Taunor two

Verified Slow Way

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I walked from (Bridgwater to) North Petherton to Taunton in November. I soon found myself passing Follyfoot Strawberry Farm/Agri Fruit, which was interesting, although at the start I had to negotiate a puddle with stepping stones and a stile, to get to the correct path, which was not entirely clear on the route plot. I was guided more by farm signs on the ground.
There was one particularly horrible field boundary crossing between Teckhill Lane and Howell’s Lane at Grid Ref: 2805 3121 where there was a steep muddy path down to a small aluminium gate through stinging nettles. Yes, I slipped over and stung myself. The plot cuts a road corner just after that, near Shearston House, which you can’t do in reality.
Crossing the vegetable field towards Manor Farm, there was a great view when I looked back.
The roads around Thurloxton/Adsborough were nice. I had a little detour here to the Maypole Inn but there is also a bench just where the footpath branches off again.
The route now followed the East Deane Way, which was very pleasant and easy to follow. My friend had joined me at the pub to walk into Taunton and we both enjoyed the rest of the route, although we struggled getting her dog past some of the stiles we encountered.
At West Monkton there was a bench and an Italian Restaurant, which the footpath went down the side of.
A few more easy fields brought us to the road into Sidbrook, Monkton Heathfield, and Bathpool. Unfortunately, the footpath swingbridge we needed to walk across to the towpath had been closed for repairs for the last six months. It appears the council has extended the closure (for the second time) until the end of 2025. However, there was a very easy detour via the main road around to the other side of the swingbridge (see photos).
The remainder of the route followed the canal towpath, then the River Tone, passing Neptune, Pluto, and the Somerset County Cricket Ground, before reaching the town centre!
A very nice route, except where I slipped over!.

A good walk, used it to get to Glastonbury on a multi day long hike. Would recomend.

On the day we walked it, this was a good Slow Way! Enjoyed the views across the Somerset Levels.

A mix of quiet lane and footpath walking. Reading the other reviews, it may be more tricky in the warmer months when there's more growth in the crops, but for us it was easy-sailing.

After this route we walked to Bridgwater and they made a good pair, both with train stations at either end. I'm keen to go further north towards Burnham, Weston and then Bristol next time!.

Really enjoyable route for me. We had good weather and it was a spring like day. There are few stiles to get over but found it fairly easy to follow the route. Had lunch in the churchyard at North Petherton and the church offer free tea and coffee for visitors to help themselves to inside.

An enjoyable route, which was difficult to follow at times. The footpath across the field at Shearson Farm was impossible to follow as the oilseed rape crop has grown and is simply impassable. The footpath was clearly never reinstated. It was necessary to walk around on the road. The path is difficult to find at Teckhill Cottages but it is there, at a gap in the hedge. The rest of the walk was pleasant enough and safe.

Pleasant flat walk out of Taunton along the river and canal. Leave canal over a swing bridge at Bathpool which is a scenic spot. Then it is just over a mile road walk to Crossways Farm. Crossing the A3259 can be very busy but there is a pelican crossing 200m to the right, just pass the village hall. Pleasant walk over fields/stiles through West Monkton. Path passes through the garden of the Monkton Inn and beside Augustine Church. Leaving West Monkton the walk becomes more undulating with fields of sheep and horses. Just before Coombe Bottom there is a broken stile beside a gate (reported to Council). The gate is chained but not locked. At Coombe Bottom there is a small stream with stepping stones across and further up the path there are two fallen trees across the path about half metre diameter. A further 0.75miles along the road to St Giles Church, Thurloxton and then the footpath follows open fields and farmland with beautiful views of the levels. A number of footpath signs are damaged or missing. Some of the paths are overgrown and hard to follow near the strawberry farm.

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