Today is day 312 of my challenge to walk 2,018 miles in 2018. I am only a few miles short of reaching my target and it seems fitting to pass the milestone on one of my favourite walks. So today Lynnie, the dogs and I head off to the Quantock Hills and park up at Dead Woman’s Ditch.
We leave the car park and walk along the lane signposted to Doddington and Holford. As this sweeps to the right we take a well worn track on the left and continue straight on, as the path starts to head uphill we take a path on the left that heads steadily uphill towards Dowsborough Hillfort.
As we get to the brow of Dowsborough Hillfort I reach 2,018 miles “boots on” walking for the year. Had I planned a spot to reach my target this would have been near the top of my list.
After admiring the view we head downhill and follow the path over Woodlands Hill passing the cairn and continuing into woodland.
To our left some deer keep a wary eye on us and we pass below them.
After going through a gate we turn left along the lane into Holford. In the village we turn right at the Triangle following the sign post for the car park.
Shortly after at a junction we turn left and walk to the village green, known as the Bowling Green and turn left along the track leading to Hodder’s Combe. After going through a gate we continue along Hodder’s Combe, this is a cracking spot.
At the head of the combe there are a network of paths leading left and right, but we continue straight on to reach Slaughterhouse Combe. Despite regularly walking on the Quantocks it is years since I last walked up this combe.
In the early 1990’s we regularly did this walk with our children and collie dog Baggins. So as we walk we reminisce. I always hoped that by introducing the children to country walking when young that it would be something that would stay with them, but sadly neither of them have my passion for the “great outdoors”.
It is a steady ascent through the trees and then as we enter moorland the path gets steeper.
On reaching a track we turn left and head towards Halsway Post.
There is a crossing of paths here; we carry straight on turning left at the top of the hill to reach the trig point on Black Hill. This is a trig we have bagged many times before.
We carry on to reach Wilmot’s Pool.
From here we continue straight on along the track to reach Dead Women’s Ditch and the car park. Our walk has covered just over six miles on familiar territory.
To view this 6 mile walk on OS maps Click Here
To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer Map 140 – Quantock Hills & Bridgewater
8th November 2018
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2018)