An adventure journal post all about day three hiking the Mendip Way – nine miles from Wookey Hole to Shepton Mallet. If you are new to this series, start at day zero.
In late January, I hiked the Mendip Way through Somerset, a 50-mile trail from Weston-super-Mare to Frome. This short adventure journal series covers my experience on this trail – hopefully telling a story worth reading, and providing some insight for anyone considering hiking the Mendip Way themselves. Today, I’m sharing day three, where I hiked from Wookey Hole to Shepton Mallet in heavy rain.
There are two specific memories that stick out for me on this particular hiking day that I expect will be the themes running through my day three story. The first is that this was the day that I completed the West Mendip Way, which goes from Weston-super-Mare to Wells and makes up the first 30-miles of the full Mendip Way. And the second is just how much water there was…
The third day of my Mendip Way adventure was the shortest on the trail, clocking in at just nine miles. Originally, I had planned to spend part of the day eating brunch in and thoroughly exploring the charming city of Wells. But the short day turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it meant I had time on my side. There was a serious-looking yellow weather warning for rain enveloping Somerset and beyond, and I knew I had to approach the day with both caution and flexibility. I mean, I’d experienced how wet and muddy things already were, so I needed to take this seriously.
Making Bail-Out Plans
As mentioned in my day two adventure journal, dinner at the Wookey Hole Hotel became the setting for some serious map-studying and option-creating. The rain was already drumming against the windows, with the promise of much worse overnight. So, I sketched out a few bail-out plans, you know, just in case.
Hiking the Mendip Way had always been about chasing adventure, but I was determined to avoid a scenario where misery would eclipse the fun. I didn’t want quest for some quality time outdoors to be washed away by the storm, whether figuratively or literally. Moreover, safety was paramount; while some might argue that adventure begins at the edge of your comfort zone, I firmly believe in the wisdom of making sound and sensible choices.
With the worst weather forecast for the early hours of the morning and up until lunchtime, I decided to make the most of my hotel stay, lingering right until the check-out time. My initial plan was straightforward: tackle the first hour’s walk to Wells regardless of the conditions. I knew I could manage an hour in practically any weather, and reaching the bustling town would mean completing the West Mendip Way in one unbroken journey.
After Wells
Once in Wells, my strategy was to take a long, leisurely lunch at a walker-friendly café, allowing the warmth and dryness to recharge me while the storm (hopefully) subsided. By mid-afternoon, when the forecast predicted calmer skies, I would reassess my options.
Would I take the direct bus to Shepton Mallet and skip a portion of the trail? Perhaps do a mile or two before taking a short detour back to the main road to catch that same bus to my destination? Or, and ideally, could I push on through all the remaining miles to Shepton Mallet and avoid breaking my footsteps on this long-distance trail?
My main hope was that my planning would mean I would miss the worst of the weather. And actually I think I did. But it was still pretty awful!
Download file for GPSSee the full route in OS Maps.
Read the official Mendip Way leaflet.
Mendip Way Day 3: Wookey Hole to Shepton Mallet
As predicted, the day began with the kind of weather that makes you want to crawl back under the covers and forget about the world outside. Rain absolutely pelted the windows of my hotel room, and the wind howled in protest of something I couldn’t quite hear over the noise. But I woke up from a good sleep in my basic but much appreciated hotel room knowing that I had my options ready, and a plan that made sense.
Step one was to indulge in a leisurely morning. I hadn’t booked breakfast because the plan had been to head into Wells for brunch, and was still going to be there for lunch. So, rather than being tempted by a last-minute fry-up, I savoured multiple cups of tea, watched the telly, sorted through photos, and worked on a few writing bits and bobs. It was quite the Sunday morning, filled with the kind of relaxation I never normally make time for. I would go as far as to say I made the most of a real sense of calm inside while the storm raged outside.
But there came a time when I could no longer delay the inevitable. I donned my hiking gear, complete with head-to-toe waterproofs, and got ready to face the elements. Just a little before 11am, I was out the door, and walked into the driving rain.
A Short Walk to Wells
All I had to do was hike for an hour to reach Wells. And while I was feeling what I can only describe as ‘dread’, and it was indeed incredibly wet, I actually enjoyed it. There was just something about the landscape being shrouded in mist which added an air of mystery to the surroundings. I was fully equipped with waterproof gear – my trusty waterproof baseball cap, coat, and trousers. The latter, though despised, were essential for the day’s conditions.
Apart from making sure I had bail-out points organised, in my map studying the previous night, I’d also made some notes which would keep me on easier going terrain should the conditions require. And they did. There were two short go-ups and go-downs – one up to Lower Milton and one to Arthur’s Point – and I missed them both out in favour of staying on a more level track.
