Burton – Castle Combe – West Kington – Burton

Blog by Peter Broadhurst

This walk has four options.

Full Route 120 – 180 mins Mix of Road/Path

Leave the back of the Burton triangle heading south on the Nettleton road. Follow the road past the dairy and chicken farm down the slope to Lower Leaze carrying on along the road to the first corner, where you see a gateway followed immediately by a bridleway to your left. Follow this track, which can be a little muddy, for about 800 metres until you come to a gateway into the field with a crossroads of footpaths and bridleways. Pass on through the gate and carry straight on following the defined path across the main field, then keeping to the right edge of the next field until you exit through a gateway onto the road bend.

Keep going in the same direction along the road for about 500 metres until you arrive at the crossroads with the Fosse Way Roman Road. Go straight across towards Nettleton Mill.

Arriving at Nettleton Mill there are two converted buildings on the right and a cottage on the left. Proceed past these buildings and through a ‘kissing gate’ arrangement in a wall next to the gates. Follow this track left along the river and on to the Castle Combe golf course. Pay attention and beware of golfers and flying golf balls. Proceed at your own risk!

Follow right on the tarmaced buggy track between the fairways until you reach a bridge over the Bybrook stream which runs down into Castle Combe. There is a large lake on the righthand side. Do not stop on the bridge because this is a particularly dangerous area as golfers may not be able to see you there.

Immediately after crossing the bridge turn right and follow the hedge and then veer left off the tarmaced path along the grass track up the incline into the trees. The back of the Manor House Hotel can be seen straight ahead from this pathway with a good view of golfers teeing-off up to your left. On entering the wooded area there is a wall on the right side and, after 100 metres, on a bend there is a walkway joining from the right. Turn right here and follow the steps and stony path between the walls until arriving under the archway by the Castle Hotel in the centre of the picturesque village of Castle Combe by the recently restored market cross.

Follow the road down past the war memorial and Church entrance and cottages to the river. Sometimes there is a cake stall here with an honesty box.

Cross the bridge and carefully follow the roadway along the riverbank and out of the village paying particular attention to motorists who may be admiring the views. After about 200 metres there is a pathway on the right side leading up through the trees. This is particularly beautiful at certain times of the year when carpeted in wild garlic and bluebells. Continue up the path to the top where you spill onto a narrow roadway which eventually would lead to Mountain Bower. Follow downhill for about 700 metres until you reach a sharp left bend. Take the track off the bend and continue straight ahead on this stony bridleway until you meet the Bybrook river once again. Cross the steppingstones and do not take the pathway, either left or right which follow the stream, but rather continue straight ahead up the rocky path to the Fosse Way once again.

Pay attention here to traffic and cross the road leading up the incline back towards Nettleton.

Continue on this road passing the left turn signposted West Kington where there is a Parish notice board and post box until reaching the crossroads with the small triangle in the centre with a signpost on it. Keep going in the same direction following the road out of the village until coming to a staggered junction. Keep straight on across into Edgecorner lane following up the hill, round a sharp blind bend and on down to Toll Down road by the brook. Turn right and follow the road into Burton, past Toll Down Way and the Old House at Home Pub and back to the triangle where the walk started.

Option A 80 -100 mins Mix of Road/Path

Leave the back of the Burton triangle heading south on the Nettleton road. Follow the road past the dairy and chicken farm down the slope to Lower Leaze carrying on the road to the first corner where you see a gateway followed immediately by a bridleway to your left. Follow this track, which can be a little muddy, for about 800 metres until you come to a gateway into the field with a crossroads of footpaths and bridleways. Pass on through the gate and carry straight on following the defined path across the main field then keeping to the right edge of the next field until you exit through a gateway onto the road bend.

Keep going in the same direction along the road for about 500 metres until you arrive at the crossroads with the Fosse Way Roman Road. Go straight across towards Nettleton Mill.

Arriving at Nettleton Mill there are two converted buildings on the right and a cottage on the left.

Turn right between the two buildings on the right and follow the path along the river for about a kilometre and exit through a metal gate. You will see some steppingstones in the water here and also pick up the main loop back to Burton triangle.

This path can be quite muddy & slippery dependant on the recent precipitation. Just occasionally the Bybrook stream can flood the path but this is a rare occurrence.

Turn right after the gate and go up the rocky path to the Fosse Way once again.

Option B 60 – 75 mins Mix of Road/Path

Keep going in the same direction along the road for about 500 metres until you arrive at the crossroads with the Fosse Way Roman Road.

At this crossroads turn right following the road for about one kilometre down the slope to a T-junction at Nettleton shrub. Turn right here up the slope along the main road here through Nettleton.

Option C 45 – 60 mins Mix of Road/Path

Having gone through the gateway turn right and follow the field along it’s right side and then straight across the short stretch of field, over a stone style on to the road. Go straight across following the tree lined path, muddy in places, to the end where the path meets the roadway by the T-junction to West Kington. There is also a post box and village notice board here.

Turn right onto the road and continue until reaching the crossroads with the small triangle in the centre with a signpost on it. Keep going in the same direction following the road out of the village until coming to a staggered junction. Keep straight on across into Edgecorner lane following up the hill, round a sharp blind bend and on down to Toll Down road by the brook. Turn right and follow the road into Burton, past Toll Down Way and the Old House at Home Pub and back to the triangle where the walk started.

Option D 35 – 50 mins Mix of Road/Path

Before going through the gate turn right up the track and follow on to the road. Cross the road and go through the various gates until arriving another junction of roads by the triangle in Nettleton.

Turn right here and follow the road out of the village until coming to a staggered junction. Keep straight on across into Edgecorner lane following up the hill, round a sharp blind bend and on down to Toll Down road by the brook. Turn right and follow the road into Burton, past Toll Down Way and the Old House at Home Pub and back to the triangle where the walk started.