Somerton Strolls Walk 9 – Cary Valley and Kingsdon
Distance: 11.9km/7.4m
West along the Cary valley with some fine views and return via Kingsdon Woods
Can be a slippery descent in Kingsdon woods. Take great care along the roads.
Leave car park and turn L along West Street. At the Market Square follow the road past the War Memorial and the Buttercross and round to the left into Broad Street. Turn R along New Street with its attractive old buildings pass the Old School House, go to the right of Cockspurs and bear L down New Hill. At the bottom turn L (SP Street) and proceed along the pavement passing over the bridge over the river Cary, with a fine view of the railway viaduct, and fork R (SP Castle Cary). After 300m along this busy road, bear L (SP Hurcot) and follow the lane as it goes alongside and then under the railway, which snakes around the side of the Cary valley. Continue through the sleepy hamlet of Hurcot and under the railway to emerge again on the Castle Cary road. Turn L and proceed with care along this narrow road with fast traffic, to pass under the blue brick Skew Bridge. 100m further, turn R (SP West Charlton) and follow the road as it bears R. Just before the railway bridge turn L up a track (SP Sug Hill ½m), which ascends steeply to a telecoms mast. The track becomes grassy and descends gradually with fine views across the Cary valley and beyond to South Somerset and Dorset. At a T-junction close to a small brick building (which was built as a dynamite store during the construction of the railway in the early 1900s), turn R to cross over the railway bridge and descend sharply to reach a road. Turn L, continue past a green clad barn and go R over a stile (SP Kingsdon 1m). Follow track to another barn and bear slightly L to cross field on a track. At far side of field go over stile and bridge over R Cary, then turn R to stile beneath oak tree. Once over stile, turn L heading for a gate and steadily rising along a shallow valley, to reach a gate and stile to the L of a small plantation. Proceed along the track for 600m to a metal gate and 20m beyond turn R into another track. After 200m reach a cross roads and turn R (no SP). Follow track with good views through gaps in the hedge to the right and bear L to enter Kingsdon woods. The track descends steeply through the woods to reach a tarmac road. Continue ahead for 1.5 Km to reach the B3151 and turn R for 100m, then cross with care to reach a kissing gate by a road sign. Up a slight slope to reach another kissing gate and follow the left-hand boundary of the field to reach a metal gate by a bungalow. 10m to the right of the gate, go through a metal kissing gate and follow the path to emerge in the Millands. Continue straight past the Police Station to the Market Place and ahead into West Street and the car park on the right.
Checked August 2020