21st October RW , TO , JB , CH , DL , PC and Scrumpy and Albus
We met at Corton Denham by the Queens Arms , careful not to park on Church property following our previous reception. We set off heading south out of the village and then turned left, entered fields and almost immediately became lost. The path clearly contoured round the hillside, passing through a copse. But our way through was fenced off so we retraced our steps.
We climbed steeply and found an old gate into the trees but we ignored this and went higher and round the woods. Eventually we found a stile into a further field full of sheep. Pete went higher and rejoined further along. We had great views across the Somerset countryside towards Rimpton, Marston Magna and Queen Camel. We were traversing Wheat Sheaf Hill with steep contours and patches of gorse. John using technology was very helpful in guiding us from now on a route designed by Richard on his trusty OS map.
We reached the top of the field where we met Pete and crossed into a further field heading towards Wheatsheaf Farm but our way was blocked by some rather dilapidated sheep and stock fencing.
Trevor was vindicated when we retraced our step and found route through some scrubby trees to the farmyard which. The farm was a real old school mess of neglected machinery and barking dogs. A farmer appeared and helpfully suggested walking through his yard to the gate. We exited onto a busy lane with a view to an intriguing old bridge brick-built over an arch carrying the road to Sigwells, a former aerodrome. Maybe the bridge was built in the war as part of the military site. Why else in the middle of nowhere?
We followed the lane round towards the hilltop on the course of Monarch’s Way and then branched right onto a footpath through shrubbery where a young deer was sheltering until we spooked it.
Passing through a further gate into open area with plenty of pheasants and partridges about…close to a large rearing pen hidden within a field off sunflowers. Both dogs were desperate to spend more time playing games with these game birds….
There was one of Deryck’s favourite landscape features…a dry valley to our left as we made our way down to a small copse at the side of the road where the Yeo rises in an area called Seven Wells Down. The map tells us that the oolitic springs here are the source of the Yeo. We made our way across a stream beside the B3145 between Sherborne and Charlton Musgrove.
Here we came close to Mutiny…ahead was a steep climb on Milborne Down and some preferred the option of staying low but there was no footpath and we did not want to walk alongside the busy Sherborne road. Still grumbling , we climbed the final steep ascent onto a plateau above Milborne Down surrounded by somewhat healthier sheep. We got to the top of the hill, followed the path as it turned a square and back across the fields to a track back to Seven Wells Farm.
We quickened our pace now back past an enclosure or archaeological feature towards Corton Hill. There was the sound of gunfire or a static birdscarer to our right and then came to the view of Corton below us. Aware of the time we tried to ring pub but phone had died so we relied on Trevor’s local reputation to ensure we would be served. Overexcited at the prospect of breakfast I slipped and fell on my backside as I went downhill to the village and Deryck did as well.
We drove back to Cary to The George and we went into the Restaurant for the first time ever and had a delicious breakfast. As we can see, Trevor certainly made himself at home....
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