
WALK 6
LANGPORT (WESTOVER)
A disused railway line and small villages
A fairly level easy going walk along tracks and lanes
Distance 10.9 Km/6.8 miles
Total ascent/descent 71m
www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/19065500
Revised February 2024 Comments to [email protected]
1 From the bus-stop, turn into Westover (GR 415 266) past Great Western House. Opposite the grain store beyond the Parrett Trail car park, go L (SP Muchelney) through modern stile and after 230m at the next modern stile, go R 20m then L along the Parrett(1) Cycleway - this is the track of the old railway line from Yeovil to Langport Junction and Taunton(2). Go ahead for 1.6Km to reach gates by a house and exit to a road [2.1Km]
2 (GR442 248) Go ahead 800m and when road bears R go ahead through Bristol gate (SP Drayton). Keep hedge on L for 180m and where field narrows, cross to R hedge for 280m to old gateway (now no gate!) by concrete trough. Go R with hedge on R 90m to metal gate. Go along track 400m past farm buildings to reach road at T-junction [1.9Km]
3 (GR406 242) Go R (SP Drayton) After 350m, turn R at Old Stream Farm and at the end of the road by “The Granary” go ahead through three gates. Just beyond the third gate go L and follow path to cross a sleeper bridge to reach a metalled road and follow for 300m to emerge in the centre of Drayton by Duck Cottage. Turn L to pass the pub and church(3) and the end of School Street. After 200m where road bears R, go straight ahead (SP Back Lane) into gravel track which soon becomes grassy and after 200m go R at Bristol gate, then diagonally across the field between fences to a gate. Continue in the same direction passing to L of large grey shed to gate and bridge, then across field 360m roughly parallel to the boundary to gate to reach road [1.8Km]
4 (GR397 250) Turn R 80m to crossroads and continue ahead (SP Langport) and follow the delightful path on the L beneath the trees 400m to reach main road. Cross with care, turn R and almost immediately L into Currywoods Way. Follow the road for almost 2Km as it passes into open countryside with pleasant views, takes a sharp R bend and descends steeply into the hamlet of Wick [2.4Km]
5 (GR401 269) At T-junction in Wick go R and follow 1Km to the A378. Go R, follow footpath for 300m and cross with care to Portway Cottage drive [1.3Km]
6 (GR408 263) Go through Bristol gate (SP Public Footpath) and follow 300m with fence/hedge on L through three gates to field corner. Go L through metal gate and then around edge of field with hedge on L 500m to a gate. Go ahead and descend through woods to tarmac lane. Go L and follow to reach the Langport to Taunton road, cross with care and go R. Note the Old Railway Hotel(4) on the L by the eastbound bus-stop. The westbound stop is over the road [1.4Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 4.0Km/2.4 miles
Follow as far as point 2. Retrace your steps to the start.
For car travellers:
There is a Parrett Trail car park in Westover or a free car park in Stacey’s Court 100m east of the Parrett bridge.
Refreshments:
Cafés in Westover & Gt Bow Wharf
Drayton Arms, Drayton
Cafés and Hotel in Langport centre
1 The Parrett flows 60Km to the Bristol Channel and drains an area of 643 sq miles - almost 50% of Somerset. The fall is only 1 ft/mile so is prone to frequent flooding. A bridge here is noted as early as 1220, but the current bridge was completed in 1841 and is Grade II listed
2 A book “Yeovil to Taunton” by former railwayman Derek Phillips describes the line with a descriptive narrative (ISBN 0955333407)
3 St Catherine's Church, Drayton, has an exterior in blue lias and golden hamstone. It dates from the 15th century, and was twice restored in the 19th Century. There is a 15th-century cross in the churchyard.
4 The Hotel was built in 1906 and as the entrance was on the first floor an access bridge was required. A fixed bridge would have been too low so a manual swing bridge was installed.
2 (GR442 248) Go ahead 800m and when road bears R go ahead through Bristol gate (SP Drayton). Keep hedge on L for 180m and where field narrows, cross to R hedge for 280m to old gateway (now no gate!) by concrete trough. Go R with hedge on R 90m to metal gate. Go along track 400m past farm buildings to reach road at T-junction [1.9Km]
3 (GR406 242) Go R (SP Drayton) After 350m, turn R at Old Stream Farm and at the end of the road by “The Granary” go ahead through three gates. Just beyond the third gate go L and follow path to cross a sleeper bridge to reach a metalled road and follow for 300m to emerge in the centre of Drayton by Duck Cottage. Turn L to pass the pub and church(3) and the end of School Street. After 200m where road bears R, go straight ahead (SP Back Lane) into gravel track which soon becomes grassy and after 200m go R at Bristol gate, then diagonally across the field between fences to a gate. Continue in the same direction passing to L of large grey shed to gate and bridge, then across field 360m roughly parallel to the boundary to gate to reach road [1.8Km]
4 (GR397 250) Turn R 80m to crossroads and continue ahead (SP Langport) and follow the delightful path on the L beneath the trees 400m to reach main road. Cross with care, turn R and almost immediately L into Currywoods Way. Follow the road for almost 2Km as it passes into open countryside with pleasant views, takes a sharp R bend and descends steeply into the hamlet of Wick [2.4Km]
5 (GR401 269) At T-junction in Wick go R and follow 1Km to the A378. Go R, follow footpath for 300m and cross with care to Portway Cottage drive [1.3Km]
6 (GR408 263) Go through Bristol gate (SP Public Footpath) and follow 300m with fence/hedge on L through three gates to field corner. Go L through metal gate and then around edge of field with hedge on L 500m to a gate. Go ahead and descend through woods to tarmac lane. Go L and follow to reach the Langport to Taunton road, cross with care and go R. Note the Old Railway Hotel(4) on the L by the eastbound bus-stop. The westbound stop is over the road [1.4Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 4.0Km/2.4 miles
Follow as far as point 2. Retrace your steps to the start.
For car travellers:
There is a Parrett Trail car park in Westover or a free car park in Stacey’s Court 100m east of the Parrett bridge.
Refreshments:
Cafés in Westover & Gt Bow Wharf
Drayton Arms, Drayton
Cafés and Hotel in Langport centre
1 The Parrett flows 60Km to the Bristol Channel and drains an area of 643 sq miles - almost 50% of Somerset. The fall is only 1 ft/mile so is prone to frequent flooding. A bridge here is noted as early as 1220, but the current bridge was completed in 1841 and is Grade II listed
2 A book “Yeovil to Taunton” by former railwayman Derek Phillips describes the line with a descriptive narrative (ISBN 0955333407)
3 St Catherine's Church, Drayton, has an exterior in blue lias and golden hamstone. It dates from the 15th century, and was twice restored in the 19th Century. There is a 15th-century cross in the churchyard.
4 The Hotel was built in 1906 and as the entrance was on the first floor an access bridge was required. A fixed bridge would have been too low so a manual swing bridge was installed.