A (GR487285) Leave car park and turn L along West Street. At the Market Square go L through the churchyard passing to R of the church then turn R along path to Cow Square, with its restored Edwardian cattle trough. Go ahead along New Street for 400m and just past the Old School House descend track to L of Cockspurs. When track joins a tarmac road, go ahead to T-junction and turn L (SP Street). Go along the pavement crossing the bridge over the river Cary, with a fine view of the railway viaduct, and 100m beyond turn R (SP Lytes Cary). After 300m along this busy road, bear L (SP Hurcot) and follow the lane alongside and then under the railway as it snakes around the side of the Cary valley. 30m beyond the bridge go up track to L of first cottage, through Bristol gate and along L boundary to reach a gate and tarmac lane [2.3Km]
B (GR502298) Cross stile ahead and continue with small stream on L, through a gate before bearing L to cross stream then through a Bristol gate and bear R and follow faint path steeply uphill. At the top of the climb, locate a stile in a small copse. Cross stile, do not turn right but go ahead (SP Polden Way) and follow track between barbed wire fences. After 500m cross stile to emerge from woods and continue ahead for 200m with hedge on R (and good view on L). Cross stile and continue 500m to T-junction with broad grassy track. Go L (SP Polden Way) and follow through woods. After 300m at waymarked crossroads go ahead for 400m to reach T-junction at Polden Way sign [2.1Km]
C (GR499317) Go R off Polden Way (SP Discovery Trail) 50m and at waymark go L (SP Public Footpath) 150m to junction. Go R, immediately L(SP Discovery Trail) and after 100m on R pass Colston Hungerford monument (marker board). After 100m at next junction bear R for 40m to cross hard surface track. Go ahead along waymarked path and after 250m reach field. Keep hedge on R for 300m and at end of field go L with hedge on R. At buildings follow track to road. Cross road through gate (If cropped go R along road then L 200m to SP) and bear slightly R across field to reach white gate at road. Cross and continue ahead (SP Higher Hill Farm) and follow 900m to Butleigh Cross. Go L for 250m and at “30” sign, fork R and in 450m reach cross roads [3.3Km]
D (GR524330) Go L (SP Street) for 150m then R along track (SP High Street). After 100m go through gate and follow path across field then descend slightly on tarmac track to reach road. Go ahead and follow High Street past school and Post Office then 100m R into Church Path. After 100m bear R by telegraph pole, follow fence to gate and at second gate cross field to gate. At second field aim to R of stand of trees to road. Go L 60m to Moorhouse Barn and then L 90m to junction. Go ahead for 750m to junction then go L. Follow for 1Km passing cedar trees to junction. Go R with care along verge for 300m and just beyond “40” sign go L along concrete track. At end of track go through gate and at end of house bear L to gate in corner. Go ahead with hedge on L through orchard and two fields to hedge gap to road. Go L for 1Km past house to staggered crossroads and go R [6.1Km]
E (GR512334) Ascend steadily for 1.1Km to reach a grass triangle at road junction. Bear R at triangle and cross with care to locate a footpath (SP Compton Dundon). Ignore stile on R and descend a few metres to a crossing track [1.2Km]
F (GR505327) Continue downhill and follow broad (often muddy) track along side of the small valley for 800m to join a track between two hedges. After 500m reach junction and go L (SP Restricted Byway). Continue for 700m and turn R along broad grassy track to reach the busy B3151, turn L and walk with care for 200m then go R into Peak Lane. After 100m where lane bears R, go through gate on L along enclosed track to emerge into an orchard. Continue ahead keeping boundary on L. Cross stile and sleeper bridge, then head slightly L of oak tree at far side of field, to cross a bridge and stile. Skirt to R round the hill in front and go ahead along ridge at first with hedge on L, then no hedge. At Bristol gate by small building above farmhouse bear slightly L with wire fence on L. At end of ridge go through Bristol gate and bear R to a stile by large evergreen trees to L of a modern house. Go straight on along enclosed track to metal gate to road and go R for 200m to pond [4.1Km]
G (GR490305) Turn L and go to L of buildings and through small gate into field. Through gate ahead and continue close to the L boundary to cross another gate. At the next gate, with a view of the viaduct, cross and immediately go R to descend with fence on R to go to R of line of shrubs and cross bridge over the river Cary. Continue ahead between fishing lakes and at car park ahead to ascend a steep footpath. At the top of slope climb steps, cross the tarmac road by the beech tree and follow path past the cemetery to emerge at road. Go L, cross to gate and follow path by railway to reach West Street adjacent to car park [2.2Km]
FOR A SLOG 21.3Km Total ascent 295m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/61937592
Follow entire route
FOR A STRIDE 16.6Km Total ascent 256m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59766720
Follow to the end of paragraph C. Go L 450m to crossroads by former pub. Go ahead 900m to offset crossroads and go L (no sign). Follow from para E [1.3Km]
FOR A STROLL 12.2Km Total ascent 188m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59765840
Follow to the end of paragraph B. Continue ahead, following Polden way signs for 1.5Km to cross wooden bridge and reach crossroads of tracks and go L. Follow from paragraph F [1.5Km]
FOR A SAUNTER 6.3Km Total ascent 95m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59764518
Follow to the end of paragraph A. Turn L and follow tarmac track for 500m passing to the R of modern house, then straight across field to descend steps to stile to wooded area. Cross stile out of woods and continue with hedge on R to reach the busy B3151. Go L for 300m then turn R into Littleton for 200m to reach pond. Follow from paragraph G [1.8Km].
