From the (54) Bus Stop Walk Series 1 – Walk 7 Langport

Spectacular views over the Parrett valley and Somerset.
Many stiles, a very steep ascent and a steep descent
Distance 10.1 Km/ 6.3 miles
Total ascent/descent 115 m

  1. From the bus-stop by the Town Hall (GR 419268), go along the parade of shops at right angles to the main road and at the end turn R through the car park to reach a gate. Go along the gravel path joining the river. At the
    pedestrian bridge, bear R (SP Gt Bow Wharf) and at the road go R, cross the pedestrian crossing and after 140m L into Moor Lane (SP Parrett Trail (1). At the waymarked gate, go L up to the river bank and then R to go under the metal bridge, then follow the river for 800m (½ mile) to Monk’s Leaze Clyse (2)
  2. (GR409276) Bear L through two metal gates and continue with river on the L for 800m (½mile). Just beyond a Bristol gate, turn R (SP Aller), pass
    through a second Bristol gate and continue with a rhyne on the R through a copse and continue ahead with rhyne on R for 800m (½mile) to reach a bridge on the R. Do not cross the bridge, but go ahead 100m (110yds) through a Bristol gate and turn L (SP St Andrew’s Church), aiming slightly L of the tower to reach two gates into the churchyard.
  3. (GR396288) Take the path to the L – pausing to look inside the church (3) – to reach a gate on to a road and turn R. Follow the road for 300m (330yds) and just beyond the recreation ground fork R along the enclosed path (SP Public Footpath). When the path joins a road, continue ahead 250m (275yds) to a junction by the pub in Aller. Turn L along Ridley Hill and at Croft House, cross the road with care and go ahead 20m (20yds) up a steep tarmac drive to the footpath on the L (SP Aller Hill). After a steep climb to tarmac road, turn R, continue climbing and when tarmac ends go ahead into a muddy track.
  4. (GR404294) Where the track bears L, locate a stile on the R and follow the clear waymarked path for 1km (0.6m) to reach a caravan park. Keep hedge on L and at the next stile, do not bear R downhill, but go ahead through the edge of woods. Just after the next stile stop to admire the terrific panorama, and after 50m (55yds) cross the stile on the L, then turn R and continue, now with the hedge on the R for 100m (110yds) to a waymarked stile, after which bear L to reach a metal gate to the L of a small telecoms tower. Through the gate turn R along the road for 50m (55yds) and take a path on the R (SP Public Footpath) to pass a disused quarry and descend steeply along the edge of woods to wooden steps descending to a road.
  5. (GR415283) Cross this busy road with great care to the lane opposite (SP
    Coombe). After 200m (220yds) bear L, then L again by Coombe House Farm and after 200m (220yds) opposite Bally Coombe go through gate on R into a field (no sign). Keep hedge on R, continue ahead at gate and soon join a stream on the R and pass through a wooded area to reach a gate by sluice. Go ahead with stream on R to reach 2 gates, a small sleeper bridge then 2 double stile and sleeper bridges and bear R across a larger bridge.
    6.(GR4162773) Just before the metal railway bridge, bear L and pass under the blue brick bridge. Continue for 400m (¼m) with rhyne on L to reach a footbridge on the L and cross to reach a supermarket car park. Go ahead to reach the road, turn R and follow past some interesting buildings and bear R into Bow Street to reach Langport (4 )Town Hall and the bus-stop.
    FOR A SHORTER WALK
    Distance 3.3 Km/ 2 miles
    Follow as far as point 2, then retrace your steps to the metal railway bridge at point 6 and continue to the end.

1 The River Parrett Trail is a long distance path following the river for
80km(50miles) from Cheddington in Dorset to Bridgwater Bay.
2 Monk’s Leaze Clyse regulates the flow of water between the River Parrett
and the Sowy River – retaining water in the summer and controlling flooding in the winter.
3 St Andrew’s church was established in 878 and rebuilt in stone about 1166. The building is mostly14th century, but there are Norman fragments.
4 Langport is mentioned in the Domesday Book. In 1645 the Battle of Langport was the last in the Civil War. Stuckey’s Bank was founded here in
1770 and by 1909 had the second highest banknote circulation after the
Bank Of England. For car travellers there is a large free car park at the end of the shopping parade in the centre of Langport.
Refreshments: Cafés in Langport
Langport Arms Hotel
Black Swan Inn, Langport
Old Pound Inn, Aller

<<Back to From the Bus Stop Walks Introduction>>