MENDIP RAMBLERS AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY
FREE WALKING FESTIVAL
24/25/26 August 2019
This year’s festival is based in Shepton Mallet, the Somerset town known now mainly for its cider making, but with a long history. There are Neolithic and Iron Age remains and Bronze Age burial sites nearby. The town sits just off the Fosse Way, the old Roman Road, with evidence of Roman settlements nearby. Shepton features in the Doomsday record as Sceaptun meaning sheep farm with the second part of its name deriving from the French Malet family who acquired the land after the Norman Conquest. There are Norman effigies in the Church of St Peter & St Paul. For many years it was a prosperous market town whose wealth came from the woollen trade.
The Walking There will be 4 walks of varying length on each day. The short morning walk of 3/4 miles can be extended after lunch by joining the short afternoon walk of similar length. The medium walks will be 7 miles and the long walks 11 miles.
We hope that the availability of two short walks will encourage walkers of all abilities to join us. Children with their families are especially welcome. In the past two years these short walks have been very popular.
Morning walks start at 10.00am and the afternoon walk at 1.30pm. As usual, tea and cake with be available at the end of each walk.
Walks Start at the Leisure Centre Shepton Mallet
Bring Lunch. Dogs Welcome. Car parking available. Tea and Cakes after the walk
Walk details below. Walk routes here
Sat 24/08/2019 Time: 10:00
Long walk: Windsor Hill, Thrupe, Dinder Croscombe 11.6 miles
Medium walk: Chelynch, Waterlip, Dean, Cranmore, Doulting 7.9 miles
Short walk: Barren Down, Upper Downside, Fosse Way. 4.1 miles
Sat 24/08/2019 Time: 13:30
Circular town walk. 3.2 miles
Sun 25/08/2019 Time: 10:00
Long walk: Windsor Hill, Beacon Hill, Cranmore Tower, Dean, Chelynch 11.5 miles
Medium Walk West Shepton, Knowle Hill, Croscombe, Bowlish 7.8 miles
Short Walk Whitstone Hill, Doulting Sheep Sleight, Doulting
Sun 25/08/2019 Time: 13:30
Bodden, Ingsdons Hill. 3.3 miles
Mon 26/08/2019 Time: 10:00
Long walk: West Compton, North Wootton, Churchill, Croscombe Bowlish.11.2 miles
Medium Walk Bowlish, Ham Woods, Downside, Fosse Way 7.5 miles
Short Walk West Shepton, Bowlish 4.1
Mon 26/08/2019 Time: 13:30
Barren Down, Lower Downside