On a drizzly Sunday morning we parked (free) in the pretty North Somerset village of Wellow, where the numerous softly coloured Bath Stone properties were variously dressed in Wisteria and Clematis. There is a lovely country-style pub here with an open fire and an abundance of atmosphere, although past experience of the food is unfavourable.
By the time we started walking the weather had improved and although the wind was chilly at times, much of the walk was along the sheltered river valleys (The Cam and Wellow brook) and the sun even managed to shine for much of the afternoon.
from Wellow we walked across farmland towards Midford
a nice house & garden near Wellow
We walked along the valley of the river cam
and over an old bridge
This pretty round building holds a secret, It’s a sewerage pumping station!
A bank of Dandelion flowers and clocks.
We are now in the area that was once the center of the Somerset coal industry, apparent from the numerous terraced, former miners, houses – in contrast to the grand properties and gardens of the mine owners. The former slag heaps (Batches) were all wooded by the Coal Board from the 1940s onwards and so blend into the scenery.
An avenue edged with spring flowers
The path goes through a private landscaped garden based on Hampton Court apparently.
The last part of the walk follows along the bed of the former railway line, parallel to the Wellow Brook; there is a house which was obviously once a station and another a signal box. (But you’ll have to visit if you want to see it as I didn’t get any pictures!). We returned to Wellow via Shoscombe and Foxcote.
This was a good walk, with a few gentle green hills, and some good dry tracks to walk on and lots of interesting social history in evidence. In addition to the railways and mining there are signs of second world war defences and an ancient long barrow close to Wellow. Worth a bit of research if you are visiting the area.