Monksilver, Birds Hill and Nettlecombe 19 March 2012

View Monksilver and Nettlecombe in a larger map
After week of often misty and then unsettled weather this was a really fine day with clear visibility.

I started from the village of Monksilver. Near the northern end of the village a lane leaves the main route to Wiveliscombe on the right if you are facing that destination. It heads up the side of the valley and a few yards along it a footpath is found on the left leading to Colton Cross. This is part of a long distance footpath known as the Samiritan's Way (South West).

The path climbs, not very steeply, but continuously. For a while a stream runs next to it. After about a third of a mile an opening into a field allowed a view looking back over Monksilver. This was a good spot to eat my packed lunch.

The path continued through woodland around the northern flank of Bird's Hill which reaches a height of around 310 metres. Bluebells were growing in the woods, but were not yet in flower. In a few weeks time these will form a spectacular blue carpet. The route then levels out somewhat before reaching a lane at Colton Cross. Bearing slightly to the right here along a lane an automated meteorological station can be seen. A short distance along the lane there is access via a permitted footpath to a viewpoint which offers fine vistas to the Bristol Channels and across to Wales. There is also an excellent view of Nettlecombe Court which lay further along the route of my walk.

Nettlecombe Court from Bird's Hill meteorological station

Leighland Chapel from Sticklepath

Having continued along the lane for a short distance, I found the footpath on the right hand side of the lane that led to the B3190 road near the hamlet of Sticklepath. From here there was a view of Leighland Chapel which I visited last year.  The Samaritan's way crosses the road and heads towards Leighland Chapel, but my route took me along the road towards Watchet.

Parsonage Pond

A few minutes walk along the road towards Watchet, a footpath left the road on the right and led through Chidgley Farm towards Nettlecombe court. I was soon in the open fields with fine views. There was one awkward bit of navigation a couple of fields further on, where the path descends into a gully and then continues past an isolated house.  It continued along the eastern edge of Nettlecombe Park and soon led me to Parsonage Pond. This is a really delightful spot with reflections of the parkland and the Court in the water.

Nettlecombe Court

Having lingered here and taken some pictures, I walked on past the front of the Court. This is now occupied by the Leonard Wills Field Centre, run by the Field Studies Council. I attended a geography course there in November 1968 as an undergraduate. That was a long time ago, but the area has not changed much.

I walked along the drive leading from the Court towards Woodford. On my left there were several more man-made ponds in a valley. Before reaching the road I left the drive to take a path that followed the stream back to Monksilver. At times I walked beside the water and at other times the path ran along the edge of the fields above the valley.

This had been a delightful Spring walk about 5 miles in length.