Farrad three

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Farrad here.

This is an interesting Slow Way through a beautiful area with lots of ups and downs and plenty of lovely views. Along the way it tells the story of its history of rich landed estates and coal-mining toil. I really enjoyed it. I’d give it five stars for the quality of the walk but have knocked one off because it is not as direct as the other routes and three quarters of a mile longer. Personally, I think it is well worth the extra effort to avoid any busy road walking.

From Farmborough, the route crosses straight over the lively road past the village and makes its way east through tracks, paths and pastures on a well-walked and easy-to-follow route through lots of metal kissing gates. It then reaches some arable fields with good headlands around or well-worn paths through the crop, before turning south, very briefly sharing the route of Farrad two at one point (making it possible to swap between the two routes if desired), but soon turns away east, heading diagonally into a shallow valley where there is a stream course to cross. Easy enough today when it had been dry for weeks.

Up on the other side, after climbing over a wooden stile, the route crosses the corner of a field and continues over a rather more rickety stile through a couple of fields with big patches of cover crops for a shoot. Footpath infrastructure and signage is not good through here (unlike the rest of the route) but it is a short section. I presume that there is a also a slight chance of encountering shooting here in the season, so be aware. I suggest routing around the western edge of the first field. The ongoing path is then through the gap in the hedge at the top edge of the field where there is an oak tree with a wooden fence around it. At the far end of the next field the stile is marooned in the brambles and not visible, but there is a gap/gateway next to it which can be used instead.

Once through here a short section of lane leads to a t-junction and the ongoing path is straight opposite. Its heads on down into the Camerton valley through a dairy farm. These fields may well have long mowing grass in spring and early summer, and grazing cows much of the year.

Ahead of you the improbably steep and pine-clad hill that rises from the floor of the valley is in fact one of the two large revegetated spoil heaps of Camerton Batch (now partly a local nature reserve). The route skirts around it, going directly through someone’s garden on the way. Don't worry, it is a regularly-used right of way.

Camerton, to the west, was once a mining village, and if you want to know more about the working history of this valley there is plenty of interpretation around if you make a brief diversion into the village itself. No pub or shop though. And note that from here on as far as the A367, this version of the Slow Way is again the same as Farrad two.

A short section of quiet lane leads on to a climb up the other side of the valley through a big pasture, leading away from the world of the worker and into the sunny uplands of the landed gentry. There are several footpaths through this field. To keep the line, bear somewhat to the right of the pylon. The Slow Way then enters the grounds of Camerton Court where the path is channelled through formal gardens and flanked by sculpted yew hedges, statues, little ornamental bridges and a chapel, before climbing a little further through another pasture with a massive old oak tree. Beyond are some arable fields which look as though they are walked through reasonably regularly. Stay on the footpath in the field by the wood as you pass it. You can’t get out at the other end if you take up the permissive invitation to walk through it.

Take care as the path arrives at the A-road. Visibility is good both ways but you do step straight out onto the carriageway from the hedge line.

(Here this version of the route departs from the shared route with Farrad two. The latter heads west along the pavement of the main road for a short stretch and then takes a quiet lane down into town, should you prefer that.)

To keep on Farrad three and stay off-road, head straight on over the main road and along the avenued driveway to the next grand country house. There is no footpath sign and it says ‘Private Drive’ on the entrance pillar, but the right of way does go along it and then bears right just before you get to the gardens of the house itself. Today the drive was flanked with fading snowdrops and many daffodils coming into flower.

Another valley down-and-up follows, routing via a set of ornamental lakes (it is potentially wet and boggy around the spring line by the gate into the lower field on the way down, so stay left) and then up through more arable fields before skirting round another old wooded spoil tip and descending into the one-time mining town of Radstock along a quiet road and through an alleyway.

It had been an unusually dry February before I walked this. It looked as though there would be some muddy gateways at this time of year in wet conditions. I found it reasonably straightforward to navigate. Access includes a few stiles, but mostly kissing gates.

Buses to Farmborough are currently rare in the week and absent at weekends, but a new and regular 7-day service is supposed to start in April 2023. Buses from Radstock are already good into Bath and Wells, and presumably will be to Bristol too when the new bus service begins.

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