Shapwick Walks – Buscott Loop I wish Shapwick …… What better time of year to explore the footpaths and lanes around Shapwick, whether walking or running. Let’s start with the Buscott classic ‘Bunny Hop’ walking route, a 4 mile rural loop with great views of the Mendips and Glastonbury Tor. This makes a lovely 40 minute run or 90 minute walk. Start from St Mary’s Church and head south up the main road past The Old Bakery and turn left at the Public Footpath sign into Vicarage Lane. At the end of the lane go through the gate between two stone pillars and follow the footpath through 4 fields to Chestnut Lane. With Glastonbury Tor on the horizon ahead, continue straight on along the lane for some 450 hundred metres until you reach a small copse on the left. Here take the green track which bears left alongside the copse. This can be overgrown, muddy and rutted. To the North you have wonderful views of the Mendip Hills including pointed Crook Peak to the North-West, Cheddar Gorge and Wells TV mast. Beerway Farm is nearby on your left. Continue along this track until you reach an open gateway into a field, and head straight on with the hedge on your right. Keep going through the fields, through 2 small metal gates, then at the third gate cross a small footbridge over a ditch and continue East through 2 more fields, now with the hedge on your left, until you reach a large gate and a stone track. Go through the gate and continue straight up the track for some 50m. Where the track bends sharply round to the right at Fullpits lane (house on your right), carry straight on over the old wooden stile. Here turn sharp left in front of a big pile of earth and head straight down the hill, keeping close to the hedge. When you reach the bottom of this field, cross the small footbridge and metal gate then carry straight on through the next field to another small gate and footbridge. After this turn sharp right and follow the path round two sides of the large field until you reach the far diagonal corner in between Fifteen Acre and Buscott Copse. You may be lucky enough to see some of the deer which roam the levels, and there is a lovely view of Wedmore Ridge in the distance and the line of houses at Meare ahead. At the corner of the field continue straight on through an open gateway and along the side of the next two fields and carry straight on until you reach the country lane (tarmacked road). Bear left along the lane and continue for about three quarters of a mile to Coppice Gate Farm (farmhouse and farm buildings on the corner), where you then turn sharp left and head up the hill past Northbrook Farm then Beerway Farm and straight back to the centre of Shapwick. Note that, apparently, in the field on the Shapwick side of Beerway Farm, is the site of the original Parish Church (St Andrews) before it was moved to the centre of the current village in 1331. Please remember - always stick to public footpaths and bridlepaths (as marked on the OS map). Please do not roam elsewhere in farmers’ fields. Also, please keep dogs on a lead where there is livestock and pick up your dog mess - not only is it unpleasant, it is also very dangerous for cattle. WITH THANKS TO KEN WADE FOR HI S PREV IOUSLY PUBL I SHED MATERIAL , WHICH HAS BEEN SL IGHTLY UPDATED Homes for Ukraine MARIA ALLEN to Wellington, Yeovil to Wells and everywhere in between. If you are interested in hosting, or unable to host but keen to offer help, please visit their FB page for more information. their homes with only the possessions they can carry. The Facebook group 'Homes for Ukraine - Taunton Hosts' is doing everything it can to assist refugees to find hosts in the region, from Brean, The devastation caused by the war in Ukraine is well documented. Desperate people are fleeing from 4 S PR I NG I S SUE | APR I L 2 0 2 2
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