Former Windmill, Walton Hill
WALK 7
MARSHALL’S ELM
The Levels, the Poldens and Somerset’s first youth hostel
Pleasant walking on tracks and lanes with terrific views
Distance 9.9 Km/ 6.2 miles
Total ascent/descent 113m
www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/24766714
Revised May 2024 Comments to [email protected]
1 From the bus-stop (GR484 345) at Marshall’s Elm(1) go to the crossroads and take the narrow unsigned tarmac lane (No Through Road) and follow 450m as it descends gently and bears L then R then L again by Ivythorn Manor(2).. At the metal gate continue ahead along tarmac track for 200m. At the end bear R on to a broader track, and after 100m where the track bears L, go ahead over stile by metal gate [0.8Km]
2 (GR479 340) Cross field keeping hedge on R for 700m past one gate to reach a stile by gate to road by Lower Ivythorn Farm. Go ahead along level road for 1.6Km to reach a road junction, where a road goes L [2.3Km]
3 (GR459 351) Continue ahead, climbing gently and 600m beyond do not turn L (Sutton Lane), but bear R for 70m to reach the road along the Poldens(3). Cross this busy road with care (SP Walton) and continue for 850m to reach the A39 [1.6Km]
4 (GR455 363) Cross and turn R. Pass the Walton Gateway (now closed) and after 100m go L down Whitley Lane. After 150m just beyond dark green gas installation building go R along track. After 300m, cross stream and go immediately R through gate with stream on R. After 300m end of field, cross wooden bridge and bear slightly R diagonally across field to metal gate and road [1Km]
5 (GR460 367) Go R and follow the road 550m as it ascends and passes houses to reach A39. Go L for 30m and cross to path opposite, to L of number 91. After 100m go R then L into Chancellor Close. Go along the road 60m and at the T junction, go ahead into a path for 150m to reach a road. Go straight across into a track (SP Restricted Byway) and after 100m where track ends keep ahead in field with hedge on L following as it bears L, R and L again. At stile, do not cross, but go R keeping hedge on L across three more stiles, then bear slightly R across field roughly parallel to power lines to a hedge gap to road Cross this busy road with extreme care bearing slightly R to pass beneath a tree arch and locate a stile on the L [1.7Km]
6 (GR461 353) Cross stile and follow the obvious path 200m (roughly parallel to the road) to cross a broad track which leads to the white former windmill(4) (now private house). Continue along the ridge 550m with views across the levels to reach orientation table. Go ahead 100m to a kissing gate then continue through woods to reach road. Cross with care and follow path (SP Polden Way(5). The path goes roughly parallel to the road and affords pleasant views down to Street, Glastonbury Tor and the Mendip Hills. Continue along the path 1Km to the Swiss Chalet style Youth Hostel(6) then shortly after fork R on a narrower path to reach the Marshall’s Elm cross-roads and the bus-stop [2.5Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 5.8 Km/ 3.6 miles
Follow to the end of point 2. At the road junction, go R along an enclosed track (SP Bridleway). Climb for 250m and just before road locate stile on R. Continue from point 6
For car travellers:
There is a small lay-by in the narrow lane at the start.
1 Marshall's Elm was the site of an early skirmish of the Civil War in 1642 when the Royalist John Stawell led a troop of horses to prevent Parliamentarians under Sir John Pyne from reaching Shepton Mallet. The Parliamentarians fled, with twenty seven dead and sixty taken prisoner.
2 Ivythorn Manor was a medieval monastic house. It became a manor house after the dissolution. By 1834 it was in ruins but restored in1904.
3 The Polden Hills are a long, low ridge, extending 20 miles (32 km), from Puriton (Bridgwater) to Street.
4 Built as a windmill in 1793 for the Marquess of Bath and converted to a dwelling in 1926. It is listed Grade II
5 Polden Way is a 10Km (6 mile) path along the eastern end of the Poldens from Walton Hill to Hurcott
6 Clark’s had its own small sanatorium and convalescent home on Ivythorn Hill. In 1931 it was leased to the YHA and became the first youth hostel in Somerset.
2 (GR479 340) Cross field keeping hedge on R for 700m past one gate to reach a stile by gate to road by Lower Ivythorn Farm. Go ahead along level road for 1.6Km to reach a road junction, where a road goes L [2.3Km]
3 (GR459 351) Continue ahead, climbing gently and 600m beyond do not turn L (Sutton Lane), but bear R for 70m to reach the road along the Poldens(3). Cross this busy road with care (SP Walton) and continue for 850m to reach the A39 [1.6Km]
4 (GR455 363) Cross and turn R. Pass the Walton Gateway (now closed) and after 100m go L down Whitley Lane. After 150m just beyond dark green gas installation building go R along track. After 300m, cross stream and go immediately R through gate with stream on R. After 300m end of field, cross wooden bridge and bear slightly R diagonally across field to metal gate and road [1Km]
5 (GR460 367) Go R and follow the road 550m as it ascends and passes houses to reach A39. Go L for 30m and cross to path opposite, to L of number 91. After 100m go R then L into Chancellor Close. Go along the road 60m and at the T junction, go ahead into a path for 150m to reach a road. Go straight across into a track (SP Restricted Byway) and after 100m where track ends keep ahead in field with hedge on L following as it bears L, R and L again. At stile, do not cross, but go R keeping hedge on L across three more stiles, then bear slightly R across field roughly parallel to power lines to a hedge gap to road Cross this busy road with extreme care bearing slightly R to pass beneath a tree arch and locate a stile on the L [1.7Km]
6 (GR461 353) Cross stile and follow the obvious path 200m (roughly parallel to the road) to cross a broad track which leads to the white former windmill(4) (now private house). Continue along the ridge 550m with views across the levels to reach orientation table. Go ahead 100m to a kissing gate then continue through woods to reach road. Cross with care and follow path (SP Polden Way(5). The path goes roughly parallel to the road and affords pleasant views down to Street, Glastonbury Tor and the Mendip Hills. Continue along the path 1Km to the Swiss Chalet style Youth Hostel(6) then shortly after fork R on a narrower path to reach the Marshall’s Elm cross-roads and the bus-stop [2.5Km]
FOR A SHORTER WALK Distance 5.8 Km/ 3.6 miles
Follow to the end of point 2. At the road junction, go R along an enclosed track (SP Bridleway). Climb for 250m and just before road locate stile on R. Continue from point 6
For car travellers:
There is a small lay-by in the narrow lane at the start.
1 Marshall's Elm was the site of an early skirmish of the Civil War in 1642 when the Royalist John Stawell led a troop of horses to prevent Parliamentarians under Sir John Pyne from reaching Shepton Mallet. The Parliamentarians fled, with twenty seven dead and sixty taken prisoner.
2 Ivythorn Manor was a medieval monastic house. It became a manor house after the dissolution. By 1834 it was in ruins but restored in1904.
3 The Polden Hills are a long, low ridge, extending 20 miles (32 km), from Puriton (Bridgwater) to Street.
4 Built as a windmill in 1793 for the Marquess of Bath and converted to a dwelling in 1926. It is listed Grade II
5 Polden Way is a 10Km (6 mile) path along the eastern end of the Poldens from Walton Hill to Hurcott
6 Clark’s had its own small sanatorium and convalescent home on Ivythorn Hill. In 1931 it was leased to the YHA and became the first youth hostel in Somerset.
