Winfbis one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Winfbis here.

A nice enough up-and-down walk through farmland in the lovely Chew Valley with some good views around the area. But as there is a more direct and easier alternative route (which I will post) it gets three stars from me and not more. The route is also slightly oddly plotted, including diversions back and forth to nearby pubs along the way, so is a little shorter than listed if you are walking straight on through it from end to end.

From Winford, it follows a valley and then takes an uphill diversion to Pagans Hill, which is not the most direct way or easiest way of getting to the next village. The reward is good views of the area around, although the route up includes some arable fields with no obvious path across or around which may be annoying at some times of year, and crosses the corner of a yard full of portable toilets.

From the top of the hill, a quiet lane and bridleway leads straight back down again into Chew Magna. On this section there are a couple of 50m-ish stretches on faster roads without footways, one when crossing the Pagans Hill road to head towards Chillyhill Farm (what3words invents.flask.tunes) and the second on arrival into Chew Magna itself from the end of Chillyhill Lane (perform.overused.rates). Safe enough but take care.

Chew Magna is a well to do village with big handsome old houses, a pub and some shops, and on from there the route heads peacefully and gently uphill through pastures and along an enclosed bridlepath and farm track. The footpath appears to be on the other side of the hedge in the field for part of the way but doesn't seem to be there any more as far as I could see, so stay on the track.

After a mile or so, the route reaches the little bracken-covered, open-access top of Knowle Hill which sits all on its own in a sea of dairy pastures and wheat fields. There are fine views around the area from the top and a bench to sit on.

Here the plotted route makes a diversion to Newton, presumably to take in the Pony and Trap pub there. As this pub isn't really a pub, but a smart restaurant, I suggest don't bother. It is easier and more direct to continue down the quiet road to Hollow Brook instead.

A short walk along the lane from there leads to a footpath across some little scrubby pastures. It is a nice walk but navigation isn't obvious, as signage and infrastructure are minimal or absent, so continuing along the quiet lane into Bishop Sutton is not a bad alternative if you can’t be bothered with wandering around to find the way through.

The route has the usual rural mixture of gates, kissing gates and stiles, and is mostly well-signed.

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