woodland to a stone stile to field. Walk along with hedge on left to reach a stile and track and then over further stile and through gate to continue to walk with hedge on left to reach gate/stone stile and lane.
[6]Cross the lane to further stone stile/gate and in field go diagonally right to top corner to find stile leading to lane. Turn left along lane and just before "The Cottage, Withybrook" turn left to walk along fenced path to stile to field. In field walk with hedge on right to the end of the hedge, cross the field at the same angle you have been walking to the stile in front of you (not the one by the metal field gate). In next field walk along again with hedge on right to go through kissing gate, or field gate if kissing gate is overgrown, into further field and as it dips down veer right up to kissing gate onto lane and the car park of St Michael Playing Field.