Gurney Slade, Old Down & Chilcompton

West Mendip Walkers moderate 9.2mile circular walk from Stratton-on-the-Fosse Village Hall (BA3 4QQ). A walk through school grounds, fields and along a wooded river valley. From the village hall the route initially turns right along the pavement to enter the grounds of Downside Abbey School. It continues through Downside crossing two minor roads and just beyond Coalpit Lane on entering a wooded area the walk turns south to follow a river valley with Blacker’s Hill on the left to reach a farm track in sight of T’other Side the Hill at which point the route heads west along the edge of Gurney Slade Bottom. At this point, the walk passes to the west of the stone quarry and proceeds in a northerly direction over Old Down to Strapestone. Here it turns right along a quiet country lane to Chilcompton and on through the village to the B3139 where we turn left to walk along the road until we pick up a path on the right which takes us back to our start point via Downside Abbey Home Farm. Dog friendly although there are a number of stiles and roads to cross where dogs will need to be on a lead.