West Mendip Way – Part 2 (Cheddar to Wells) Approx. 16 Miles
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West Mendip Way – Part 2 (Cheddar to Wells) Approx. 16 Miles Abbreviations: WMW = West Mendip Way KG = Kissing Gate LHS = Left Hand Side RHS = Right Hand Side From the Cheddar bus stop the route takes you uphill onto the west side on the gorge and the path gets you to the start of the WMW. The instructions don’t truly stick to the WMW. There are a few short detours off the WMW as there are small bits that I think bring something worthwhile to the walk. Cheddar bus stop (Tweentown) to start of West Mendip Way (WMW) 1) Head up towards the gorge from bus stop. 2) Turn left onto stony track just before museum (pink building) and head along track for about 40 metres. 3) Look for sign ‘Cheddar Gorge Walk’ on RHS. Go through stile and head up grassy path into woodland and follow path through woodland. It is quite a long slog uphill. 4) Go through gate at top of path and follow main track towards the gorge keeping stone wall on RHS. 5) Follow grassy path and go through KG and follow path with wire fence on LHS. 6) Head down steep path with wire fence still on LHS and cross over a 4 step stile at bottom of slope. 7) Follow path bearing round to the right, cross over a wooden stile and continue along path. 8) When you join the gravel track at bottom of hill you are on the WMW. Start of West Mendip Way to Bradley Cross 9) Turn right through a wooden gate along gravel track until you reach the road. 10) Cross over the road and follow a rocky path uphill through a wood. Go through a wooden gate at the top. 11) Follow path for about 40 metres until you reach a post. We leave the WMW for a short time by taking the right fork. (This will take you to the top of the gorge with fabulous views of the gorge and beyond.) 12) Continuing along path through a wood. 13) Go through high KG with Cheddar Gorge & Caves sign and follow path with fence on LHS. You should spot a wooden gate with a 6 bar metal gate next to it on LHS. Go past this for the views and have a REST STOP. 14) When you are ready backtrack to the gate mentioned above and go through this and follow path with stone wall on RHS. Go through the high metal KG and follow gravel track. 15) When you reach a metal gate with wooden enclosure to the left follow path to the right with stone wall on LHS and cross over wooden stile. You have re-joined the WMW. 16) Follow a softly trodden path in field which quickly joins a track (gate for this about 10-15 metres on RHS) 17) Follow track downhill for a short time before forking left onto a grassy path towards a metal gate. 18) Go through gate into Bubwith Acres Nature Reserve and continue downhill. 19) Go over wooden stile with a metal 7 bar gate to the left of stile and follow fence on LHS. Ignore stile about 15 metres down along fence. Path joins a gravel track. Follow this downhill with fence on LHS. 20) Further down go through wooden KG on LHS (with 7 bar gate next to it) and follow path into wood. 21) Go through a wooden gate with what remains of a building on the LHS and continue along path. 22) At a T-junction turn right and head downhill to a wooden shed then left onto asphalt road. 23) Head downhill into Bradley Cross. Bradley Cross to Draycott Sleights Nature Reserve 24) Just before reaching another asphalt road (with red post box on corner) turn left up a gravel track. 25) Go through a 7 bar metal gate and follow gravel track uphill. 26) Go through another 7 bar metal gate and along track which turns into a grassy track. Possible LUNCH STOP. 27) Follow grassy track uphill keeping hedge on LHS until you reach a 7 bar metal gate. Continue through gate passing a concrete cattle trough on the RHS and continue uphill. 28) Go through a double metal gate and continue uphill on gravel track. (ignore wooden stile on RHS) 29) Go through another double metal gate at top of track and continue along track with stone wall on RHS. 30) When you reach a broken gate with several metal gates on RHS, aim for the narrowish 7 bar metal gate in front of you and follow path across field, passing a lonely tree on LHS in the middle of the field. 31) Go through 7 bar metal gate and drop downhill until you reach a 5 bar wooden gate. Go through gate into the Draycott Sleight Nature Reserve and follow grassy track keeping fence on LHS. The grassy track turns into a dirt track and passes a line of Beech trees on the RHS. (These look gorgeous with fall colours in autumn.) 32) Follow track until you reach an asphalt road. The Nature Reserve stops here. Draycott Sleight Nature Reserve to Priddy 33) Cross road and cross over stone stile and follow path with hedge on RHS until reaching another stone stile. 34) Looking uphill from stone stile, follow softy trodden path towards a longish line of trees on the horizon. It joins a lightly trodden track going uphill in a very shallow valley with a pile of stones on RHS. 35) Look for a post to the left of the longish line of trees and aim for this. 36) Cross over stone stile and aim for stone stile on opposite side of the field. 37) Cross over stone stile and aim for tree a bit uphill next to stone wall on RHS and follow the stone wall until reaching another stone stile with a clump of trees on the RHS. 38) Cross this stone stile and aim for a stone stile opposite side of field. 39) Cross this stone stile and aim for another stone stile on opposite side of larger field. 40) Cross this stone stile and aim for the next stone stile located between two clumps of trees on opposite side of field. 41) Cross over this stone stile and aim for TV mast until reaching the wall on your right side. Follow wall and cross over wooden stile partway through field and continue to follow wall on the RHS until reaching a wooden stile in the corner of the field. 42) Cross over wooden stile and follow wall on RHS until you reach a stone stile. 43) Cross over the stile and cross asphalt road following the asphalt road heading in the same direction you have been walking in until you reach a stone stile on the RHS. 44) Cross over stone stile into a field and follow path towards the TV mast. Cross over another stone stile into field and head off in a slight diagonal direction off to the left. Aiming for the far left corner of the field. 45) In top left corner of field look for a metal gate. Go through gate and onto asphalt road. 46) Turn right and follow asphalt road into Priddy. 47) As you reach Priddy Green take the road to the right until you reach the rather more busy main road. Bear right for a few metres until you reach a junction and follow road signed ‘Wookey Hole 3’ 48) PUB STOP at the Queen Victoria Inn Priddy to Wookey Hole 49) Follow road onwards to Wookey Hole, looking out for 3 metal bars in a stone wall on the LHS. 50) Cross over bars and follow path with stone wall on LHS. When you reach the stone cattle trough veer round to the right keeping wall on the LHS. 51) Cross over wooden stile in corner of field and follow path with stone wall on LHS. Then cross over a stone stile part way along wall and follow path with stone wall on the RHS. 52) When you reach a dirt track lane turn left and continue along lane. When joining gravel road carry on for a few metres and follow road round to the right towards farm (Higher Pitts Farm.) 53) When you reach the farm follow track just to the left of a high wooden fence and then left onto a grassy track. Go through a metal gate and follow stony track a little uphill to a gateway between the trees. 54) Leaving the farm behind, go through gate with cattle trough on RHS and follow hedge on the RHS. 55) At the next gate continue to follow the hedge on the RHS until you reach a wooden stile. 56) Cross stile into the Ebbor Gorge Nature Reserve and follow path downhill. 57) Cross over a wooden stile with gate and continue downhill. 58) When the path you are on crosses another path, keep going forward past a sign pointing left to the car park. You should reach the viewpoint. Take a moment to absorb more great views. 59) Backtrack to sign for car park and turn right to go downhill. 60) When you reach the main path at the bottom turn left to Wookey Hole. Cross over a wooden stile and follow path along valley floor. 61) When you reach the asphalt road turn left and follow road to left until reaching the Wookey Hole entrance. Possible stop here at ice cream parlour serving up a wide selection of Marshfield ice creams.