Triscombe to Broomfield - Quantock Greenway

Parking

From Taunton travel in a northerly direction through Kingston St Mary and follow the road to the top of the hill (about 5 miles). Continue straight on and follow the road for a little over 3 miles. Just after Court Farm and Plainsfield farm take the lane on your left (ref. 195 367), which leads up to Triscombe Stone. The large car park is at the end of the lane, about 2 miles (pic2)

Route

Be forewarned! Although a fair bit of this section is along lanes, a couple of parts can be very muddy underfoot after wet weather - more welly boot than walking boot.

The first part of this section, as far as the end of Keeper's Combe, is common to both the Northern & Southern loops of the Greenway.

Walking in a north-easterly direction follow the footpath through the beech trees beside the lane (If you drove here this is the lane you came in by). After 1/2 mile the lane swings to the right but you take the forestry track that goes straight ahead (pic 3). Stay on the main track and follow it down through Keeper's Combe. At the end of the combe, rather surprisingly, you pass through a farmyard. Continue out into parkland and head south-east along the waymarked route to Pepperhill Farm (pic 1).

Turn left out of Pepperhill Farm and, on meeting the road walk, north for a hundred yards or so. A stile leads you through a couple of fields
(pic 4) to join the old drive that comes from the gatehouse of Quantock Lodge (pic 5). If you think you can spot a shortcut from the end of Keeper's Combe to the gatehouse - don't take it! The Gatehouse is now a private house and this would involve walking through their garden.

After 1/2 mile the drive is crossed by a lane (pic 6). The Greenway goes right (south)for a short distance and, at a junction (pic 7), follows another lane to the east before emerging by a crossroad at The Gables (ref. 214 375). Head south-east along the lane to Spaxton, just over 1/2 mile, but it's a fairly busy lane so keep children and dogs under control. At the end of the lane turn left and take the first turning on the right, to Pightley. Follow this lane for a little over 1/2 mile and take the lane on the left, heading downhill towards Pightley Covert (pic 8). The lane goes downhill and then slightly up before reaching the entrance to Barford Park, on your left.

The Greenway continues on a footpath - straight ahead through a farm gate (pic 9) and heads in a south-easterly direction for a little over 1km, passing a lake in the grounds of Enmore Castle, before emerging behind the school.
(pics 10/11/12). Unfortuantely the farmer of this short but scenic stretch does not seem predisposed towards walkers. The footpath is not always clearly marked and has been obscured by crops - a situation that has been addressed on more than one occasion by the footpaths officer.

Straight ahead, down another lane for a couple of hundred yards, and take the footpath heading east (pic 13). This can be muddy - picture taken in middle of summer! After 1km you reach Cobb's Farm, turn south-west and out on to open farmland along an easy, gently rising track for 2km (pic 14). There are some splendid, open views from this hillside.

On reaching a T-junction of two lanes (ref. 238 327) head along the lane, quite steeply downhill, in a southerly direction. Past Owl's Barton, shortly after the bottom of the hill, the Greenway takes a foopath heading roughly due west (ref. 234 317). Follow this footpath for nearly 1km (pic 15) before reaching the lane just outside Broomfield . Past the picturseque village hall, that used to be the school (pic 16), the church and some cottages on your right (pic 17). Continue just a little further to Fyne Court visitor centre where you can get a well deserved cup of tea!

Pic 1
Pepperhill Farm