
WALK 10
ILCHESTER
(LIMINGTON TURN)
A rural walk across the Somerset moors
An easy-going level walk
Distance 11.5 Km/ 7.1 miles
Total ascent/descent 23m
mapmyrun.com/routes/view/24521358
Revised and updated August 2023 Comments to [email protected]
1 From the bus-stop (GR522 226) at Limington turn, walk 100m towards the village centre to the junction with Almshouse Lane - the church(1) with squat octagonal tower is a few steps beyond. Go L down Almshouse Lane 150m and at the end go L into West St and after 100m R into Pill Bridge Lane. After 500m ascend ramp to cross the bridge over the busy A303 and continue 600m along tarmac to gate. Go ahead along grassy track 1Km to reach Pill Bridge(2) [2.6Km]
2 (GR500 234) Continue ahead for a further 1Km along stony track to reach T‑junction by metal gate. Turn R and continue along this track (which becomes tarmacked at Bineham City Farm) for 1.4 Km to a road junction at the entrance to Bineham Court. Turn R (SP Catsgore) and follow the track in front of houses to a small gate and continue. with hedge on R. At the end of the second field bear L along ditch and at fence go 90 degrees R and cross bridge and stile on L. Go ahead now with hedge on L for 400m to cross double stile and sleeper bridge After 50m where the hedge bears round to the L continue straight ahead to locate a gap in the hedge to emerge on to the busy A372. Turn R and walk 200m along road with great care to reach a T-junction at the brow of the hill by a metal gate (it may be safer to go inside the hedge to the gate) [3.9Km]
3 (GR 506 257) Go through the gate (SP Black Ditch Drove), follow the grassy track and after 300m a stream joins on the R. After a line of trees continue ahead with hedge on L for 900m through four gates to reach a broad crossing track. Go through the R of two wide gateways ahead, at first with hedge on L and then along enclosed path through two large fields 900m and locate a stile on the L. Cross the stile and go R (Permissive path) with hedge on R 350m to bank of the River Yeo and go L [2.4Km]
4 (GR506 234) Follow for just over 1Km through four fields. At end of fourth field cross stile and follow track veering L to pass under the A303. Continue along path and cross stile on L and follow path past a couple of meanders in the river before bearing R to reach stile to L of a derelict stone building. Continue along enclosed path 400m to reach tarmac track to road and go R [1.9Km]
5 (GR523 230) Continue along the road and cross Ilchester Bridge over the River Yeo(3) to reach Ilchester(4) Market Place with its fine Market Cross(5), several fine buildings and an old weighbridge. Fork R and continue ahead along High Street past the Town Hall, the museum and a row of prettily coloured cottages. At Almshouse Lane turn L and after 150m regain the main road. The bus-stops are to the R [0.7Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 6.0 Km/ 3.7 miles
Follow to the end of point 1. Cross Pill Bridge and turn R to follow River Yeo for 750m to point 4 and follow to the end [0.8Km]
For car travellers:
There is a free car park just in Limington Road.
Refreshments:
Pubs/café/restaurant in Ilchester
1 The church of St Mary Major dates from the 13th century and is a Grade II* listed building, It is built in local Lias and Ham stone with a Welsh slate roof
2 Pill Bridge is a grade II listed pack- horse bridge of local Lias, built in 17th century. It carries Pillbridge Lane, a footpath running from Ilchester to Langport.
3 The river Yeo (or Ivel) rises in the North Dorset Downs and flows for 24 Km through Yeovil and joins the River Parrett near Langport.
4 Ilchester dates from Roman times and for a brief period was the county town of Somerset. There was a Friary and a Nunnery, both founded in the 13th century and dissolved in the 16th century.
5 Ilchester Market Cross was built in 1795 on the site of an earlier cross. It was rebuilt in 2021, after a vehicle crashed into it. It is listed Grade II.
2 (GR500 234) Continue ahead for a further 1Km along stony track to reach T‑junction by metal gate. Turn R and continue along this track (which becomes tarmacked at Bineham City Farm) for 1.4 Km to a road junction at the entrance to Bineham Court. Turn R (SP Catsgore) and follow the track in front of houses to a small gate and continue. with hedge on R. At the end of the second field bear L along ditch and at fence go 90 degrees R and cross bridge and stile on L. Go ahead now with hedge on L for 400m to cross double stile and sleeper bridge After 50m where the hedge bears round to the L continue straight ahead to locate a gap in the hedge to emerge on to the busy A372. Turn R and walk 200m along road with great care to reach a T-junction at the brow of the hill by a metal gate (it may be safer to go inside the hedge to the gate) [3.9Km]
3 (GR 506 257) Go through the gate (SP Black Ditch Drove), follow the grassy track and after 300m a stream joins on the R. After a line of trees continue ahead with hedge on L for 900m through four gates to reach a broad crossing track. Go through the R of two wide gateways ahead, at first with hedge on L and then along enclosed path through two large fields 900m and locate a stile on the L. Cross the stile and go R (Permissive path) with hedge on R 350m to bank of the River Yeo and go L [2.4Km]
4 (GR506 234) Follow for just over 1Km through four fields. At end of fourth field cross stile and follow track veering L to pass under the A303. Continue along path and cross stile on L and follow path past a couple of meanders in the river before bearing R to reach stile to L of a derelict stone building. Continue along enclosed path 400m to reach tarmac track to road and go R [1.9Km]
5 (GR523 230) Continue along the road and cross Ilchester Bridge over the River Yeo(3) to reach Ilchester(4) Market Place with its fine Market Cross(5), several fine buildings and an old weighbridge. Fork R and continue ahead along High Street past the Town Hall, the museum and a row of prettily coloured cottages. At Almshouse Lane turn L and after 150m regain the main road. The bus-stops are to the R [0.7Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 6.0 Km/ 3.7 miles
Follow to the end of point 1. Cross Pill Bridge and turn R to follow River Yeo for 750m to point 4 and follow to the end [0.8Km]
For car travellers:
There is a free car park just in Limington Road.
Refreshments:
Pubs/café/restaurant in Ilchester
1 The church of St Mary Major dates from the 13th century and is a Grade II* listed building, It is built in local Lias and Ham stone with a Welsh slate roof
2 Pill Bridge is a grade II listed pack- horse bridge of local Lias, built in 17th century. It carries Pillbridge Lane, a footpath running from Ilchester to Langport.
3 The river Yeo (or Ivel) rises in the North Dorset Downs and flows for 24 Km through Yeovil and joins the River Parrett near Langport.
4 Ilchester dates from Roman times and for a brief period was the county town of Somerset. There was a Friary and a Nunnery, both founded in the 13th century and dissolved in the 16th century.
5 Ilchester Market Cross was built in 1795 on the site of an earlier cross. It was rebuilt in 2021, after a vehicle crashed into it. It is listed Grade II.