Route B going uphill. When you are about 50 Route B some distance to the left of a house. to Hatch Beauchamp metres from the wood in front of Turn right (the Herepath goes The East Deane Way Corfe to Hatch Beauchamp straight on) to go over the stile into continued... you, turn to the left and follow this continued... path to go through a gate onto a farm a short drive or track passing Creech Field (or Creechfield) and joining a track. Turn right and before you go road. Cross the road and go over the Part through one of a pair of gates pause B At the end of the bridge go left, and continue down this drove, stile in the hedge in the field corner to look around you and again admire walking a short distance away from ignoring the one on your left, to pass opposite. the views. On the other side of the in front of Fordbridge from where the hedge to go through the squeeze F 5 gate immediately turn left (rejoining the way is surfaced. Continue either Continue with the hedge on stile and then continue to the gate the Herepath) to follow a path to a through the ford or over the your left over three stiles to a small of a 6 part set near the cottage. This track leads to a stile and equestrian gate. Go through adjacent footbridge to turn left orchard. Go straight on to the lane near Heale House. Turn right and to a waymarked post continue opposite the gateway to Seaforde bottom corner of the orchard but do follow this lane for some distance to through two gaps (or gates) to turn Grange. Cross the field heading for a not exit over the stile, but turn right turn right into a lane just before Mill right at another waymarked post to gap in the hedge opposite near a along the field boundary to go over Hatch Beauchamp to Corfe House. As you go through a gate, the large tree. Go through and turn to three closely spaced stiles. Head for turn right as you join a track that surfacing ends and you are on a stone the right to either cross or go round the left-hand end of the trees leads to a pair of gates. Go through Length - 16.4 km (10.3 miles) track, gradually climbing straight up to the field to reach a stile on the right opposite, over a stile and continue and turn left on a path that soon enter Lime Ridge Wood (joining the of the group of trees opposite. Cross with the trees now on your right. widens to a grass track and continues Herepath). Keep straight on along this the road and go over the stile Continue straight on over one stile, as a stoned track turn left at opposite. The former chapel on your then another that takes you into a track as it crosses another stream in a T-junction and climb to the Staple left is now the Neroche Village ditch. Go up and out to turn left with deep cutting until you join a wide Fitzpaine road near a Forestry Hall. Continue going slightly right to the hedge on the left for a short forest track. Turn left, going up hill as Commission sign for Staple Common. pass under the supply cables midway distance and then head for the right far as the next sharp (hairpin) bend between the first and second poles of the trees opposite. Continue to a where you go straight on back into to a stile in the hedge. Go over this gate and go over a stile, across a Take care as you cross the road the wood along a waymarked path D into a newly planted woodland, then track and over the stile opposite. which you follow until you reach and to enter the Neroche Forest. Follow a half-right through the woodland to Cross the field, heading for the right go through a gate into fields. broad gravel track to turn right at the the gap opposite that is virtually a of the hedge opposite. Follow the Continue with the hedge on your left first junction. The way is signed by the tunnel through a wide hedge. Go hedge to enter a copse. When you to the next gate. Go through and turn red marker posts which you follow. over the stile as you exit, then exit, go across the field to pass the straight on through a squeeze stile, post with footpath waymarks and right following the Herepath to turn There is a short steep descent and ascent and a fine viewpoint on your over a footbridge and another stile continue with the stream on the left downhill with the hedge on your walking parallel to but some distance right to turn left into a green lane or right and turn right at the bottom of left. Continue to near the entrance gates where you go left into a cleared from the hedge or fence on your left. drove. Just before you reach some The walk is written in two directions: the field. Continue on through a gate There is a fenced pond to your right barns, go through the gap on your area with an information board and a to near Staple Lawns Farm where you and you are heading for a metal gate left and then continue more or less Route A : Hatch Beauchamp to Corfe seat to the memory of David Smith turn right at the next gate turn left and stile at the left-hand edge of the in the same direction heading for the Route B : Corfe to Hatch Beauchamp from which the views are outstanding. woodland opposite (rejoining the left of the cottage opposite. Go over onto a path next to some barns. Alternatively, to shorten the walk, choose to Turn left at the end onto the farm Leave the area through a gap to the Herepath). Go through or over and the stile into the lane, turn right and access and then follow it round to the left of the information board and then either cross or go round this follow this lane to the main road start or finish at Neroche car park right to turn left at a fingerpost just again follow the red forest trail field to a stile in the opposite hedge near Griffin House. to shorten walk before a large wooden barn/garage. markers until, after a short steep descent you reach a gate. On the right

