Local Walks

There are a number of short walks around the town and immediate surrounding country side that can be downloaded from the Castle Cary Town Website – castle-cary.co.uk/walks which also give interesting information of the buildings within Ansford and Castle Cary as you pass them on the walks.

One of these walks take you up over Lodge Hill, which is the high hill behind the town to the south east, past the location of the Norman Castle originally constructed there. This is one of my favorite short walks as the view is spectacular for many miles and from which you can look down on the whole of Ansford and Castle Cary.

Further afield there are many trails even within half an hour car drive. Very popular ones include walking up the famous Glastonbury Tor (‘Tor’ being an historic local name for ‘hill’) which is one of the highest hills in the area and from which you have a panoramic view from all sides across the countryside. Other popular walks include hiking along the Corton Ridge and around Cadbury Castle, through Ebbor Gorge and Wookey Hole (perhaps visit Wookey Caves whilst you are there?) and Nunney Combe in the Mendips.

There are a number of books which describe these and other set walks in the area that you can purchase or download from a web site.

An example of a pleasant and interesting walk in the area is on the Dorset/Somerset County boundary approximately 14 miles south of Castle Cary.

A circular walk from Nether Compton in Dorset

This 7.5-mile ‘figure of 8’ walk starts from the pretty Dorset village of Nether Compton crossing into Somerset through and around the village of Trent.

Within Trent is the fourteenth century church of St Andrew’s which is worth a visit. It is only one of three churches in Dorset with a steeple. Further along the road are the quaint Turner’s Close almshouses built in 1845.

Walking south-west next to Ratleigh Wood with view of Yeovil in the distance

After leaving Trent the route then heads east along Lowsome Lane and Trent Path Lane to cross the B3148 Marston Road for a pleasant walk along the Coombe Farm valley. At the end of the valley the route crossing back over the B3148 Marston Road to proceed along a section of the Monarch’s Way and then Checcombe Lane back towards Nether Compton via the hamlet of Stallen.

Just after leaving Stallen you turn right up a bridleway to enter woods. When the path starts to go downhill, and just after a track joins from the right, there are metal gates at the entrance to a cave. Local legend has it that it was in this cave that Sir Walter Raleigh, who lived in nearby Sherborne Castle, stored the first potatoes that he brought back from America. As you leave the woods you pass the old Manor House, guarded by two griffins, and the gourmet food and wine shop called Trenchermans of which you have to be a paid member of to purchase the goods. Further along you pass the old Compton House, and the Church of St Michael’s. Adjacent the church is a huge Cedar of Lebanon tree with a circumference of 10 metres.

View westwards down the slope after the climb up from Shelners

Terrain along the route is a mix of tracks, quiet lanes and woodland paths with 4 stiles and 7 gates enroute. There is one moderate climb to negotiate just after Shelners, however the views at the top are impressive and it is a good place for a rest and a picnic.