Bruton Circular or from Castle Cary (via Hauser and Wirth Somerset Gallery) walk

Narrow steep-sided valleys with fast flowing streams and rivers, rolling hilltops, Alfred’s Tower, Hauser & Wirth Somerset art gallery

Dovecote on Pillow Mound, Bruton SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Dovecote on Pillow Mound, Bruton

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Sep-21 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 banner 51462036192

Alfred's Tower on distant ridge SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Alfred's Tower on distant ridge

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Feb-17 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 walkicon 33532996676

Sculpture in Courtyard at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Bruton SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Sculpture in Courtyard at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Bruton

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Feb-17 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 walkicon 33190384910

Creech Hill, from Cliff Hill SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Creech Hill, from Cliff Hill

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Feb-17 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 walkicon 32730307354

Batcombe and Batcombe Vale, from Morning Extension SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary - Morning Extension
Batcombe and Batcombe Vale, from Morning Extension

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary - Morning Extension

Mar-19 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 walkicon 40446118683

Lady Caller Rita, by Bruton Station SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Lady Caller Rita, by Bruton Station

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Feb-17 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 33444812521

Refurbed Signal Box, Bruton Station SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary
Refurbed Signal Box, Bruton Station

SWC Walk 284 Bruton Circular (via Hauser & Wirth Somerset) or from Castle Cary

Feb-17 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

swcwalks swcwalk284 33573966335

Length 25.1 km (15.7 mi), with 504m ascent/descent. For a longer or a shorter walk see below Walk Options.
Toughness7 out of 10, with 6 ½ hours walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 12 hours.
Walk Notes

This excursion is centred on the remote Somerset town of Bruton, with its honey-coloured stone-built cottages, a large dovecote on a mound overlooking the townscape and a fine selection of lunch and tea options. It leads through a scenic South Somerset landscape of narrow steep-sided valleys and coombes with some fast flowing streams and rivers, with the route dipping in and out of the Brue, Alham and Pitt valleys. From the rolling hilltops you get some far views across to the range forming the boundary with Wiltshire and Dorset, with the local landmark Alfred’s Tower, a folly, on top of it. The route leads close to the renowned art gallery Hauser & Wirth Somerset, and a short version of the walk leaves enough time for an extended visit to it and/or its fascinating bar and restaurant. The recommended lunch stop on the main walk is a very fine country inn in Batcombe.

A start from Castle Cary (with faster and more frequent trains) adds about 50 minutes of walking.
Walk options

As a Figure-of-Eight walk, you can walk the two loops in reverse order.
A shortcut in the morning, with lunch in Bruton, enables a longer visit to the Hauser & Wirth art gallery for an exhibition and/or for lunch or tea. This cuts 8.8 km/5.5 mi and 175m ascent, the resulting 16.2 km/10.1 mi walk is rated 4/10.
A shortcut towards the end, avoiding the final ascent up to Ridge Lane, cuts 1 km and 42m ascent.
An extension just before lunch, further up the narrow Alham Valley, adds 3.1 km/1.9 mi and 150m ascent.
An extension in the afternoon adds 2.9 km/1.8 mi with 95m ascent. Bus line 667 from Shepton Montague to Castle Cary enables a finish at The Montague Inn.
An alternative start from Castle Cary (one stop further along the same line, but with more frequent – and faster – train services) adds 3.9 km/2.5 mi and 88m ascent/descent.

MapsOS Explorer: 142 (Shepton Mallet & Mendip Hills East)
OS Landranger: 183 (Yeovil & Frome)
TravelBruton Station, map reference ST 687 347, is 45 km west of Salisbury, 31 km south of Bath and 168 km south west of Charing Cross. It lies 72m above sea level. Castle Cary Station, map reference ST 635 335, is 5 km south west of Bruton and 43m above sea level. Both are in South Somerset. The stations are stops on the Heart of Wessex line from Bristol to Weymouth. Trains on the London Paddington to Taunton Great Western Main Line also serve Castle Cary (journey time from 82 minutes), but do not normally stop at Bruton. There is also a limited direct service to London Waterloo. From London a change is therefore usually necessary to Bruton, either in Bath Spa or in Westbury, journey time from 112 minutes.

Saturday Walkers’ Club: Bruton and Castle Cary are outside the Network Southeast Railcard zone. Off-Peak returns for morning departures can be prohibitively expensive. Advance tickets are usually the better option. Take the earliest train you can.

Lunch

The Three Horseshoes Inn Batcombe, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 6HE (01749 850 359). The Horseshoes is located 8.9 km/5.5 mi into the walk. Currently closed.
On the Brook Coombe Farm, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0QP (01749 813 048). On the Brook is located 150m off route, 15.1 km/9.4 mi into the walk (6.3 km/3.9 mi into the shortened walk). Coombe Farm is one of the four original farms in Bruton, nestled between woodland and the picturesque Coombe Brook, just outside the present-day village.
Hive Bruton 95 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AR (01749 937 420). Hive Bruton is located 15.9 km/9.9 mi into the main walk and 7.1 km/4.4 mi into the shortened walk. Currently closed
At the Chapel High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AE (01749 814 070). The Chapel is located 15.9 km/9.9 mi into the main walk and 7.1 km/4.4 mi into the shortened walk. The Chapel is a Grade II listed former chapel, and the restaurant puts a Mediterranean touch to British food.
The Sun Inn 33 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AH (01749 813 493). The Sun is located 15.8 km/9.9 mi into the main walk and 7.0 km/4.4 mi into the shortened walk.
The Bruton Castle 45 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AW (01749 812 104). The Castle is located 15.8 km/9.9 mi into the main walk and 7.0 km/4.4 mi into the shortened walk. Currently closed.
Matt’s Kitchen 51 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AW (01749 812 027).
The Old Pharmacy 3 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AB (01749 813 111). A wine bar and deli.
Osip 1 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0AB (01749 813 322). A farm-to-table restaurant. Tends to be fully booked weeks ahead.
Roth Bar & Grill Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0NL (01749 814 700). The Roth Bar & Grill is located 350m off-route, 16.8 km/10.5 mi into the main walk and 8.0 km/5.0 mi into the shortened walk. It is named after one of the more than 60 artists Hauser & Wirth are representing: Swissman Dieter Roth, and decorated with numerous art works along its walls and off its ceiling. It includes a site-specific bar created by Björn and Oddur Roth, the son and grandson of Dieter Roth. On weekends, a booking is recommended.

Tea

The Montague Inn Shepton Montague, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 8JW (01749 813 213). The Montague is located 21.5 km/13.4 mi into main walk (or 12.7 km/7.9 mi into the shortened walk) if following the afternoon extension, and a friendly gastro pub.
Cole Manor Tea Rooms Cole Manor, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0PJ. Closed in 11/18 as running a business from the premises was contravening its mortgage conditions. Located 2.6 km from the end of all walk options.
The Godminster Farm Shop Station Road, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0EH (01749 813 733). Godminster Farm has been certified organic since 1999 and is multi-award winning. The farm itself is passed in the afternoon. The farm shop is selling beautifully packaged, vintage organic Cheddar, handmade Brie, gourmet crackers, tangy chutney, infused vodka spirit & more, as well as serving hot drinks.

Profile
Help Us!

After the walk, please leave a comment, it really helps. Thanks!

You can also upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are:

swcwalks
swcwalk284
By Train

Out (not a train station)

Back (not a train station)

By Car

Start BA10 0EH Map Directions

Amazon
Help

National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Version

Jul-22 Thomas G

Copyright © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml

Walk Directions

Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.

This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk