Category Archives: within 5 miles of Bath

This walk started in Monkton Farleigh and almost immediately went along a tree lined avenue from the manor house for something over a mile until the imposing gates at the carriage entrance were reached. Then north towards Kingsdown walking along the Macmillan Way, crossing the Roman Road and onto the Palladian Way before returning to Monkton Farleigh. This was an almost level walk with masses of snowdrops and daffodils together with the birds celebrating the arrival of spring. The views would have been impressive but for the amount of low cloud.

5.84 mile walk starting and ending at Monkton Farleigh

The walk started down ‘The Avenue’ in front of Monkton Farleigh Manor

Many fields are now full of spring crops

The walk incorporates some of The Palladian Way

If you were in any doubt that spring is on the way – a walk in the country should reassure you!

Refreshments can be taken at The Muddy Duck in Monkton Farleigh

A circular walk north of Bath starting and ending at Lansdown park-and-ride.

The walk started from Lansdown Park and Ride, through the race course and on through the battlefields. It then skirted Pipley Woods before heading for Prospect Stile with clear views beyond Kelston Roundhill. Although there was a biting wind at times it was a lovely clear, sunny day which gave views across Bristol to South Wales (just) and the Second Severn Crossing.

Kelston Round Hill

The Battle of Lansdown – battle marker and information display

cold winter valley

Animal highlight of the day – a shaggy roe deer:

male roe deer

Pipley Wood

Mud, mud, glorious mud ..

A picnic stop with views of Bristol, the Severn Crossing and the Welsh mountains (just!)

Bristol flypast

If you are in need of refreshment the Blathwayt Arms is the nearest pub

The Blathwayt Arms

Bradford-on-Avon

A relatively easy walk for the longest day of the year. Although it was the first day of summer, someone forgot to tell the clouds which were present most of the time.  Starting from the station car park in Bradford-on-Avon the walk was along the river towards Avoncliff and back down the canal. The canal was busy with boats and some ducklings and a lot of people were out and about both on foot and bike.

(oops – left the tracker going on the drive home – so ignore the straight line from BoA to Bath – that’s not part of the walk!!)

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ducklings on the river

a handy stop about half way around

This is a really varied route – through woods, bridle paths, country lanes. It’s quite hilly so there would usually be good views but today the weather was dank and foggy so we couldn’t see very far. For the first half mile we were joined by a sweet little black kitten who seemed to think we were headed somewhere interesting. There wasn’t much else in the way of ‘wild’ life – probably all sheltering from the cold.
After we finished walking we popped in to the lovely farm shop where everything looked delicious on account of being hungry after the walk – came away with some blackcurrant shortbread which lasted about 5 minutes after getting home.

Newton St Loe – the first ramble of 2015.

Charmy Down

This is a charity walk organised by Julian House.  The complete route is a whole day affair but you can choose to do just one or more smaller sections of it.  There are some amazing views, especially from the top of Little Solsbury Hill and as the walk usually happens in September it as an excellent opportunity to do some foraging – blackberries and sloes are abundant along the way.