A single centre guided walking tour of England discovering the trails of Somerset July 18th - 23rd 2010. 5 nights dinner, bed and breakfast. Picnic lunch, transfer to and from walks.
The Mendip Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Somerset which stretches from the market town of Frome in the East to the Bristol Channel in the West. This area encompasses some of Somerset’s most attractive and varied landscape, from the limestone summits of the Mendip Hills to the pastureland of the Somerset Levels. This area offers the walker a variety of walking country, which still remains to be discovered by many people. The walking holidays in the Mendips give you the opportunity to explore this interesting area visiting such places as Wells, the smallest city in England and the conservation villages of Mells and Nunney. This holiday on the Eastern side of the Mendips gives you the opportunity to discover this attractive area which is full of history and beautiful countryside. You can visit the conservation village of Mells, where legend has it that the nursery rhyme little Jack Horner was derived. The walks take you from the start of the Mendip Hills ending with your final walk starting from the city of Wells.
Your accommodation will be at the Webbington Hotel, Loxton. A stunning attractive Edwardian Manor situated prominently on the southern sides of the Mendip Hills, easily accessible from J22 of the M5, and a short drive to Bristol city centre. The hotel has its own leisure club which is available to all residents, including fully equipped gym, recently refurbished heated swimming pool with open air roof top terrazzio, sauna and steam room as well as a resident beautician, Ample free parking on site.

This tour is operated by Bath & West Country Walks based from Bath in England.

START and FINISH: Loxton is about 7 miles east of Weston-super-Mare on the Somerset coast.

Sunday July 18th 2010: Arrive at Loxton. Rooms are available from 3pm and dinner is usually at 7pm. Overnight Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset.

Monday July 19th 2010: Cheddar Gorge (8.5 miles - 13.6km). From the bottom of the Gorge we climb steadily with wonderful views of the Somerset Levels and Glastonbury Tor in the distance. On reaching the highest point of the Gorge we then continue down through woodland to Black Rock and on through Velvet Bottom to Charterhouse. We walk across Black Down to Beacon Batch (325m) the highest point on the Mendips and return back to Cheddar. Overnight Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset.

Tuesday July 20th 2010: Wells - Penn Hill - Ebbor Gorge - Wookey Hole(9 miles - 14km). This guided walk starts from the Cathedral City of Wells and takes you alongside the Bishops Palace Moat and on towards Penn Hill. We continue across the Mendips towards Dursdon Drove and down through the nature reserve of Ebbor Gorge passing Wookey Hole caves and back to Wells. Overnight Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset.

Wednesday July 21st 2010: Burrington Combe - Dolebury Warren (8 miles - 13km). Burrington Combe is where The Reverend Toplady is reputed to have written the famous hymn 'Rock of Ages'. You leave the combe and follow the route through woodland to Dolebury Warren, an Iron Age hill fort and continue on to the village of Rowberrow. You continue through forestry and across moorland before returning to your start point. Overnight Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset.

Thursday July 22nd 2010: Webbington - Crooks Peak (8 Miles - 13km). This guided walk starts from the hotel and follows the lower contours to Compton Bishop and onto the village of Cross. We then enter woods before reaching the open space of Wavering Down, where you get 360 degree views. Crook Peak, the second highest point on the Mendips is reached, before we descend back to the hotel. Overnight Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset.

Friday July 23rd 2010: Depart. Depart Loxton after breakfast.

GRADE D: Between 7 - 12 miles (10 - 20 kms) a day. Strong waterproof walking boots are desirable. You will start walking about 9:30am and finish at approx. 4pm. These grades are for guidance only. For any grade, depending on weather conditions, it may at times be damp underfoot, so waterproof boots are preferable.