Walk 2172 - printer friendly version

Ebbor Gorge & Priddy from Wookey Hole Walk

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 6.3 miles / 10.2 km

Ascent - 800 feet / 242 metres

Grade - easy/mod

Start - OS grid reference ST532476
Lat 51.2256620 + Long -2.6715776
Postcode BA5 1BY (approx. location only)

This Somerset walk from Wookey Hole explores the Ebbor Gorge, the village of Priddy, and the surrounding Mendip Hills. The route follows the West Mendip Way up the Ebbor Gorge National Nature Reserve and over open pastures to Priddy. Turning south the walk continues over fields to a south facing escarpment that offers an excellent view over the flood plain. A final section through the woodland of Ebbor Gorge takes you back to Wookey Hole.

The start of the walk is High Street in Wookey Hole close to St Mary Magdalene parish church where limited on street parking is available (grid ref. ST532476). Parking is also available at the Wookey Hole inn for patrons. Please ask before parking. After parking walk north along High Street (church on your right). Follow High Street as it bends left and continue away from the village centre. Reaching a bungalow on the right (grid ref. ST529478) turn right through metal gates to join the West Mendip Way (no signage by the gate). Ignore the path on the right just after the gates and continue on a grassy track with hedge left into woodland. You are now in the Ebbor Gorge National Nature Reserve. The path climbs up through the trees. Ignore smaller paths on the left and continue uphill into open countryside and the top of the climb.

Continue along the West Mendip Way passing Higher Pitts Farm on your immediate right to walk along a track. 150 metres beyond the farm the access track bends left to join Dursdon Drove (grid ref. ST536492). Keep ahead where the access track turns right. Follow the Dursdon Drove for 500 metres to the point where it bends left. Leave the drove and take the path heading half right following the left hand edge of a field. The path bends right and shortly after right again keeping the hedge on your left. The path soon cuts through the hedge into the adjacent field and continues with hedge right. Pass a small group of trees into the next field and continue with hedge right to the far corner. The path then bends left and continues beside the hedge to a lane (Pelting Drove).

Turn right and follow the lane towards Priddy. Pass the Queen Victoria In on your left and at the next road junction turn left to reach the village green. Just past a bus shelter on the left, fork left and continue to the next junction (grid ref. ST526510). Turn right along the no through road and continue to the end of the tarmac. Maintain direction across four fields to a stile in a wall. Cross the stile and walk ahead for 600 metres to a path junction (grid ref. ST514495). Turn left and follow the grassy path, with excellent views to the right, to reach Deer Leap Car Park.

Exit the car park and turn right down the lane. After a kilometre you reach Ebbor Gorge Nature Reserve car park. Take the red route from the car park descending through trees to re-join the West Mendip Way. Bear right and retrace your steps back into Wookey Hole.

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