Walk Length and Type
A linear walk as part of the Radstock Ring of approximately 4 miles/6kms
Description of Walk
This linear walk as part of the Radstock Ring starts at the church of St Philip and St James Church, Norton St Philip and finishes at The Hope and Anchor pub in Midford.
Description of the Area
Norton St Philip Norton St Philip is an attractive historic village. In the seventeenth century the village was the site of a battle during the Monmouth Rebellion. The most well-known landmark in Norton St Philip is the George Inn on the High Street. One of the oldest inns in the country, the George has existed for 700 years. The Duke of Monmouth used the building as his headquarters in the village after his rebels retreated from Bath in June 1685. In the Middle Ages Norton St Philip was the site of a wool fair and a destination for cloth merchants. Midford Midford is a village approximately 3 miles south-south-east of Bath, Somerset, England. Although relatively small, it extends over 2 counties, is part of two unitary authorities and is part of five parishes. Midford Castle is a mark on the South Stoke landscape with its distinctive trefoil shape. Built in 1774-1775 for Henry Roebuck the shape of the Folly Castle is based upon the ace of clubs, the winning card that gave Roebuck his wealth. The castle had various owners throughout the years. In 1808 it was sold to eminent Irish barrister and supporter of Catholic emancipation, Charles Conolly who also invested in local schemes like the Somerset Coal Canal. In 2007 the Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage purchased Midford Castle, only to be forced to resell it two years later to pay for tax arrears. Today it is again a family home.
The Basics
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[1] The walk starts at the Church of St Philip and St James in Norton St Philip. Walk out onto the hill, turn right go uphill, almost to the top and take a left turn along North Street. Walk to the end of the street and turn right up the hill to the main road. Cross the road and go over the stile in the hedge opposite. Bear diagonally left across the field to a stile to the right of a house. Over the stile continue straight ahead remaining in the field do not take the stile onto the lane. Views now open all around and on a clear day the Westbury White Horse can be seen.
[2]Leave the field just before the avenue of trees. Cross the lane and enter the field at a kissing gate, walk diagonally left across this field and exit at a kissing gate into another field. This clearly delineated footpath goes through several fields by means of kissing gates. Leave Norwood Farm well to your right. The path passes a small, wooded area, crosses a field and enters more woodland and joins a wide track. Turn left along the track for approximately 100 yards and where this track ends go straight forward up the incline to join a wooded path which takes you to Green Lane in Hinton Charterhouse.
[3]Turn right along the lane and take the first left towards the Church. Do not enter the churchyard by the main gates but continue on and enter by the pedestrian gate. Follow a grassy path to the right and head for the boundary wall. Follow the path alongside the boundary wall to a kissing gate in the far corner. Go through the gate and follow the clearly marked path across parkland with Hinton House on your left in the distance to the road ahead. Hinton House sits in its own parkland setting.
[4]Cross the busy road to the stile opposite and bear diagonally right across a field to a kissing gate just short of the far corner. This path then goes slightly right to a metal pedestrian gate. Go along the short path by the wood and where the path forks at a kissing gate and tree take the middle path across a field to a further kissing gate. This path curves to the left of some pigsties to a wooden stile. Cross the stile and track to enter an enclosed path between gardens which emerges into the hamlet of Pipehouse.
[5]Go left along the road passing the converted Chapel on your right and a thatched cottage on your left. Carry on this road which becomes a byway and follow this lane for a mile or so down the hill on a rough track to the village of Midford. At the foot of the hill cross the busy road, follow the road to the right towards to the Hope and Anchor Inn. Take care as this road carries a lot of heavy traffic. When you reach the Inn, on your left there is the footpath which joins the Limestone Link footpath for the next leg of your journey westwards.