Hatch Court
WALK 3
WRANTAGE (CANAL INN)
A disused canal, Hatch Court and some superb views
An all weather walk, but best when visibility is good
Distance 10.5 Km/6.5 miles
Total ascent/descent 112m
www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/18459072
Revised April 2025 Comments to [email protected]
1 From the bus-stop (GR308 225) by the Canal Inn go W (towards Taunton) 600m passing the large lay-by. Just beyond Barcroft Cottage, turn R down a broad grassy track behind houses. After 200m cross a footbridge, bear L and continue with the stream on L for 200m to reach a stile and pass under a bridge which carried the Chard Canal(1) across the stream. Continue to follow the stream round the edge of field for 300m and ignore the flat vehicular bridge but follow another 200m and cross a small footbridge on L just before a tree. Go ahead now with hedge on R ascending steadily and after 300m just before the copse go R along track and follow bearing L round the copse 200m to reach a road in Lillesdon [2.1Km]
2 (GR303 235) Turn L and follow the road for 600m and just beyond Canal Cottage go over bridge crossing the Chard Canal(1).. If time, go R through Bristol Gate just beyond bridge (SP Public Footpath) to view the canal on R. Continue along the road for 450m to the A378 [1.0Km]
3 (GR300 225) Cross the road with great care to the road directly opposite (SP Meare Green). Follow for 330m then go L opposite The Elms along a track (SP Public Footpath). After 30m bear R between hedge and fence and follow enclosed path. After 250m cross stile to open field and bear slightly R across field 250m aiming to L of trees to a waymarked Bristol gate. Cross stream, go through a second Bristol gate then bear R 200m to far corner with two gates. Take the waymarked R Bristol gate and go L with hedge on L for 70m and go through Bristol gate on L. Go R and follow 500m now with hedge on R as it bears R then L and at next corner head for metal gate in far corner to reach road (it may be easier to walk round field with hedge on R) [1.7Km]
4 (GR298 212) Do not follow the road, but turn L to follow a drive with a concrete post-and-wire fence on L. After 60m follow the fence as it bears L and after 100m R to cross a waymarked bridge. Go through the edge of the garden with stream on L to locate another gate then R to another gate. Here go sharp L with fence on L through two more gates to road by Picketmead. Turn R and follow 450m until it passes under the old railway bridge. Turn L and follow for 400m to crossroads by the Hatch Inn[1.0Km]
5 (GR302 206) Go R, follow for 450m and at Ashdale House go L to Bristol gate and cross field 200m to far corner, then go L with hedge on L. After 120m, ignore gate on L but bear 45 degrees R along path past sewage works on R. Aim for hedge corner, then bear L to kissing gate to road. Go L for 630m to the Hatch Inn [1.7Km]
6 (GR302 206) Go R (SP Church) and after 400m L along concrete drive passing Hatch Court(2) on the R. At the end of drive pass church(3) and car-park and through waymarked gate bearing R to pass between the church and a house, along grassy track to reach a concrete drive. Go R and immediately 45 degrees L and follow the broad waymarked path aiming for a gap in the hedge, to reach a short track and road. Go L along the road ahead 750m to reach T-junction [2.0Km]
7 (GR314 219) Just before junction, go L down grassy track before a house (SP Wrantage), then 100m along short track and stile to emerge in a field at the top of Crimson Hill with terrific views. Continue passing to L of R pillbox(4) down steep steps then across a field to cross a stile. On R can be seen tank stops(4) and the overgrown tunnel(5) entrance of the Chard Canal. The footpath bears L along the edge of field, but if overgrown follow R path. Continue ahead through gate and down the track. At the road go R for 100m to the bus-stop [1.0Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 5.1 Km/3.2 miles
From the start go to the large lay-by, cross the road and go along Oldway Lane to emerge at the bridge in point 4 then go L along road 400m to the Hatch Inn.
Go L (SP Church) and follow from point 6
For car travellers:
There is a large lay-by on the north side of the A378 200m in the Taunton direction from the Canal Inn.
Refreshments:
Canal Inn, Wrantage
Hatch Inn, Hatch Beauchamp
1 Chard Canal, part of a plan to link the Bristol Channel with the English Channel opened 1842, went into receivership 1853 and closed 1866
2 The bridge and the station served a branch line from Chard Junction to Taunton which opened in 1866 and closed in 1962.
