Day 13 Wells to Nunney: A Variegated Day

Walking Out of Wells via the East Mendip Way

For an OS map of today's walk click here.

Today's walk to Nunney was quite long at around 14 miles, so after the last couple of days of unsettled weather we were a little nervous with the skies looking threatening, but the clouds stayed high and we had no rain. Initially the walking out of Wells was great on the East Mendip Way, with fairly good paths. However, about midway between Wells and Shepton Mallet, and again a few miles from Shepton Mallet, the paths were more challenging—most likely because they were less-travelled, featuring a variety of dangers, toils, and snares (I mean this somewhat jokingly, as today was mostly a good day): instead of a path, knee high grass that was exhausting to wade through; no exit from a field when there should have been one

Viaduct for the Former East Somerset Railway, Shepton Mallet

according to the map; inquisitive, potentially aggressive cattle with the exit stile from that field hidden from view behind bushes and nettles; huge mucky pools blocking all but a thin margin of the path; warnings posted by the Cranmore Archery Association to stick to the path because archery could be in progress; an electric fence line that had to be very carefully unhooked to get through; a wood that had a path that began well but degenerated into multiple deep muddy ruts (we saw three tires in separate spots, but never spotted the fourth); and finally, expecting to finish the day with a walk along an unclassified lane as shown on the map, a lane that had been upgraded into an extremely busy road with traffic whizzing by at 100 km/hr and no sidewalk or even verge to speak of. (After a stressful half hour we eventually escaped southward down a wonderful bridleway that took us most of the rest of the way to Nunney.)

The day had many beauties and enjoyable experiences as well: a huge horse-jumping course; the very kind proprietors of Peppers Cafe in Shepton Mallet; an amazing railway viaduct; great views across the Mendip Hills; the Poachers' Pocket pub in Chellynch; a garden on a hillside that could be enjoyed only by the homeowners and people walking on the path we were on; and channeled streams flowing alongside our way.

Penny's Mill, our B & B, was lovely, and on arrival we had tea and freshly-made biscuits (cookies) that were still warm from the oven. Our host Rosie is a professional cook, and we splurged to enjoy a fantastic home-made dinner of pear salad appetizer, Persian chicken, basmati rice flavored with orange and pomegranate, cheese plate, and raspberry pavlova. We enjoyed sharing the meal with Rosie and her husband Bill (who happens to be an accomplished furniture designer) as well as one of their friends, Peter, who was helping at the Bath and West Show, a huge annual agricultural fair held nearby. It was an excellent end to the day.

42,459 steps, 31.844 km, 1, 294.5 cal
OS getamap measured distance: 15.86 mi (25.52 km) 

Arriving at Penny's Mill