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Thurlbear, Somerset

Difficulty Leisurely

Walking time 2 hours 20 minutes

Length 7.5km / 4.7mi

Route developer: Chris Mumford

Route checker: Edward Levy

Start location Thurlbear, Somerset.
Route Summary This circular walk has only 403 feet of ascent through out its length. A few stiles but mostly pedestrian gates. The terrain is easy going with no stiff ascents. The lanes are generally traffic free.
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Getting there

By car: The village of Thurlbear is south of Taunton. Leave Taunton on the A358  Ilminster road and turn right across the dual carriageway beside the The Nags Head Inn.   Take first right then second left into Thurlbear. There is road-side parking available near the church.

Public transport: The village is not served with public transport.

Description

[1] From the church walk up past the Old Rectory and the school to Greenway Farm, turning in left through double field gates. Walk up the yard towards a field gate and cross stile to the left of it. Keep the hedge line on your right. The white house on the hillside to your right was built in 1810 for the agent of Lord Portman. It is a listed building.

Follow this hedge line for just under 1 mile passing through two gateways between fields one and two and the exit of field two. In the third field continue in the same direction to a stile in the end hedge. Cross the stile into the fourth and final field continuing to keep the hedge on the right and proceed to the corner where your way is blocked by a hedge.

[2] Turn right and pass through a small pedestrian gate to follow an over grown water course on your left to another pedestrian gate which you pass through. Now turn left over the water course and forward towards a stile leading onto a bridge.

Do not cross the bridge but turn left to follow the stream. Pass out of this field over a stile into another field and  then continue in the same direction to the corner of the field where cross a stile out onto a metalled road.

[3] Turn left and walk down this road, past the entrance to the Polo ground and just before cottages on left, turn in right through a gate into the Polo ground. Follow the left hand fence. Ignore the footbridge into a private garden but go over the next on your left. Taunton Race Course is up the rise to your right.

[4] Now follow the left hand hedge line to the corner of the field. The path turns you right and in approximately 50 yards turn left to cross a stile. Now walk straight ahead across a field but where the path wants to pass through a hedge, turn right so as to keep the hedge on your left hand. This path runs adjacent to the wood. At end of woods pass through a gateway and walk away from the woods on a well defined path between two oak trees. Keep in the same direction down the field to a field gate and onto a metalled road (the entrance to Mill House is opposite slightly to the right).

[5] Turn left and in a few yards left again into a metalled track which soon turns into a stony track.. Go through a gateway and where on the right the woods border the path and at a junction of several paths, turn left (waymarked Thurlbear Wood).

Follow this path alongside the wood. As you approach some cottages, walk straight ahead onto metalled surface (Netherclay Lane) and follow this lane to its junction with another road.

[6] Cross over and bear around to your right through a pedestrian gate. Now follow the right hand hedge line until passing through another pedestrian gate you come out onto a road where you turn left and follow this road back to the church.

POI information

The Church of St Thomas in the village of Thurlbear,  dates from the 12th century. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.  It is a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church shows clear signs of the Norman church upon which later structures were built. A restored cross can be found in front of the church.

Notes No details available.
Acknowledgements No details available.
  • St Thomas
    St Thomas' Church
    By - Nick Chipchase
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