Follow this forest track up through 9681CK08 .08 there is another seat to rest on if you Terrain - undulating countryside, some steep slopes on the Staple Park Wood. It turns to the left Front Cover photo: View of the Vale of Deane from Neroche. , where it can be very muddy in parts. part way up to emerge at Underhill want to admire the views over South Lane. Turn right going up hill (pause as . Go through the gate and Refreshments - The Hatch Inn, Hatch Beauchamp; across the track (a sign for Castle you climb to turn round and admire The White Hart, Corfe; the view), pass the cottage numbered Farm is to the right) and straight on Devised and written by: Members of the Taunton 229 and then go over the stile on the following waymarks on a path that Deane Ramblers Group, The Heritage and Landscape Buses - 30 for Hatch Beauchamp and the 624 for Corfe. left just before Shutes Farm. The soon widens to a track. Go through a Team at Borough Council and gate, then continue straight on when Herepath goes straight on. Rights of Way. Check timetables for details, the track goes left. Follow this path or or call Traveline on 0870 608 2608 drove (marked on the map as www.tauntonramblers.org.uk Follow this path, after a short Middleroom Lane) and at the end For comments regarding the condition of the paths, stiles, gates etc, OS map - Explorer 128, Taunton and Blackdown Hills; distance there is a two-strand barbed turn left. After about 150 metres turn right down another drove that will contact Rights of Way, Somerset County Council 0845 345 9166. If you wireC fence on your left. Continue bring you to a road. Turn left and after would like to make any comments about the walk, please contact Ian going across a forest track and about 200 metres turn right into Clark at: [email protected] or write to him at: through three gates, then there is a Curry Mallet Drove. Taunton Deane Borough Council, The Deane House, Belvedere Road, three-strand barbed wire fence on Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1HE. your right which takes you to a right Follow this drove for about 700 More information about various aspects of The East Deane Way is available turn through a gap and across a metres. Then turn left down another this walk and other circular walks in the as a series of 6 leaflets published by drove (the Herepath goes straight on) stream to turn first left then right E Borough can be obtained from the Taunton Deane Borough Council, Taunton Deane website Heritage & Landscape Section www.tauntondeane.gov.uk or Taunton Tourist Information Centre tel: 01823 336344 Email [email protected] EAST DEANE WAY WALK 5 are in need of a rest there is a bench and right through a gate at the end of You are advised to use the OS map Landranger 1:50,000 Series on the left from which you can enjoy the farm buildings. Continue first round gate/gap at the right-hand edge of 193 or Explorer 1:25,000 Series 128 in conjunction with this a extensive views over South Somerset. the back of the farm and then with the the wood on your left (ignore From the track, follow the red arrows hedge and ditch on your right. map and the written directions. Caution: There is one Herepath going to the left). Although b and posts for the forest trail climbing Continue to the next gate and turn left moderately busy road to the Neroche Millenium Walk is to an open area on your right with a to follow the Herepath uphill with the cross near Staple Common signed to go left, you go straight on viewpoint and bench presented as a hedge on the left. Turn right at the top crossing the field some distance from memorial to David Smith. Nearby there of the field and then left until you but parallel to the fence on the right. is a car park for the forest trails. reach a gate. c Go over the stile and cross the F footbridge to continue still parallel A B to the fence/hedge on the right and g Pause when you are passing to i Go through this gate and the next d passing a fenced pond on the left. Go read the Information Board and then one to join a pathway through part of over the stile and through the turn right when you are near the Lime Ridge Wood. At the end of this tunnel-like gap through the hedge entrance gate. The path you follow is a pathway turn left down a wide forest forest trail marked in red on wooden track to the next sharp bend where e into a newly planted woodland. As you enter the woodland go partly to posts. After passing a viewpoint and a you turn right through an opening onto the right to a stile on the opposite sharp descent and ascent, turn left a stoned path that widens and crosses along a track leaving the forest trail. a small gorge. As you emerge from the i side into a field where you head for the left of the buildings at the far This takes you to the wood go straight on (the Herepath side of the field. These used to be a road where you must take care as you goes to the right) along the track as far cross to join a signed track into the as the lane where you turn left. Follow E chapel but are now the Neroche Village Hall. Go over a stile to cross Forestry Commission’s Staple Common. this lane to turn left down a ‘No the lane and over another stile Through Road’ just beyond Heale immediately opposite. Follow this track until you reach a T- House. At the end of this road go junction where you turn right. At the