181. Wookey Hole, Ebbor Gorge and Wells (9.2 Miles)

 6/10
Parking @ BA5 2LS

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2  weeks on the trot and a visit to Wookey Hole, Ebbor Gorge and The smallest City in England Wells, With Great Views over the Mendips, history and some very muddy paths!

This again is a retake of a walk I first did in 2011 and 2015 Ebbor & Wookey Walk

The walk started grey and very overcast slowly rising along the Mendip Way and up towards Wookey Hole, difficult to spot Glasto tor!

Following along a muddy track to Milton hill with Underwood Quarry on my left, you could have continued along Mendip way (left before wood) but I decided to top Milton hill.

The misty view from Milton Hill, I'm sure on a sunny day it would have been great but today mmmm, you can see 2 new house developments being built, Bovis Homes - Priory Fields below, affordable housing 260,000 to 400,000 !!!

Arriving into Wookey the old red phone used to be everywhere but nowadays this used for defibrillator storage, heart restarter.

Due to Covid19 The Wookey Hole attractions were deserted just a few cars in the car park.

Next more uphill into Ebbor gorge one of my favourite places, I first found this place in 1991, and have visited many times with my kids on sunnier days.

The walk up today was very muddy and uneventful but a rest at the top with good views out towards Exmoor.

Ebbor Gorge and surrounding Woodland were given to the National Trust By a Mrs G. W. Hodgkinson in memory of Winston Churchill.

Not a soul to be seen or heard, no planes were overhead either! (ME)

The weather did not improve, but at least no rain and I continued onwards.

You can just see Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, still under construction.

Following on past Deerleap along Pelting Drove and along Dursdon Drove, great names eh!

 Mendip transmitting station, Pen hill ( 293 metres (961 ft) top shrouded by mist

Next one of the steepest footpaths I've come across, on the map I've suggested a detour as I slide most of the way down this clinging on to the fence and falling over at the bottom, so do the detour! ( I was fine, no one saw me, LOL)

Should read VERY VERY VERY Steep and slippy!!!

Thinking that was the end of slippy paths for the day here's another muddy, wet one. It would be fine in summer or even not after rain, but today a real chore to walk it.

Leaving the mud behind I arrived into the City of Wells and Bishops Palace.

Again all very quiet around this normally bustling area. (Covid19)

 Wells Cathedral built-in 1176–1450 and is very grand and a good place to sit and watch the world go by.

The workmanship is amazing, The 13th-century west front by Thomas Norreys. The architectural decoration and figurative sculptures is considered to be unsurpassed in Britain.

Next week blue skies and sunshine ...here's hoping!

Thanks for looking, please say hello or comment if you like it:)

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180. Lansdown Heights re-visited (11.1 Miles)

 7/10

Parking @  BA1 6BA

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Its been a long time in between walks and I'm back on it.

My first walk back is an updated version of a walk back in 1/2/2011 (Cotswold Way Walk)

It takes in views over Bath from the famous Solsbury Hill, with Landscapes stretching out Into Wilshire and beyond plus the historic Cotswold Way.

My walk started at Grovenner on the London Road in Bath, Parking up I Walked up over Claremont Road into Fairfield Park, a vicious start with the first 2 miles uphill, thought it better to get the hilly part out of the way.

First picture looking back to Solsbury hill, 4 hours later where I'd be stood.

As I Rose up to the top of Lansdown, views back to Bath were stunning. In this picture, Batheaston bypass and Bathford with woodland to the left is Sally in the Woods.

The story of Sally in the Wood centres on a sinister tower in Brown's Folly, where Sally, a gypsy girl, was supposedly imprisoned in the 18th century.

Locked up without food and water, the girl was left to die in the tower, according to the chilling legend.

And they say the murdered child became a ghost, restlessly roaming the woods at night - and often straying out into the unlit stretch of road which cuts through it.

MMMm.. being a taxi driver and driven up over there many times at night I've never seen her!

Once on the plateau of Lansdown at 233m or 764ft, it should be all downhill from here for a while anyway. these Beech trees on Freezing Hill can be seen for miles around Bath And Bristol and prove to be a good Landmark.

 The sounds of the Skylark up and singing was a glorious soundtrack, to keep me company.

Next passing the Blathwat Arms a once busy pub next to Bath Racecourse, it seems now only busy when the Races are on. 

In fact, I don't remember the last time  I picked up from there.

Milestone, 3 miles to Bath all downhill from here, but leaving it behind I marched onwards.

The first few miles out the way I decided to stop for a sandwich and admire the view.

Calne, Wiltshire downs in the distance.

This section of the walk is the start of the Cotswold Way and a good place away from the road to listen to the bird song, I sat watching a kestrel chasing Meadow Pipits.

As you descend on to the Cotswold way the last time 9 years ago it was a mixture of Cotswold stone and hard paths, with the recent heavy rain it was very muddy with no sign of the ancient stone path underneath.

In to Langridge a very quiet little Hamlet near Bath you could be miles from anything here, surrounded by green hillsides, with just the odd car to spoil the silence. 

My first Brimstone Butterfly of the year was spotted here, my second of the year with Peacock spotted earlier.

A few of the flowers spotted on route today Celandine, Primrose, Snowdrop and Daffodil.

Another small village is so close to Bath but yet so far away. Wooley

Looking back to those Beech trees again, apparently, locals call them Catterpilar tracks? I've never heard that before, you learn something every day!

After crossing underneath the Now busy A46 New Gloucester Road I started the last climb of the day in on to Solsbury hill, looking back to where I've walked.

With the Caterpillar munching its way across the skyline, a fine view was had.

Once you catch your breath views over into Bath are amazing, Seeing every street and house below.

As a Buzzard floated by It reminded me of the Peter Gabriel song,

"Climbing up on Solsbury Hill

I could see the city light

Wind was blowing, time stood still

Eagle flew out of the night

He was something to observe"

Bath's Population was below with 90,000 to 120,000 people working & playing I was in the best place to watch the world go by, unfortunately, it was blowing a very cold wind so, after a few snaps, I descended the hill into Batheaton.

Crossing the New Bridge that crosses the swollen River Avon.

I first crossed this bridge when it was newly opened in 2014 on another walk,

Across a few fields and under the A46 not much of beauty to see here.

Almost home and the last bridge of the day again crosses the River Avon, and 10 more minutes and rest!

Check out next weeks walk. 

Thanks for looking, please say hello or comment if you like it:)

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