Brent
Knoll Walks - Walk 1: Circular Walk from the Red Cow Pub
Allow One
Hour.
This is
an easy walk along flat streets and flat countryside except
for walking over a railway bridge and some stiles. Use ordinary
walking shoes unless the ground is very wet.
Start from
the Red Cow Inn in the centre of the village.
1.
Walk northwards along Brent Street keeping the slopes of Brent
Knoll on your right. You will pass a variety of period and modernised
farm houses. Ones to look out for are: Park Farm on your left,
painted in lemon and Easternview cottage on your left. This
shows a sun dial on its south facing red bricked wall. A little
further on your right you will see the Old Manor now tastefully
modernised, also in a lemon colour. Beyond the Old Manor is
the large, red bricked West Croft Farm which produces local
cider. Visits to this farm are encouraged by the owner. Turn
left at the junction towards Berrow.
2.
Walk about two hundred yards and take the left turn into Crooked
Lane by the Hawthorns Bed and Breakfast Guest House sign.
3.
Follow this lane past the Hawthorns Bed and Breakfast Guest
House and you will see a view to your left of the long rising
ground of the Knoll with its wood covered slopes and the Parish
Church just peeping over the top. Horses and Donkeys are often
to be seen in the paddock, horse riding being a common past
time in this area.
4.
The lane moves round to the right and up to the railway bridge
which crosses the London to the West Country railway line.
5.
Past the bridge on your left you will see a large pond, the
result of excavations when the bridge was built in the 19th
century. It is a popular pond for course fishermen and is often
home to a family of swans. From the bridge you will see the
slim and elegant Burnham on Sea Lighthouse ahead to the west
and the beginnings of Berrow slightly to the right. Turning
round a view may be gained of the southern environs of Weston
Super Mare and the long wood covered ridge which is part of
the Knoll.
6. Beyond
the bridge the road turns to the left and crosses a rhyne. Many
rhynes criss-cross this area and were built long ago and were
very successful in draining this low lying land. The banks are
a favourite haunt of herons. The lane now turns right towards
Burnham on Sea whose outskirts are less than a mile away.
7.Turn
left, climb the stile and walk towards the railway line.
8.
There is a crossing point here but please beware of the trains
by looking and listening.
9.Walk
across two fields with a stile in between keeping the rhyne
immediately on your right. In summer many types of dragon flies
can be seen in this environment. Much of the village may be
seen on your left with fields of maize on your right.
10. Continue
along a raised bank which moves round to the left into a wooded
walkway in which may be seen a variety of trees and bushes including
hawthorn, sloe, ash and blackberry. This path emerges into Body's
Lane.
11.
At this point one can enjoy a favourite view of the Methodist
Chapel in the foreground, the Parish Church behind, surrounded
by woods which stretch up towards the summit of Brent Knoll.
12. On
the left may be seen the splendid walled garden of Ivyclad Hall.
The house was built on slightly rising ground during the reign
of Queen Anne and is one of the oldest in the village.
13.
Turn left onto Brent Street again where on the right you will
see the white building of Nightingale Farm. This area is a favourite
haunt of children in autumn as they search for conkers from
the many horse chestnut trees. Continue along the Brent Street,
past another modernised house, Kennett House and past Laurel
Avenue on your left. On your right is the entrance to Croft
House, then comes a variety of post war houses which will lead
you back to your starting point of the Red Cow. |