RW, TO, Scrumpy and Bill 6th November 2021
Numbers were down for this weekend, but Trevor and I were determined to maintain the reputation of the group (Who dares walks) and the dogs were as keen as ever. We drove to our starting point outside the local shop in Mells where coffees are NOT available and a kind word is as rare as hens’ teeth. We had made a previous recce which had ended with a nasty passage of the local quarry access so this time we set off from the centre of Mells northwards on a minor road up Park Hill. It was a fine if chilly start to the day and the group was in good spirits not lacking in cheery tales about visiting the dentist and the benefits of solar panels. The usual stuff.
After a sharp turn to the left we came to a potential short cut towards our destination of joining the Colliers Way which follows a disused railway line towards Frome. Richard was convinced that a pathway was available through the Mells Estate and so we ignored the NO PUBLIC ACCESS sign on a driveway and set off towards the sounds of gunfire. Some curious temporary outside lighting was initially mistaken by Trevor for CCTV or even motion sensors but spookily as we made our way 50 yards along the lane a car appeared and a bearded toff warned us to get off his land. Of course we cooperated expressing ignorance of the ban to access but it only fuelled our resentment of the entitled landowners that he was so aggressive.
Following the lane now called Conduit Hill we soon came to the access point to the Colliers Way which has been converted from the disused railway line between Radstock and Frome into a cycleway with very good walking conditions underfoot and a gentle gradient. Curiously, unlike other disused railways, the original sleepers and rails had simply been abandoned to nature…or maybe left in place since the sixties in preparation for reopening.
The group who converted the track have also planted a number of apple trees along the path with names such as Jester, Laxton and Tower of Glamis. This very pleasant pathway is shrouded in native trees and we met various walkers, riders and dogwalkers with surprisingly little evidence of cheery good will to all men. Towards the end of the disused line we found pieces of rail , sleepers and railings had been converted to benches , sculptures etc.
Reaching the end of the Colliers Way we crossed a road and through a field of laidback cows we descended to an area marked on the OS map as Bedlam – the old fashioned word for a madhouse. I wonder why? Here we joined the River Mells which tumbles down through various weirs and former mills to its ultimate fate as a tributary of the River Frome. We were now walking through woods with the river to our right towards the attractive hamlet of Great Elm. We met a father who had just emerged soaked to his waist after an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve his son’s model boat – I thought he muttered “Forget It” but Trevor told me it was a shorter word than that.
We crossed the river again and made our way through Great Elm which was a short steep climb and then lost that height to return to the final stretch through woods alongside the Mells stream in what the map tells us is the Wadbury Valley. There is a surprising amount of industrial archaeology along this stretch where water power was succeeded by coal from the local mines in Radstock to support the Fussell Works in the production of iron wares. This site dates back to 1744 and at one time products were exported from here all over the world. Nowadays, some of the old buildings have been converted to dwellings but there remain plenty of ruins buried in undergrowth and much evidence of weirs and river management. Mells and Great Elm are havens of rural peace and quiet with beautiful old stone buildings throughout but it is fascinating to imagine the hive of industry here when over 250 people were employed in the works.
The path finally took us away from the riverside and along the lane to find our car undisturbed in the village centre. A lovely walk through beautiful scenery and something of interest for everyone but if you want to meet some friendly people take my advice and take some with you because Mells didn’t produce many while we were there.
We breakfasted in the Nunney Catch Café where dogs are welcome and the tea is robust. The full English included fried bread, tinned tomatoes and bubble and squeak. The sausages were industrial rather than artisan. Staff friendly and welcoming. Worth a score of seven.
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