I guess I just didn’t see the point of going up and down and up and down, to not see any views and just to get even wetter and muddier than I already was. Instead, I stayed on a lovely quiet (off-road) lane and very much enjoyed the quiet and quaint scenery. I particularly enjoyed Lime Kiln Lane, winding around Underwood Quarry, as it offered undulating terrain that kept the journey interesting. I mean, the route was still incredibly muddy, and I played river or footpath repeatedly, but it felt manageable.
Respite at Wells Cathedral
Despite the rain’s best efforts, I arrived in Wells in a little under an hour. I have to say, I was – am – thoroughly impressed by the route’s signage through the city. Unlike many trails I’ve hiked, including National Trails (looking at you, Cotswold Way day four!), the directions through town were clear and easy to follow. This was fortunate, as the relentless rain that made checking the route on either my phone or my printed map a near-impossible task.
I felt a sense of achievement when I reached Wells Cathedral. I had completed the West Mendip Way and was proud of myself for doing so. While I still had a good few miles before my hike was finished, this was technically a long-distance trail ticked off the list, and I was pleased about that. Because there’s no proof without a photo, I took a selfie outside the Cathedral (no-one else was silly enough to be outside so there wasn’t a friendly passer-by to ask!), before seeking refuge from the weather in The Loft Café.
For the next two hours, I enjoyed the warmth and comfort of the café. I started with a pot of tea to warm up and dry off a little, before ordering their winter soup with a cheese scone, followed by a slice of apple cake and more tea. Anyone else get really hungry when it’s wet?! It all hit the spot perfectly, just what I needed.
If you’re ever in Wells then I highly recommend The Loft Café at Wells Cathedral. I can’t tell you if I recommend Wells as a whole as I didn’t do any of the exploring I’d hoped, but I was at least warmly welcomed and felt comfortable at the café during my extended lunch break.
Back into the Elements
You’ll be pleased to know that I didn’t take that bail-out option of catching the bus from Wells directly to Shepton Mallet. The rain – and wind – did indeed get a little easier, and I decided I would at least make a start on the afternoon’s miles on what was now the East Mendip Way. Hiking is what I was here for, and that soup and scone had renewed my adventurous spirit enough to get me back into my waterproof gear and out onto the trail.
And while it was still raining, it was much, much calmer than it had been. After walking around the famous Bishop’s Palace (complete with swans enjoying the moat – although no bell ringing today), it was back out into the countryside via the very pretty Tor Hill. I imagine on a better day this would be teeming with locals out for a Sunday afternoon stroll – but you know that wasn’t the case on this occasion. The route then meandered around a golf course and across Lyatt, which, though wet and muddy, was untroublesome.
That was unlike the section through Furzy Sleight (what a great name for a feature on the map), which was rather testing. It started off well – the photo of the light landing on a tree with a mean looking storm ahead is one of my favourites of the whole hike. But it soon became so waterlogged that the standing water was much higher than boot-deep – more like wading through a lake than walking across a meadow. I lost the path while trying to avoid the deepest parts, and had to backtrack a little to find the gate onto the lane, but I did eventually make it onto firmer ground.
Lost in Ham Woods
Both one of my favourite parts of the day – and one of the most frustrating – was through Ham Woods. I hadn’t really noticed this short section of woodland when planning my Mendip Way hike, but it was a very beautiful place to walk. But boy was it steep – and confusing!!
Ham Wood is a deep and narrow wooded old quarry. The woods disguise just how steep and narrow the valley is – clear if you really look at the map closely but easily missed. The internet tells me it was probably formed in the Ice Ages by melt water running off the snow cap on the Mendips in spring, similar to how Cheddar Gorge formed.
The biggest surprise here was a huge and very much intact viaduct. Once carrying the Somerset and Dorset Railway from Radstock to Maesbury, it’s also possible to see the remains of the former sidings, complete with loading bays and stone crushers. Oh, and a few rather undrivable cars in amongst the woodland floor, too.
The problem I found was just how many footpaths there were through this amazing woodland, making navigation tricky. I definitely took more than one wrong turn, but did eventually find my way out and up onto Windsor Hill. To be honest, it didn’t matter. It’s no secret that I adore woodland walking, and given that the rain had actually stopped at this point, I was quite content wandering around this unexpectedly interesting place.
The Final Stretch to Shepton Mallet
The remainder of the route was through farmland, which was a little undulating but not difficult. It was like the weather was playing with me, though. The sun came out at one point, warming the day up by quite some margin – only to be almost immediately followed by a huge thunderstorm which did the opposite! I mean, it was January, so I knew weather was going to play a significant role in my Mendip Way adventure, but it didn’t need to be quite so dramatic!!!
