Axbbla one

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There are many fine walking routes between these two villages because the Mendip limestone country is so lovely and there are some great views. For me this one isn't the best because it tends to take woodsy valley tracks which show less of the fabulous views and can get very wet in winter - so not quite the full five stars from me, but a good walk nonetheless.

Leaving Axbridge the route takes a paved foot passage up to the busy A371, approaching the road up a set of steps which are actually a few yards to the west of the track as it is mapped. It is an OK crossing from this side but a little more stressful coming from the other direction into town as there is not such a good view, although there is a protective barrier where the path meets the road and it is safe enough.

There follows a steep but lovely 200m climb for about a mile up Fry’s Hill on stony tracks and pathways through scrubby woods and rocky limestone grassland. There are panoramic views back over the Somerset Levels. The last, and more gentle part of the climb is slightly less beautiful as it overlooks a massive, working quarry.

Once over the top, the route makes its way down to the village of Shipham on stony tracks and through fields following the West Mendip Way. Just before the village there is a steep-sided gully with a long set of wooden steps down into it. There is then a road crossing which requires a bit of care as it is on the bend of a lively local thoroughfare.

The way then continues to follow the waymarked path around to the south of the village on a fiddly route through little fields and copses which gets muddy at some times of year. It is nice enough but I think it is perhaps more straightforward simply to walk through the village (where there is a shop and pub), first using the footway above the road on the east side of the road, then the ongoing pavement, to take the lane east out of the centre of the village and pick up the mapped route again on Rowberrow Lane.

The route continues on villagey lanes (and past another and very popular pub - The Swan), and heads on down into a valley bottom to pick up the bridleways that will take you up to the edge of Blackdown. These can be very wet, rough and muddy at rainy times of year, but much better, and pleasantly part shaded in the summer.

Having reached the open, brackeny hill at the bottom of Blackdown, the route almost immediately dives back into the woods and heads down to Burrington. The paths in this area are not quite as shown on the OS map and it is easiest just to follow the bridleway that contours north-eastish around the edge of the wood. If you try to follow the mapped track literally, it becomes confusing.

The route heads on steadily downhill from there into Burrington and crosses the bottom entrance of the steep, rocky combe before heading steadily back up the hill again on lanes and tracks through the edge of the village, fields and woodland, before levelling out and making the final moderate descent through pastures into Blagdon.

Access is via a mixture of gates, stiles and kissing gates, and the steep slopes can be slippery (when wet, or any time on loose stones). I was fine without a walking pole but if someone had handed me one I would have happily used it.

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