Mendip Ring +

Mendip Ring Circular. White Row Farm and Rode. 9.5 Miles

This walk starts from Limerick Farm. Grid Ref. ST 810509.

The walk gives you some fine views of the Wiltshire and Somerset countryside and also of Westbury White Horse. It takes you over an old clapper bridge through the villages of Rode and Beckington before return via Oldford.

1.
Park in the lane outside Limerick farm, take the path up the bank through the gate and follow the path down to the A36. Cross this fast road with care to the path opposite and follow it up to reach the old road. Turn left down the road to reach White Row Farm, turn right into the farm and follow the track round to the right, at the end of the buildings turn left to enter a field. Aim for the far top corner where you cross a stile and bridge, continue in the same direction to the next stile in the top corner of this field, cross this up the steps over the stile into the next field. Keep on in the same direction following the path across three more until you reach Scotland Lane.

2.
Turn left along the lane until you reach the T junction at Rudge, Turn left following the lane until you reach the first lane on your right, turn here and take the footpath up the bank on your left and through the garden of Upper Casley Farm, exit the garden via a stile continuing in the same direction to find a clapper bridge over the stream a the bottom of the field, once across the bridge turn right and follow this path out to reach the lane. Turn left and follow the lane passing Castley Farm and on into the lane ahead, ignore the path off to the left following the lane round to the right. Pass Duckpool Lane on your left, follow the lane straight on into Monkley Lane.

3.
Continue along Monkley Lane into a field follow the hedge line until you come to a path on the left through the woods , when you reach a cross path turn left over the stile, follow this path across the field, heading towards a water trough in the far corner, continue in the same direction crossing a track which has electric fences each side then aim for another water trough in the corner of the next field. Follow the hedge on your right to reach a ride, turn left down the ride then immediately turn right over a stile changing to the other side of the hedge. Now head for the gate halfway down the hedge ahead of you. Once through the gate roughly follow the hedge on your left to eventually reach a kissing gate leading on to the A361 at Rode. Cross the road into Church Lane.

4.
Follow the road round to the left and into the village, turn left at the bottom of the hill and keep following the road through the village until you reach The Mead, turn right here then turn right again down the road to enter the footpath at the bottom, follow this path until you come to a junction near the bottom, turn left to reach a track, then turn left up the track and back to The Mead, follow the road back to Straight Lane then turn right. Take the first left into Crooked Lane, you are now on the Macmillian Way for a while. Follow this over Parkgate Lane continue along the path to reach the A361 again. Cross this A road with great care and follow the path down the bank along the edge of the field to cross Beckington recreation ground and into Bath Road at Beckington.

5.
Turn right and follow the road through Beckington then turn right into Stubb's Lane. Follow the lane until you come to a footpath on each side of the lane. Take the path to the left following this across a track and on to reach a gate, here turn right down hill to reach a path at the bottom . Turn left and follow the hedge across two fields , in the third field now aim for the far right hand corner where you will find two stiles. Cross these and follow the path through the woods and behind the Creamery to reach a footbridge cross this following the fence on your right soon to turn left across two fields to reach Lullington Lane, turn left up to the B3090 Oldford Road. Cross the road to enter the lane opposite following Whitechapel Lane all the way back to Limerick Farm.