B (GR502298) Cross stile ahead and continue with small stream on L, through a gate before bearing L to cross stream then through a Bristol gate and bear R and follow faint path steeply uphill. At the top of the climb, locate a stile in a small copse. Cross stile, do not turn right but go ahead (SP Polden Way) and follow track between barbed wire fences. After 500m cross stile to emerge from woods and continue ahead for 200m with hedge on R (and good view on L). Cross stile and continue 500m to T-junction with broad grassy track. Go L (SP Polden Way) and follow through woods. After 300m at waymarked crossroads go ahead for 400m to reach T-junction at Polden Way sign [2.1Km]
C (GR499317) Go R off Polden Way (SP Discovery Trail) 50m and at waymark go L (SP Public Footpath) 150m to junction. Go R, immediately L(SP Discovery Trail) and after 100m on R pass Colston Hungerford monument (marker board). After 100m at next junction bear R for 40m to cross hard surface track. Go ahead along waymarked path and after 250m reach field. Keep hedge on R for 300m and at end of field go L with hedge on R. At buildings follow track to road. Cross road through gate (If cropped go R along road then L 200m to SP) and bear slightly R across field to reach white gate at road. Cross and continue ahead (SP Higher Hill Farm) and follow 900m to Butleigh Cross. Go L for 250m and at “30” sign, fork R and in 450m reach cross roads [3.3Km]
D (GR524330) Go L (SP Street) for 150m then R along track (SP High Street). After 100m go through gate and follow path across field then descend slightly on tarmac track to reach road. Go ahead and follow High Street past school and Post Office then 100m R into Church Path. After 100m bear R by telegraph pole, follow fence to gate and at second gate cross field to gate. At second field aim to R of stand of trees to road. Go L 60m to Moorhouse Barn and then L 90m to junction. Go ahead for 750m to junction then go L. Follow for 1Km passing cedar trees to junction. Go R with care along verge for 300m and just beyond “40” sign go L along concrete track. At end of track go through gate and at end of house bear L to gate in corner. Go ahead with hedge on L through orchard and two fields to hedge gap to road. Go L for 1Km past house to staggered crossroads and go R [6.1Km]
E (GR512334) Ascend steadily for 1.1Km to reach a grass triangle at road junction. Bear R at triangle and cross with care to locate a footpath (SP Compton Dundon). Ignore stile on R and descend a few metres to a crossing track [1.2Km]
F (GR505327) Continue downhill and follow broad (often muddy) track along side of the small valley for 800m to join a track between two hedges. After 500m reach junction and go L (SP Restricted Byway). Continue for 700m and turn R along broad grassy track to reach the busy B3151, turn L and walk with care for 200m then go R into Peak Lane. After 100m where lane bears R, go through gate on L along enclosed track to emerge into an orchard. Continue ahead keeping boundary on L. Cross stile and sleeper bridge, then head slightly L of oak tree at far side of field, to cross a bridge and stile. Skirt to R round the hill in front and go ahead along ridge at first with hedge on L, then no hedge. At Bristol gate by small building above farmhouse bear slightly L with wire fence on L. At end of ridge go through Bristol gate and bear R to a stile by large evergreen trees to L of a modern house. Go straight on along enclosed track to metal gate to road and go R for 200m to pond [4.1Km]
G (GR490305) Turn L and go to L of buildings and through small gate into field. Through gate ahead and continue close to the L boundary to cross another gate. At the next gate, with a view of the viaduct, cross and immediately go R to descend with fence on R to go to R of line of shrubs and cross bridge over the river Cary. Continue ahead between fishing lakes and at car park ahead to ascend a steep footpath. At the top of slope climb steps, cross the tarmac road by the beech tree and follow path past the cemetery to emerge at road. Go L, cross to gate and follow path by railway to reach West Street adjacent to car park [2.2Km]
FOR A SLOG 21.3Km Total ascent 295m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/61937592
Follow entire route
FOR A STRIDE 16.6Km Total ascent 256m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59766720
Follow to the end of paragraph C. Go L 450m to crossroads by former pub. Go ahead 900m to offset crossroads and go L (no sign). Follow from para E [1.3Km]
FOR A STROLL 12.2Km Total ascent 188m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59765840
Follow to the end of paragraph B. Continue ahead, following Polden way signs for 1.5Km to cross wooden bridge and reach crossroads of tracks and go L. Follow from paragraph F [1.5Km]
FOR A SAUNTER 6.3Km Total ascent 95m www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59764518
Follow to the end of paragraph A. Turn L and follow tarmac track for 500m passing to the R of modern house, then straight across field to descend steps to stile to wooded area. Cross stile out of woods and continue with hedge on R to reach the busy B3151. Go L for 300m then turn R into Littleton for 200m to reach pond. Follow from paragraph G [1.8Km].