through the gate just beyond a cottage e end of the wide forest track continue and go slightly left so that the hedge is Alternative start Continue either across or along smaller path ahead. Pass through on your right. As you cross the bridge, around this field heading for a gap C or finish point a gate and after a short distance turn pause to admire the flora in this f next to a large tree in the hedge on left at a waymarked post across a field. remarkably deep stream valley. Turn h to shorten walk the left. Go through this gap and Go through two gaps (or gates) pass left as you leave the crossing and continue straight across the next another waymarked post to an continue with the hedge on your left as field heading for a gate opposite. You equestrian gate and stile. Go over the far as a kissing gate where the hedge emerge onto a lane opposite the small stream and then straight on along changes to your right hand at the end Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Copyright. Crown LA 079677 Council Borough Deane Taunton D gates to Seaforde Grange. Turn right an obvious path across Britty of the field you join a lane that takes g down the lane to cross a stream by Common.After a short rise turn right you to the church at Corfe. either the ford or the footbridge, through one of a pair of gates towards and continue past the cottage that is Route A hedge again on the right. Cross the the farm buildings (leaving the appropriately named Fordbridge. Hatch Beauchamp to Corfe ditch and go over a stile in the Herepath). After only about 20 metres Continue up the green lane or Start point: corner of the field. turn left going through a gate to a Route B the edge of Wood where drove, ignore the drove on your The eastern end of Griffin Go straight across this field to waymarked post a short distance Corfe to Hatch Beauchamp you turn right. Continue with the right and go on to a T-junction where Lane, Hatch Beauchamp. another stile and continue with the further on. Take the right-hand option, wood on your left to a clear you turn right (joining the Herepath) Grid Reference ST298 211 hedge on the left. Go over another not the TDBC trail and turn right going Start point: waymark that directs you straight along another drove (Curry Mallet ------stile and continue in the same downhill, cross a stream and turn left The Church in Corfe across the field when the hedge goes Drove) until you reach a road. To shorten the walk use direction heading for the left of the then follow this waymarked path, going Grid Reference ST233 197 off to your left. Go over the stile into Turn left and after about 150 metres alternative start point: farm buildings as you continue over through three gates and across a forest the wood to emerge after a short turn right down another drove. Turn ------The Castle Neroche Car Park. three closely-spaced stiles, into an track, to go over a stile onto a lane while over another stile into a field. left at the T-junction, then after 200 To shorten the walk use Grid Ref: ST273 156 orchard and then to a stile in the almost opposite Shutes Farm. The green lane, the path alongside metres turn right still following the alternative end point: hedge that would take you onto the Bickenhall Wood and the short path drove that is called Middleroom The Castle Neroche Car Park. lane. However, do not go over this through the wood can all be quite Lane. Continue on this path for Turn right (rejoining the Herepath), Grid Ref: ST ST273 156 stile but turn left and continue with a wet and muddy. some distance, gradually climbing. going down Underhill Lane, enjoying Go down Mill Lane next to the Cross the road and go down the the hedge on the right over three Sections of this drove/path can be distanth views as you continue on your church and where the track goes to lane next to Griffin House. Pass stiles and through three fields. In the c Continue with the hedge on wet and muddy. way. Shortly after passing the cottage Athe left continue straight on through a Home Farm on your right, go under corner of the last field, go over the your right. Ignore both the path over numbered 229, turn left onto the gate into a field. Keep the hedge on the A358, past the Park Farmhouse stile and onto the lane. the footbridge and the permissive Forestry Commission track through your left until you go through a kissing entrance/drive and then Park Farm After passing another drove on path on the right, but when the Staple Park Wood. Follow this track to gate when you continue round the field on the left. Just beyond Greenings fthe right continue straight on, joining hedge ends (turns right) go half-right Cross this lane onto the track leave the wood at the driveway to boundary with the hedge now on your turn left over a stile into a field. a track. Follow this track as it bears to a stile next to a track. Go over neard Creechfield, go through the gate Staple Lawns Farm. Turn right towards right. Go over a footbridge over a deep round to the right, go past a gate and the track and another stile and at the end of the short track (to join the farm, and then round to the left cleft with a stream below. b Cross the field heading for the climb up to cross a track to enter continue with a hedge on the right Herepath) and turn left, either across right-hand side of the barns and then the Castle Neroche plantation. If you continue through an un-gated gap for a short distance. When the hedge or around the field heading for the into a green lane and follow this to ends, cross the field to re-join a