STROLL 9
CARY VALLEY & KINGSDON

Distance: 12.0km/7.5m Ascent 149m
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
www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/6014816791/
Comments to [email protected] Updated May 2025

Leave car park and turn L along West Street. After 250m at the Market Square follow the road past the War Memorial and the Buttercross and round to the left into Broad Street. At Cow Square with its restored trough and fountain, turn R along New Street with its attractive old buildings, pass the Old School House, go to R of Cockspurs and after 50m bear L down New Hill. At the bottom turn L (SP Street) and proceed 250m along the narrow 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 again to reach the Castle Cary road. Turn L and proceed with great care 500m along this narrow road with fast traffic, to pass under the blue brick Skew Bridge. 150m 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 Green Down Nature Reserve), which ascends steeply 300m to a telecoms mast. Bear L anti-clockwise round the mast and after 50m where the track becomes grassy locate a wooden gate on R and continue through the Green Down Nature Reserve along narrow footpath with fence on L. Follow 700m with fine views across the Cary valley and beyond to South Somerset and Dorset. Pass above a small brick building (which was built as a dynamite store during the construction of the railway in the early 1900s) to reach a wooden kissing gate to a track. Turn R descending 120m to cross over the railway bridge and descend sharply 150m to reach a road. Turn L and continue 400m past a green clad barn and the Charltons piers then go R over a stile to L of driveway (SP Kingsdon 1m). Follow track 250m to another barn and two gates then go ahead with fence on R 250m to a gate. Go 90 degrees L still with fence on R for 75m to a pedestrian gate. Go through and head in direction of waymark 150m to another gate and ahead 100m to two gates and bridge over the River Cary, then turn R 50m to gate beneath oak tree. Once through gate, turn L on broad track 250m heading for a gate, then steadily rising 350m along a shallow valley to reach a gate to the L of a small plantation. Continue along the track still climbing gently for 500m to a metal gate and 20m beyond turn R by barn into another track. After 200m reach a cross roads of tracks and turn R (SP Kingsdon Shoot). Follow track 750m with good views through gaps in the hedge on R and bear L to enter Kingsdon woods. The track may be muddy and descends steeply for 750m (there is an easier parallel path 5m to R) through the woods to reach a tarmac road Continue ahead for 1.7Km to reach the busy B3151 and turn R for 100m, then cross with care to reach a kissing gate by a road sign. Up a slight slope 60m on faint path to reach another kissing gate then follow the L boundary of the field 300m to reach a metal gate by a bungalow. 10m to R of the gate, go through a metal kissing gate and follow the path to emerge in the Millands. Continue 300m passing the Police Station to reach the Market Place and ahead into West Street and 300m to the car park on R.