A Somerset walk in the northern part of the county. The undulating route explores the hills and valleys to the south of Southstoke using field paths, the course of an old railway and tracks.
Calculated time: 2h50[?] 
Distance : 5.47mi
Vertical gain : 407ft
Vertical drop : 407ft
Highest point : 568ft
Lowest point : 131ft 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : Cotswolds 
Location : Southstoke
Starting point : N 51.350231° / W 2.364778° (D/A)The start of the walk is the attractive village of Southstoke a few miles south of Bath. The attractive village is noted for its mellow cottages built from local Bath stone. Limited on street parking is available but do remember not to cause inconvenience for local residents. From the small green in the centre of the village (grid ref. ST747613) walk west passing the parish church on your left. A short way past the church there is a choice of paths. Bear right following a clear track with woodland to your left. In 600 metres the main track bears left and you should continue straight ahead on a path through light woodland, across a field to reach Combe Hey Lane (grid ref. ST733612).
(1)Turn left and immediately leave the lane onto a restricted byway heading south. At the first junction (after 200 metres or so) keep straight ahead and follow this as it descends into the Cam Brook Valley to reach a road (grid ref. ST736600). After 200 metres join the path along the old railway on your left and follow this for just under 800 metres to a junction with the Limestone Link path.
(2)Bear right crossing the lane and continue along the Limestone Link as it follows a meandering course beside the Cam Brook to join the B3110 at Midford (grid ref. ST760606). Cross the road and join the path along the old trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset railway and head north for a kilometre to reach a substantial bridge (grid ref. ST763616).
(3)Cross the bridge and descend to the left to join a path leading west through Horsecombe Vale. Reaching a path junction at grid ref. ST759616), bear left and steadily climb through fields to reach the B3110 at a road junction (grid ref. ST752615). Cross with care and locate the footpath opposite. This leads half left across a field to join Packhorse Lane. Turn right along the lane back into the centre of Southstoke village.
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 499ft - Start: Southstoke village green
1 : mi 0.93 - alt. 568ft - Turn left along Combe Hey Lane
2 : mi 2.44 - alt. 194ft - Bear right along Limestone Link
3 : mi 4.36 - alt. 210ft - Cross bridge and bear west
D/A : mi 5.47 - alt. 502ft - Finish: Southstoke village green
For accommodation in the local area, contact the Abbey Hotel at http://abbeyhotelbath.co.uk/
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Global average : 4.89/5
Number of opinions : 3
Description quality : 5/5
Routemap quality : 4.67/5
Walk interest : 5/5
Global average : 5 / 5
Date of walk
: 22/11/21
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
Similar to some others, we only had an hour and a half so did a shortened version of the walk, walking back to South Stoke from the Hope and Anchor via Tucking Mill Lane and Hodshill. The latter part of this was steeply uphill but reasonable walking on road.
Although shortened, the walk was still very enjoyable.
Global average : 5 / 5
Date of walk
: 10/09/19
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
Did about half of this walk and easy to find but only because I took screenshots of the ordinance survey map so they are much bigger than that from the website. In other words the map print out from the website in general are really just too small to be able to see what is really there, particularly with the red line of walk obscuring details.
Also there is no mention on the walk that one can take a short cut back to the start. This would be useful.
Global average : 4.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 06/06/18
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Good
Walk interest
: Very good
Six walkers. Started from Odd Down P&R to Wheatsheaf pub, Combe Hey. Followed former disused railway line and Limestone Link canal/Cam brook until 1/2 mile before Midford where we took a shortcut to the Packhorse pub, South Stoke. Walk took about 2 hours (excluding refreshment stops).
10.38mi
+771ft
-755ft
5h25
Moderate
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6.65mi
+469ft
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+246ft
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2h55
Moderate
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7.95mi
+522ft
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4h05
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3.21mi
+59ft
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1h30
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8.06mi
+784ft
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3.18mi
+59ft
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12.05mi
+1161ft
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6h35
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
