I don't understand why the village of Nether Stowey at the half way point isn't a Slow Ways place. The Slow Way cuts off a corner into the village using a newly updated path and footbridge across a little wooded stream valley. From Holford to Nether Stowey the Slow Way continues along the Coleridge Way. After this, it is all easy walking on tracks and roads through broadleaved woodlands with the odd field edge footpath, and a downhill approach to Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is a nice old village with pubs, shops and a National Trust tea room in a cottage once briefly occupied by Samuel Taylor Coleridge of romantic poetry fame. Nether Stowey to Bridgwater. I'd give the more utilitarian section between Nether Stowey and Cannington three stars, and the more varied section between Cannington and the centre of Bridgwater four stars. The path east out of Nether Stowey is well-used but narrow and can get a little weedy in summer. The route then continues along on a quiet lane around Whitnell before reaching the edge of Fiddington, where it fiddles across a little horse pasture, then the access road to Mill Farm, and drops down through another horse pasture to a shallow stream valley. The outgoing path heads up the side of an arable field and the Slow Way crosses another lane to pick up a dirt track heading to Edbrook, passing a complex of sheds and pens full of young pheasants and partridges in the summer (plenty more running around loose in the general area when I walked through in October too). This arrives at another arable field just before Edbrook Farm where you may have to turn right and walk around (good) headlands instead of crossing the field diagonally on the footpath route at some times of year. Recommended coming from Bridgwater, where the route through the farm is less obvious (come to think of it I am not sure why I simply didn't plot it this way!). Finally, the Slow Way takes a little hop over a little ridge (with wider views) before reaching the edge of Bridgwater at Wembdon. You can get to Watchet on the 28 bus route from Taunton, and it is a nice little harbourside village. Wet ground on the route between Cannington and Bridgwater...

Mockymock

Some of this Slow Way is great, but it is impossible to navigate between Cannington and Nether Stowey, where the on-the ground-access is bafflingly different from the footpaths shown on the map (as the previous reviewer pointed out) and I think that the road crossing on the corner of the A39 at Winrush near Kilve is potentially dangerous when approached from the south, so I am flagging the route additionally for safety. The good news is that I have been hard at work researching an alternative version, which I will soon share....

Mockymock

But avoiding the crop field....

Tim Ryan

Just use the path around the green with the playgrounds instead of going via Mendip Road. There are ominous planning notices on the gateway and it looks as though this whole narrow strip of fields between the edge of town and the motorway are going to be built on over the next few years, so there may be disruption to this exit from town in the future. Beyond the motorway, the path skirts some arable fields and onto a track past the barns of Fishers Farm - a path that looks to be reasonably well walked - to meet the minor road to Chedzoy. Once in the village, a path through the churchyard leads out to edge round another big arable field and a field of mowing grass before crossing into a slightly rougher sheep pasture. Nice views around from this area and it looked as if at a least a few people walk the path across these fields. From here follows miles of flat walking, mostly along the classically lumpy Somerset Levels roads with lovely views of the moors around and very little traffic, interrupted by one off-road section along a drove and through some fields just after the crossing the Huntspill River at Gold Corner....

Mockymock

I was blocked by a solid field of corn between Wedmore and Sand, so I've flagged this route as a maybe and created Briwed Three, which is identical to this route other than skipping that field by following a lane....

danravenellison

This is a good Slow Way route! (More of a review and some photos to follow)...

danravenellison

I've just finished walking this route and really enjoyed it....

danravenellison

I 100% recommend this route for walkers, but there are gates and pinch points that will make it hard for wheelers....

pilea

During the week this Slow Way is surprisingly well connected by a little bus that plies its way between Bridgwater and Street a few times a day, stopping at most of the villages along the route, making it practicable to to explore it in two halves. The route heads out of Bridgwater along the main Langport Road for about a mile. It then uses a more minor road on the edge of town which is getting increasingly busy and blighted by construction traffic. Planning signs on the inward gate indicate that the little strip of fields between town and motorway is likely to be built on soonish, and his may well cause disruption to this route when it happens. Once over the M5, the path heads around the edges of some arable fields and along a track past Fishers Farm, where it meets a minor road and continues along that for a couple of miles through Chedzoy and on to Sutton Mallet. A path across a couple of arable fields cuts off a corner of road at one point. From here on to Street, the route is through fields in a shallow moors-y valley and then on uphill and via some playing fields around the back of Walton. This route is perfectly OK and has some nice views, but at the edge of Street it dumps you unceremoniously at an out of town shopping centre, using some sad footpath remnants between the access roads and the car parks, and takes you for a boring mile of unprepossessing trafficky road into the centre of town....

