[1] Turn left out of the inn car park and follow the A303 until you reach a left hand turn. Turn here, walk straight for about 100 yards and then turn right. At a T junction at the top of the hill turn right and continue along this quiet lane for about 1.5 miles.
Note the interesting sign on the left on the track to New Barn Farm.
(A) Pass a cottage on the left with a plaque commemorating its building in 1812 by Sir F Drake, a descendant of the Sir Francis Drake who acquired the manor of Yarcombe in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
(B) The church at Buckland St. Mary stands out on the hillside opposite.
Take the second fork on the right after Foxenhole Farm, just after crossing the Devon/ Somerset border into the village of Bishopswood, emerging opposite the Candlelight Inn.
[2] Turn left through the village and then bear right at first junction to pass the village hall on the right. After old farm buildings take the waymarked track on the right. At first right hand bend go over the stile on the left and cross the field to another stile in the bottom right-hand corner. Turn right and follow the lane to the first left-hand turn at Whatley. Turn left here and after a few yards turn right through a gate on to a signed footpath. Keep the hedge on the right down to the bottom of the field and a gate. Continue through, ignoring gaps in the hedge, down to the stream, then turn right on a cattle track to a stile. Cross this and climb the hill towards farm buildings, to find a boggy track along the left-hand hedge. In the corner go through a gap and turn left to cross a stile leading on to a wooden walkway. Turn left after the walkway through a gap between two trees and over a stile. Turn sharp left up the bank to get on to the farm track to Griggs Farm. Turn right to emerge on to the road.
In wet weather it is preferable to avoid this boggy area, by taking the quiet lane past Otterford Mill to rejoin the route at Rull Farm.
[3] Cross the road through a field gate with a footpath sign. Turn immediately left alongside the building and over a stile. Keep the hedge on the left for a short distance then angle left to a gate ahead. Pass through gate and bear right to cross field to a gate in the hedge opposite. Pass through gate and continue with hedge on right to reach a further gate. Pass through gate and follow a track to emerge on to the road at Waterhayes Farm. Turn left uphill then through a field gate on the right with a footpath sign. Keep to the left-hand hedge, through gates and a stile, then follow the track through the converted farm buildings at Lower Fyfett out on to the road. Cross the road and go up some steps to a stile. Continue over the field and through a gate to keep to the same direction, parallel to a wire fence, then bear left to a gate in the far hedge on a stone track. Continue on the track until it begins to veer left when a stile is visible to the right. Go over the stile and turn right downhill to a T-junction in the hamlet of Howstead
[4] Turn left to the first turning on the left and take this lane, at first downhill then uphill for about three-quarters of a mile until it reaches the road along one of the ridges of the Blackdown Hills. Go straight across, through a field gate and continue with a wire fence on the right to a gap into the woodland ahead. Skirt the trees for a short distance to enter the plantation through a field gate, then follow the broad track, ignoring a stile and a bridleway sign on the right. Pass through gate ahead and in approximately 75 meters turn left at the T-junction with a stony track.
[5] Continue on the track to enter a field through a gate and bear right and continue with the hedge on the right.
(C) There are extensive views to the north over Taunton Vale to the Quantock Hills and beyond, the Mendips. The four isolated trees in the hedgeline form a well known landmark and are named after the four apostles.
At the far side of the field go through a gate and continue on the track to the end of the pine plantation on the right . At a crossing of tracks turn right on a permissive route not shown on the OS map. The track runs between the pine trees to the right and a planting of spruce trees on the left. After approximately 150 meters bear left then right downhill on a sunken forest track to a stile on to the road.
[6}This is the busy B3170 from Corfe and Taunton, so cross with care to the lane almost opposite signposted to Feltham. Ignore the footpath sign to the left but go down the lane, downhill then uphill to a gate into Adcombe Wood on the left where there is a notice from the Woodland Trust welcoming visitors. Follow the track round to the right along the edge of the wood. Continue on the path, ignoring a downhill track branching off to the left, until it enters the woods arid descends more steeply. This is the southern end of Woodrom Lane but the underlying clay and flint of the Blackdown Hills is interlaced with springs so the surface is rough in places.
[7] At the bottom of the hill pass by a footpath sign on the left and where the road bears right by a cottage continue straight ahead along a sunken track between hedges. Go over the stile at the end then turn left on the sunken track, following the hedge on the left towards a small barn. Bear right by a big tree across the field to a stile and footbridge hidden in the hedge on the far side, about 50m from the right-hand corner. Cross here and continue in the same direction towards the spire of Pitminster Church and another stile and sleeper bridge in the right hand corner. Bear left and continue along the hedge to a field gate into the lane. Turn right passing the gate into the churchyard.
(D) Although, a visit to the church is worthwhile if only to see the striking modern east window.
The Queen’s Arms Inn lies on the far side of the church.
[8] Turn right again through the village, ignore the right fork signposted to Corfe and where the lane bends right go straight on over a stile. Continue in the same direction over the fields to reach the boundary wall of Poundisford Park.
(E) The Tudor house was built in 1546 but Poundisford had provided a deer park for the Bishops of Winchester since the 13th century. The boundaries can be distinguished still on the 0S map, shown as Park Pale.
Continue along the path from Poundisford and where it bears right go straight ahead along the fence on the left to a stile in the corner. Cross this and proceed in the same direction across the fields to a footbridge over the M5 motorway.
[9] Bear right on the other side to continue with the hedge on the right to another stile and a footbridge. Keep on with the stream on the right to a meeting of footbridges
The hedge here is part of the “Park Pale” mentioned earlier.
Continue with the stream on the right over two more stiles then bear slightly left to a stile into the road. Turn right and cross a stile on the left just before the road bridge. Carry on to another stile in the deep corner of the field and a footbridge by a weir. The path is now well defined out into Trull village playing field. Keep the hedge on the right and go through a gate out into the road.
(F) The Winchester Arms Inn is opposite and the attractive church is a few yards up the road to the left. There are some fine 15th century wood carvings.
[10] Turn right from the playing field past Eastbrook Terrace before turning left up a track just before the road bends right. A short way up the track turn right through a gap and walk up the field with the hedge on the right to another gap and on to the next corner. Do not turn right through the gap but follow the hedge round to the left and continue through two gaps in hedges then bear right into the coppice on the top of Cotlake Hill. Cross two stiles to emerge into the field.
(G) There is a wide view over Taunton and the Vale. The three “Somerset Towers of St. James, St Mary Magdelane and St. George can be picked out.
Go on down the field with the hedge on the left then on the right. Cross a stile and continue straight ahead over the field. At the hedge turn left for a few yards then down steps through the hedge and over a stile. Cross this field, passing to the right of a large tree, to a gate on the far side. Continue ahead on the farm road then when this turns left over a bridge, keep straight on with the stream on the left to a stile into a field.
[11] Carry on in the same direction along the stream to emerge on to a metalled road with Taunton Cricket Club’s ground on the right and tennis courts on the left. Keep on the road as it bears right past the park gates to a T-junction on Mount Street, one of Taunton’s old thoroughfares. Turn left down the narrow street passing the red brick Jellabad Barracks, a reminder of the town’s military history, and turn left again at the end past the ornate Vivary Park main gates. Cross the road into the High Street opposite.
[12] Finish at Taunton High Street