From Chew Magna, a thriving woollen centre in the Middle Ages, this walk climbs to North Wick for fine views across the Chew Valley to the Mendip Hills. The route takes in the stone circles at Stanton Drew before following the valley back to Chew Magna.

This is a moderate 5 mile (8½ km) walk along paths and lanes in gently rolling countryside. There are no very steep climbs but the ground is uneven in places. Most of the walk uses kissing gates but there are some stiles. Please note dogs are not permitted on parts of the Stanton Drew Stone Circles site.

  What are the Stanton Drew Stone Circles?

DIRECTIONS AND INFORMATION

Turn left out of the car park (Grid ref: ST576631) then turn right by the Co-op. Take the first right and walk along Silver Street.

1. At a T-junction turn left and follow the road uphill, stay on the road as it bends to the right passing a footpath sign on the left.

2. At the next right bend take a signed footpath on the left, going up some steps to a metal kissing gate, then go uphill across a field to another metal kissing gate. Follow the footpath ahead keeping to the lower edge of the field before bearing left to go through a metal kissing gate in a hedgerow (if you start going uphill and the field starts to narrow you have gone too far).

After the gate go straight ahead with a hedge to your left. At the top of the field, head for a small footbridge and metal kissing gate in the middle of the hedgerow ahead. Go ahead across the field and through a metal gate.

3. Walk ahead a few metres before turning right through a metal kissing gate and on towards a large pond. Walk around the right hand edge of the pond then follow a grassy track ahead to a metal kissing gate and small footbridge. Go ahead across the field, aiming to the right of a white house, to a footbridge and wooden kissing gate in the hedge on your left. Go through the gate and turn right and follow the footpath, with a hedge on your right, to a wooden kissing gate leading onto a lane.

4. Turn right onto the lane and immediately right again through a wooden kissing gate. Walk ahead across a field to a metal kissing gate then cross another field to a footbridge over a stream. Cross the bridge and turn left to follow the path, with the stream to your left, through 3 fields to a footbridge then across 1 more field to cross another footbridge.

Continue ahead along a path through trees to a wooden kissing gate then across 1 more field to a kissing gate onto a lane.

5. Turn right along the road and continue past Hawkfield Farm. At a sharp right hand bend take a signed footpath on the left, up steps to a metal kissing gate, and go ahead across a field heading for a kissing gate opposite (where a fence and hedge meet). Go through the kissing gate and take the path ahead with a hedge on your left, then through another metal kissing gate and across a field to the far right hand corner.

6. Go through a metal kissing gate and ahead over the brow of the hill, and aim for the far right hand corner of the field. Go through a metal kissing gate and down some steps, then ahead with a hedge on your right, through another kissing gate and across a field to a kissing gate onto a road.

7. Carefully cross the road and take the road opposite past the white toll house. Follow the road into Stanton Drew village, turn left onto a lane signed “Stone Circle” then turn left again and follow the signs to the stone circles. From the stone circles retrace your steps to the village, after passing a post box in a wall on your right bear left along a lane of front of a row of cottages, and then turn left onto the main village road.

8. Turn right into Sandy Lane and continue along the lane to Valley Farm. Continue ahead along a track between hedges passing a waymarked footpath on the left and another on the right before the track goes downhill. Follow the track around a right hand bend (passing a footpath sign on the left) before taking a waymarked footpath on the left leading to a stone footbridge over a stream. 

9. Cross the bridge then go through a metal kissing gate and walk ahead uphill following a well-trodden path. Go through a metal kissing gate next to a barn and turn right and follow the field edge. A short way along take a path bearing right and downhill under trees overlooking the River Chew. Follow the path as it curves to the right to a metal gate onto a bridge over the River Chew then through a metal kissing gate and ahead to far corner of the field to a metal kissing gate onto a road.

10. Cross the road and follow the waymarked path along the drive of Chew Court and then ahead through a gap next to a wooden gate to go along a lane. Bear left up stone steps into the churchyard then out onto the road opposite the car park.

Route devised by the Mendip Hills National Landscape team.