Wells - Trip
Up to the Mendips
Wells - Old Bristol Road - Milton - Stockhill - Priddy - Ebbor Gorge - Wookey Hole - Wells
Approx 8 miles
As with any trip you'll need to get yourself a decent local map - I'd recommend an Ordnance Survey map - ideally either the
Explorer 141 1:25,000 scale "Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West " or the less detailed
Landranger 182 1: 50,000 scale " Weston-Super-Mare & Bridgewater Area "map.
This trip is ideal for bicycles or by car. There are plenty of opportunities to "wander" if you want to deviate and explore. Take your time - enjoy it, your on holiday !
Get onto the A39 as it leaves Wells heading north towards Bristol. If you are on a bicycle you will notice that you are already on an upward incline.
The centre of Wells is about 35m above sea level. This trip will take you up to approx 270m by the time you reach Stockhill Forest.
Just as you pass the last buildings in Wells there is a cross roads where no right turn is permitted.
Turn left onto North Road and just 20m later turn right onto the "Old Bristol Road". This route up to the Mendips is on a twisty narrow road, take care as there are a number of blind bends. Thankfully you will have left all the large truck traffic behind on the main A39.
After about a 1/2 mile you will pass Milton Lodge on your left. This is often open to the public and has an attractive garden plus a tea room if you are already in need of refreshment - if you are not in a rush stop and visit.
Continuing on and upwards you'll pass through the tiny hamlet of Upper Milton before the incline increases. If you enjoy off road cycling and have a tough bike you could turn off left onto the Dursdon Drove ( see OS map ) - this will run you across towards Priddy.
Keep going up, and you'll soon see on your right the impressively tall Pen Hill TV transmitting mast - sometimes the base of this will be in low cloud with the tip sticking out giving the impression of a lunar launch ! Penn Hill itself is approx 305m above see level.
You find yourself on a long straight heading north. It is not unusual to find a dusting of snow up here ( approx 260m ) during January/February. Keep going and you come to a cross roads where you must give way.
At this junction on your left you will see the Hunters Lodge Pub. This is not an obvious pub, it has no pub sign or flashing fairy lights or brewery hoardings.
This pub is popular with Mendip locals and members of local caving and cycling clubs. It is basic inside but far more interesting than your average "theme" pub. Have a stop, especially if you've cycled up as I'm sure you'll be gasping by now.
Beer comes straight from barrel - one of the local beers is Buttecombe Bitter - very nice too. The pub also has a garden area.
Back on the road, take care at the cross roads - go straight across. On your right you'll see the Stockhill Forest - on your left is a mix of ponds and old lead mines.
Stockhill Forest has a car park and picnic
area. The forest itself is mainly pine and is approx 1 mile square.
It is very popular at weekends with walkers, dog walkers and cyclists as it has
numerous gravel paths to wander around. Once you get away from the car
park area keep your eyes peeled - I've seen deer up here.
Directly opposite the Stockhill car park is an
attractive nature reserve area with several large ponds. This area was once used
for lead mining and you can still see signs of this activity today - there are
ovens and spoil tips scattered around. It is often wet up here with springs
gushing water so come prepared. You'll also see water disappearing down sink
holes into the Mendips. The Mendips has plenty of caves and caverns so
don't be surprised if you see people in wet suits with miners lamps on their
heads !
There is a hill here well worth climbing -
it's called North Hill ( see OS map ) and once you get up there ( approx 307 m )
you find numerous Barrows. These are ancient
burial mounds and look like
small man made hillocks. Why here - well the Mendips had plenty of water
springs and the lead around here required only shallow mining - the Romans
took lead from the Mendips too and traces of their activity can be found at
nearby Charterhouse. If you've not climbed a barrow before then here is your
chance.
Moving on, return back the the Hunters Lodge cross roads and this time turn right towards Priddy which is only about 1 1/2 miles to the West. Priddy is an interesting small village with a couple of farms right in its midst. The village has a large "green" - common land area in its centre and here you can see a very old wooden shepherds hut. Not many of these left.
The village plays host to an annual sheep fair each summer, a tradition going back hundreds of years.
If you need more refreshment then a stop at the Victoria Inn is recommended. The pub is located on the southern side of this small village. This is a free house ( ie it does not belong to a brewery ). Inside you'll see plenty of local photographs dating back to late Victorian times. There is an amusing photo of a pony inside this pub at the bar too ! The pub serves Buttecombe Bitter and also benefits from having a bar billiards table plus numerous log fires - ummm smell that wood smoke.
Leave past the Victoria Inn heading south towards Wookey Hole and Wells. About one mile south of Priddy is a viewing area - pull over here, this site is known as Deerleap. This offers a terrific panoramic view south across the northern part of the Somerset Levels - it is great here towards sunset too. If you are here in the winter months you maybe surprised to see the large areas of flooding down on the Somerset Levels - from up here it is very impressive. Keep your eyes peeled for Buzzards too.
Continue south on this very narrow road and you'll soon pass the entrance for Ebbor Gorge on your left. There is a car park here. Ebbor Gorge offers a step path down to the gorge floor - the path proceeds through the steep sided gorge until you come to its head. In the wet months this head can be a waterfall, however in the drier months you can scramble up this to get to the top of the gorge walls. Take care here on these rocks - it is a long way down.
Continuing on the road south you'll shortly come to the village of Wookey Hole. This is an elegant village but it can be very busy in the summer months. The village takes its name from the large underground caverns here and these attract plenty of visitors. Admission to the large underground caves also includes a tour of the adjacent paper mill where you can see paper being hand made. The tour includes a display of Victorian artefacts too.
There is a lively local pub here that often features live music.
Leaving Wookey Hole continue on towards Wells, which is now just about 1.5 miles away.
This short trip will give you a flavour of the Mendips - there is much more to be seen up on the hills if you have the time and interest to go and explore this lovely area.