As I neared Shepton Mallet, I longed for less of the slippery mud and waterlogged meadows, and more rocky lanes to expedite my journey. I felt slow, and my legs were a little fed up of the constant balancing act I was asking of them. With a little over a mile left, when I saw a sneaky alley-style opportunity to dip into Shepton Mallet a little earlier than officially suggested, I did so. And while that meant I missed out Charlton Viaduct, another of the Somerset and Dorset Railway’s impressive structures, it did mean I got to walk past HMP Shepton Mallet. Known as Cornhill, this was once the country’s oldest operating prison, and is now a tourist attraction.
Doing that final mile on concrete and tarmac meant I reached my chosen inn a little before 5pm. That seven mile stretch from Wells had taken me four hours with only a few stood-up breaks to take on fuel. Sounds sluggish because it was, but given the conditions I am quite happy with that pace. Maybe ‘deliberate’ is a better word.
The Thatched Cottage Inn
My accommodation for the night was The Thatched Cottage Inn, a traditional inn with rooms. I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful and large first floor room waiting for me; the spacious set up with sofa and huge bed, along with a luxurious bath, were a welcome sight after a gruelling day. You know I wasted no time in making a tea and soaking in the bath, letting the warm water soothe my tired muscles. I mean, they’d even provided actual bubble bath – what a luxury!
The pub’s kitchen was closed, so after a much-needed sugar boost courtesy of a pint of lemonade in the very quiet bar, I ventured out into the dark and damp Sunday evening in search of dinner. The inn was right at the edge of Shepton Mallet, and so getting right into the centre of town would be a 20-minute walk. Which would normally be absolutely fine, and I certainly wasn’t too tired to do the extra steps, but I really didn’t want to get soaked through all over again.
Thankfully, there was a fish and chip shop that had good reviews just five-minutes down the road, so that was a no brainer. My cod and chips at Whitstone’s Traditional Fish and Chips were excellent, and while I started out being the only one seated (there was plenty of action at the takeaway counter), by the time I’d finished my meal the place was more than buzzing with people.
And that was that – day three on the Mendip Way was done. I headed back to the inn, got in my huge bed, and was asleep in no time at all. Anyone would think I’d been working hard all day!
Reflections on Mendip Way Day 3
It might have been a short nine-mile day in terms of distance, but day three hiking the Mendip Way had proven to be no less adventurous than the rest of the journey so far. It’s fair to say it was a hard day, both physically and mentally. The relentless mud, persistent rain, and swollen puddles had (once again) tested my resolve, and by the end, I was spent. Yet, that evening, I’d noted in my journal how I was struck by what the day offered beyond its challenges.
The scenery, even under a menacing sky, was breathtaking. This section of the route continued to provide huge variety – lush fields transformed into shimmering wetlands, narrow lanes and tracks framed by moss-covered walls, and unexpected views that seemed to emerge from nowhere. Somerset’s rolling hills, interspersed with charming villages and ancient woodlands, and those hints of old industry, were captivating, even in the worst weather.
Then there was the strange struggling light versus the strong storm clouds situation which painted the horizon in various shades of green and grey. It was a reminder that beauty doesn’t rely on blue skies and sunshine; it finds its way through clouds and rain alike. Not a bad thing to be reminded of.
No Bailouts Required
I started this adventure journal by recounting the bail-out options I had prepared the previous evening, and I’m immensely grateful I didn’t have to use any of them. The news that evening was filled with reports of flooding not far from where I hiked, with rivers breaching their banks and fields swallowed by water. I knew how fortunate I was to still be walking and enjoying this trail while all that was going on around me. Despite cursing those storm clouds on more than one occasion, and falling out with the baseball cap I was so fed up of wearing, I felt looked after. It was as if the Mendip Way itself was willing me forward.
Day three on the Mendip Way was a test of my love of hiking – I think I’m allowed to say that. Knowing that I overcame it filled me with a real sense of accomplishment. There’s something immensely satisfying about doing something hard and doing it well. Completing this leg also marked the conclusion of the West Mendip Way. It may not have been bathed in golden sunlight, but it was still an adventure filled with beauty, joy, and a quiet kind of triumph that only comes from embracing a challenge alone.
My last day on the Mendip Way coming soon…
I might have been celebrating a weather challenge overcome, but my Mendip Way adventure wasn’t done yet. I had one more day to get to Frome, and I was excited to see this long-weekend adventure through to the end. Come back soon to read that part of the story.
If anything in this journal article has planted a question in your mind about hiking the Mendip Way (or hiking in general), please feel free to ask it in the comments below.
See the full route in OS Maps | Read the official Mendip Way leaflet.
Read all my Mendip Way adventure journal posts.
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