3 Hatch Court is a Palladian mansion built of Bath stone in 1750 by Thomas Prowse of Axbridge, for John Collins. It is listed Grade I
4 St John the Baptist originates in the Norman period, but the tower was built in 1500. It is listed Grade I
5 Pillboxes and tank stops were part of the 1940 Taunton Stop Line, from the north Somerset coast to Seaton (Devon), to deter a tank attack from the west.
6 In its short length of 22Km the Chard canal had four aqueducts four inclined planes and three tunnels!
2 (GR303 235) Turn L and follow the road for 600m and just beyond Canal Cottage go over bridge crossing the Chard Canal(1).. If time, go R through Bristol Gate just beyond bridge (SP Public Footpath) to view the canal on R. Continue along the road for 450m to the A378 [1.0Km]
3 (GR300 225) Cross the road with great care to the road directly opposite (SP Meare Green). Follow for 330m then go L opposite The Elms along a track (SP Public Footpath). After 30m bear R between hedge and fence and follow enclosed path. After 250m cross stile to open field and bear slightly R across field 250m aiming to L of trees to a waymarked Bristol gate. Cross stream, go through a second Bristol gate then bear R 200m to far corner with two gates. Take the waymarked R Bristol gate and go L with hedge on L for 70m and go through Bristol gate on L. Go R and follow 500m now with hedge on R as it bears R then L and at next corner head for metal gate in far corner to reach road (it may be easier to walk round field with hedge on R) [1.7Km]
4 (GR298 212) Do not follow the road, but turn L to follow a drive with a concrete post-and-wire fence on L. After 60m follow the fence as it bears L and after 100m R to cross a waymarked bridge. Go through the edge of the garden with stream on L to locate another gate then R to another gate. Here go sharp L with fence on L through two more gates to road by Picketmead. Turn R and follow 450m until it passes under the old railway bridge. Turn L and follow for 400m to crossroads by the Hatch Inn[1.0Km]
5 (GR302 206) Go R, follow for 450m and at Ashdale House go L to Bristol gate and cross field 200m to far corner, then go L with hedge on L. After 120m, ignore gate on L but bear 45 degrees R along path past sewage works on R. Aim for hedge corner, then bear L to kissing gate to road. Go L for 630m to the Hatch Inn [1.7Km]
6 (GR302 206) Go R (SP Church) and after 400m L along concrete drive passing Hatch Court(2) on the R. At the end of drive pass church(3) and car-park and through waymarked gate bearing R to pass between the church and a house, along grassy track to reach a concrete drive. Go R and immediately 45 degrees L and follow the broad waymarked path aiming for a gap in the hedge, to reach a short track and road. Go L along the road ahead 750m to reach T-junction [2.0Km]
7 (GR314 219) Just before junction, go L down grassy track before a house (SP Wrantage), then 100m along short track and stile to emerge in a field at the top of Crimson Hill with terrific views. Continue passing to L of R pillbox(4) down steep steps then across a field to cross a stile. On R can be seen tank stops(4) and the overgrown tunnel(5) entrance of the Chard Canal. The footpath bears L along the edge of field, but if overgrown follow R path. Continue ahead through gate and down the track. At the road go R for 100m to the bus-stop [1.0Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 5.1 Km/3.2 miles
From the start go to the large lay-by, cross the road and go along Oldway Lane to emerge at the bridge in point 4 then go L along road 400m to the Hatch Inn.
Go L (SP Church) and follow from point 6
For car travellers:
There is a large lay-by on the north side of the A378 200m in the Taunton direction from the Canal Inn.
Refreshments:
Canal Inn, Wrantage
Hatch Inn, Hatch Beauchamp
1 Chard Canal, part of a plan to link the Bristol Channel with the English Channel opened 1842, went into receivership 1853 and closed 1866
2 The bridge and the station served a branch line from Chard Junction to Taunton which opened in 1866 and closed in 1962.
3 Hatch Court is a Palladian mansion built of Bath stone in 1750 by Thomas Prowse of Axbridge, for John Collins. It is listed Grade I
4 St John the Baptist originates in the Norman period, but the tower was built in 1500. It is listed Grade I
5 Pillboxes and tank stops were part of the 1940 Taunton Stop Line, from the north Somerset coast to Seaton (Devon), to deter a tank attack from the west.
6 In its short length of 22Km the Chard canal had four aqueducts four inclined planes and three tunnels!