Mockymock

Just use the path around the green with the playgrounds instead of going via Mendip Road. Once over the motorway, the path skirts some arable fields and onto a track past the barns of Fishers Farm (this path looks to be reasonably well walked) where it meets the minor road to Chedzoy. Once in the village, a path through the churchyard leads out to go around the edge of a another big arable field and a field of mowing grass, before crossing into a slightly rougher sheep pasture. Nice views around from this area and it looked as if at a least a few people walk the path across the fields. From here follows some miles of flat walking, mostly along classically lumpy Somerset Levels roads with lovely views of the moors around and very little traffic, interrupted by one section along a drove and through some fields just after the crossing of the massively canalised Huntspill River at Gold Corner. The last bit from Sand to the end of the walk is a mixture of hops across grassy and arable fields, bits of road, alleyways and tracks, some rather muddy today....

Mockymock

The route through the new build at Willstock is a little different from Norbri (1) but easier to follow now that Willstock Lane is open again. Be prepared for more changes as more building continues here. Overall a safe and easy route....

Tim Ryan

Enjoyable shorter walk - this route is accurate but take care with the route through the new build housing estate as there is new buildings popping up....

Dan Barron

(I'll post a slightly longer review and some photos later!)...

danravenellison

For the remaining five miles to Langport, the route takes the River Parrett Trail on grassy paths along the top of the old river ramparts between the Parrett itself and its flood relief channel. And at the Langport end it is easier (at w3w goes.inflamed.zone), to continue on under the railway on the River Parrett Trail across Northstreet Moor and arrive into the centre of town from the west rather than using the suggested route which initially goes north of the railway line. Another optional variation, if you are enjoying the canal path at the Bridgwater end, is to stay on the River Parrett Trail between Huntworth Bridge (w3w most.length.hill) and rejoin the mapped route at hammer.drips.drums via Fordgate instead of using cycle route 339 along the road....

Mockymock

A good Slow Way which routes partly along the banks of the atmospherically muddy and reedy River Parrett, and has a section heading into Burnham that offers wide views out over Bridgwater Bay. They are safe, quiet lanes which sometimes have views around, but it is not as good as walking up the scenic river wall of the Parrett Estuary....

Mockymock

It exits the curious old Dutch-referenced Bridgwater Quay using a cycle path and footpath along the quieter west bank of the reedy river as far as the main road bridge where it swaps to a newly upgraded paved multiuser path on the east bank. The route continues along the river wall for a while longer (with lots of gates to open and shut) before turning off it at Brickyard Farm, where it heads uphill towards Pawlett, and skirts the village using quiet lanes and a pleasant bridleway before regaining the coast path further up via a footpath across some fields. The next few miles up to Burnham is a lovely walk along the sea wall using the England Coast Path, with expansive views across the Parrett Estuary and out into Bridgwater Bay, with a kink in to the edge of Highbridge to get across the mouth of the River Brue over the sluice gate....

Mockymock

Slightly more road walking than Briwed(1) but without the access issues....

Tim Ryan

I had to climb over one locked gate to access the road near Upper Combe plantation only to be faced with another locked gate into a field of pig sties, on the other side of the road which I didn't bother with and followed the road around. Another section near Heath House also was blocked and I had to climb a gate to get access to the road....

Tim Ryan

At Doniford there is a nice cafe (Doniford Farm Park) and the route continues along the well signed South West Coast path and around the Holiday park onto the cliff tops. The path follows the cliff tops (which are slowly falling into the Bristol Channel) then there is a steep path (with hand rail) back onto the beach at the next Holiday Park. This is a very busy main road and the path comes out in a hedge on the blind inside corner of the road so crossing requires EXTREME CAUTION. The path then follows a track then well signed paths along the edge of fields to a rough road into Holford. In Holford walk along the minor road past the sign for the car park and take then next road right (signed Holford Combe). At The Triangle, take the minor road to the left and follow it uphill until a path on the right just before you come out onto the main road (Woodlands Hill – National Trust). Follow the path as is rises above the stream/bridleway then come out on the minor road above Nether Stowey. Out of Nether Stowey you need to cross the busy main road (there seems to be a new crossing being built) and initially follow signs for the Castles and Coast Way through Budley Farm. Walk through the village of Cannington (shops and pubs) and follow the well signed path through a new housing estate. The path comes onto a dirt track with no signage so careful navigation is needed to follow the correct track. If you do find the corner cutting path you come out at a gap in the fence of someone’s drive which, again, would be difficult to spot in the other direction and the owners would probably prefer you did the minor road detour, although no-one was there today to comment...

Sonya B

It was not possible at the time of the review to complete the described route, due to footpath closures because of housing development at Wilstock Village....

Tim Ryan

A short section of minor road with no verge or pavement leads to a new housing estate with more houses being built. I have given this route 3 stars as, while it is still possible to follow, it is difficult to navigate the new housing estate and, with the rate of current building in the area, will involve walking through housing estates for the majority of the route...

Sonya B