Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Something For The Weekend #12

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In a week where the Rugby World Cup has kicked off, we're back for another Something For The Weekend. It's the big tournements that seem to excite even non Rugby fans. Being a self confessed Football nut myself, I never thought I'd get excited about Scotland vs Georgia kicking off at 8-30am in the morning. But there I was before I shot off to work, watching the Georgians proudly singing their national anthem and the scots belting out flower of Scotland. It's the same with tennis, I hardly watch a set all year, then Wimbledon or the US Open crops up and I'm completely fixated by it. Maybe I'm a 'fair weather' sports fan or perhaps I focus too much of my attention on the footy! Tonga vs Romania should be a cracker...

Anyway, I digress, back to the great outdoors! Inspired by an article in this months Country Walking Magazine, I thought it'd be rather pleasant to look at a renowned walk in the South-West. The Bath Skyline route consists of 6 miles of way-marked trails situated to the east of Bath city centre. With the route being quite elevated you end up with some stunning views of the beautiful and historic city. Heres one of the main routes provided by the National Trust.

1 Standing on Bathwick Hil, with your back to Cleveland Walk, take the path opposite that goes between houses. Go through kissing gate (KG) and bear left (L) diagonally across field. Through next KG, after 75m go through another KG and enter Richens Orchard. Exit Orchard through another KG and follow track right. Go through KG, down slope and steps and follow until KG. Cross track to next KG and bear diagonally R uphill.

2 Go through KG into field opposite and bear R diagonally uphill to KG. Bear diagonally L uphill across next field towards houses. At far corner turn R immediately after KG to road. Turn L uphill on road. After last house turn R across road and follow path uphill through woods. At KG turn R and follow path straight ahead to gap in wall. 100m across next field take path bearing R away from main gravel track. Enter trees, cross a junction of tracks and follow steps downhill with railings on R. At bottomof slope turn L before KG, keeping railings on your R.


3 At gateway turn L uphill through trees to playing fields then turn R, keeping fence on your L. Keep on round perimeter of field, then go through metal gate onto gravel track. Go straight across, through KG into woodland. Keep straight on across private drive, pass field on L and keep on through more woodland. Follow path to R as it skirts an old quarry and finally arrive at houses at woodland edge.

4 Turn L through KG into field. Keep field boundary on R and at end of field take the R of two gates and follow path along wall. At main road turn L and after 25m turn R down narrow footpath. Go straight on at playing field, keeping boundary immediately on L and come to RSPCA home on L.

5 Turn R on road and after 100m turn L over stone stile in wall. After 20m turn R at crossing path, go through gate, then L onto track. Follow to first corner of field, go through KG and bear L across field. At corner, where field and woodland meet, go through KG and cross field, following woodland edge to your R.

6 At end of field go through KG and enter Bathampton Woods. At first fork bear R and keep to main trail through woods.

7 Leave woods and straight on. Bear L, slightly uphill, heading towards the R of the TV masts. As you approach the masts, there’s a woodland on R and a golf course on L. The path gradually moves away from the woodland and joins a track just to the R of the masts.


8 Follow track to second KG on R, down into woods. Path drops down very steeply through trees, then go to L just before a wire fence. Continue on path, winding through trees, go up some wooden steps to viewpoint and stone pillars of golf club drive. Here, make a short detour to Sham Castle then return to route and go through KG on R of stone pillars and follow path downhill with field boundary on L. Alternatively, for a level walk, continue from the Castle to and follow path, keeping plantation on L, across field to stile. Cross wooden bridge and continue along track through car park, at end turn R onto private road. Carry straight until Bathwick Hill, opposite Copseland. Walk down Copseland and cross Widcombe Hill to Quarry Farm. Continue along path to KG on R. Rejoin route at

9 At bottom of slope go through KG onto road (cross with care) and turn R along pavement. Take footpath L between a field and a garden and follow downhill to emerge onto Clevedon Walk. Turn L to Bathwick Hill and the start of the walk.


Not into that? Try this...

If a meandering walk around Bath isn't your thing then here's one for all you film buffs. Why not get yourself booked on an Alfred Hitchcook walk. Sandra Shevey started the London Hitchcock walk in 1999 after becoming interested in his film locations after interviewing the man himself in the 1970's. The walk sporned when she managed to find out some of the locations from Hitchcock's biggest blockbusters, such as 'Frenzy', 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and 'The Paradine Case'.

Accompanying the walks you get an Audio guide, Sandra also uses period photos and storyboards to make the walker feel like their slap bang in the middle of a Hitchcock film. If you want to book yourself on to the walk or need more information you can email her at sandra_shevey@yahoo.com


This weeks product of the week, ideal for a merry Somerset countryside walk, The Brasher Men's Kuga GTX Shoe.

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