After a few weeks at home I am away again travelling solo with Crosby for company. We are continuing to renovate our home and Lynnie has stayed behind so that the carpenter, electrician and plumber can move things forward. Meanwhile I have headed back to Somerset for a few days walking on and around the Quantock Hills.
It does not take me long to get to Cadeside Caravan and Motorhome Club site situated on the outskirts of Wellington. The setting up is straightforward so I am soon in the car driving up to the top of the Quantock Hills to park at Dead Woman’s Ditch.
I know I only have a couple of hours daylight and whilst I know these hills well I am not keen on wandering around in the dark, even with a torch. Leaving the car park I head across the minor road to follow a path running besides the minor road to Doddington and Holford.
As the road sweeps to the right I continue straight along the path taking the first path on my left which heads downhill into Lady’s Combe. This is a familiar route, one I have walked many times over the last twenty-five years, but I still stop to admire the beauty of this combe.
At the bottom of the hill I ford the stream and then turn to the right to cross further streams to walk down Holford Combe. This really is a stunning spot with the stream babbling along besides the path and the only other sound birdsong.
The path leads to a gate, which I go through and continue into the hamlet of Holford forking left at the triangle and then taking a left to reach the village green, known as the Bowling Green.
Now I take the gravel track to the left of the green, signposted to Hodder’s Combe. The track heads out of the village and then reaches a gate which leads back onto the access land. Through the gate I continue on the path as it follows the route of the stream. This is another very attractive combe and I am fortunate to have it all to myself this afternoon.
At the head of the combe there is a range of options. I ignore the paths to the right which would lead up Lady’s Edge or Slautherhouse Combe, instead I take the left fork which continues on up into Somerton Combe.
It is a while since I last walked up this combe as the path divides I take the right option to climb up out of the trees to reach moorland. Following the faint path until I reach a junction of paths where I turn left towards Halsway Post.
The path I am on runs parallel to the broader main track and I sweep to the left before reaching Halsway Post to join the main track a couple of hundred yards to the east of the post.
Now it is a case of following the familiar path back towards Dead Woman’s Ditch. The light is fading fast and it is distinctly dusky by the time I reach the car park. My walk has covered six miles. I had only anticipated managing an hour’s walking today so the extra miles have been a real bonus and set me up for a longer walk tomorrow.
To view this 6 mile walk on OS Maps Click Here
To follow this walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer 140 – Quantock Hills & Bridgewater
28th February 2019
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2019)