With Nigel Vile A linear walk to Wellow & back
Iarrived in Wellow with all good intentions. a circular walk along quiet lanes to Twinhoe and Midford before returning along what was the course of the Somerset & dorset railway, now a shared-used path for walkers, cyclists and horses from the local trekking centre. Those good intentions soon went out of the window. There was a bitterly cold wind, and the hilltops around Twinhoe are high, open and exposed. i couldn’t face the steep climb uphill out of Wellow! instead it was a ‘there-and-back’ walk to Midford along the former railway, combined with a loop around Midford itself, often described as a ‘lollipop walk’.
Many walkers are contemptuous about there-andback linear walks, arguing that it is too repetitive visiting the same landscape twice within a few hours. i admit that i was once of that persuasion until a friend put an opposing point of view. Walking in one direction, the view ahead is very different compared to walking the same route in reverse – if that makes sense! rarely do walkers stop en route to look at the view behind, and all too often a fine view is missed as a consequence. That is so true in this case, with the outlook towards Midford and Midford Hill on the outward leg being very different to the view on the return towards Wellow and its surrounding hills.
The Somerset & dorset railway ran for some 70 miles from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth West, with various branches and spurs. it survived for just over a century from its opening in 1862 to its closure courtesy of dr Beeching in 1966. The line held legendary status among railway enthusiasts, passing as it did through some of the best scenery in Southern england. The S&d was known as ‘slow and dirty’ by its critics. i prefer the more poetic ‘swift and delightful’ - or should that be ‘serene and delightful’? its best known train was the Pines express that ran from Manchester and Birmingham down to Mangotsfield and Bath, before heading off to the South Coast, a popular excursion for holidaymakers.
On this section of the S&d, we cross a vast viaduct at Midford before passing the site of the former Midford Station with its platform still in situ. alongside the platform, an old timetable has been reproduced on an information board. Maybe ‘slow and dirty’ was closer to the mark with the 06:48 morning train from Bath not arriving in Bournemouth until 10:47, a journey of around 70 miles which equates to well below 20 miles per hour. But what a journey with so many delightful stops along the way including Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt, Binegar, Maesbury Halt, Sturminster Newton and Blandford Forum.
Midford, with its collection of disused railways, is a mecca for industrial archaeologists. Both the Somerset & dorset and the Bristol & North Somerset railways passed this way, which explains the profusion of viaducts in the village. as you walk down Twinhoe Lane, look carefully and you will see the point where these two lines crossed. if the setting looks familiar to older readers, or enthusiasts of classic British comedy films, it is because many of the scenes in the 1953 movie The Titfield Thunderbolt were filmed here. The film centres around a group of villagers trying to keep their branch line open after threats of closure by British rail.
Back in Wellow, although not on the walk itself, the Fox & Badger pub post Covid will no doubt prove a tempting diversion. in the meantime, the riders’ rest Tea rooms at the Trekking Centre is currently open for takeaway drinks, snacks and cakes but only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 4pm. and one final note; other than assistance dogs, dogs are not permitted on the railway path between Wellow and Midford. This is a permissive path so please do not contravene this rule or access rights could be removed.
NOTE Crossing the B3110 in Midford is quite dangerous with a bend to the right and traffic that clearly does not obey the speed limits. it is advisable to turn left when you reach the B3110 and walk down past the Hope & anchor before crossing this busy road. This will give you much better sight lines. Having crossed the road lower down, turn right back up to the lane signposted to Twinhoe.
Getting there
■ Leave the B3110 in Hinton Charterhouse and follow an unclassified road alongside the Stag Inn signposted to Wellow. In just under two miles, park on the roadside opposite the entrance to the Wellow Trekking Centre.
■ 1. Follow the path into the Wellow Trekking Centre to join National Cyclepath 244 that utilises the course of the former Somerset & Dorset Railway. Follow this path for just under two miles to reach Midford’s former station. Continue along the path for another 350 yards and, having passed through a short tunnel, turn right on to Tucking Mill
Lane.
■ 2. Follow this lane to the right for 300 yards to a crossroads in Upper Midford, before turning left into Old Midford Road and dropping down to the B3110. Turn left for a few paces before crossing this busy road to a lane opposite, signposted to Twinhoe. Follow this lane for 300 yards before turning left at the top of a climb to rejoin Cyclepath 244. Turn right and follow this path for 1¾ miles back to the Wellow Trekking Centre.
NOTE: Please maintain social distancing while walking for exercise and only follow this walk if it is local to you during lockdown