West Somerset Railway Walks

1.  Washford to Watchet  -  2.5 miles

2.  Stogumber to Williton  -  4 miles.

Railway operating days:  The main  thrust of the timetable is from April until the end of October, with trains running daily except most Mondays in April and October.  They also run over most weekends in February, March, and December, also around Christmas (not 25th and 26th) and New Year. A timetable is available from:  he West Somerset Railway, The Railway Station, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5BG.  The information and enquiry line is: 01643 704996.
Web site: www.wsr.org.uk

Walk 1:  Taking the train from Watchet to Washford and walking back.

Useful maps:  Ordnance Survey Explorer OL9 or Landranger 181.

Getting there:  
By road:  Watchet station is on the B3191 approximately 8 miles east of Minehead. A pay and display car park is adjacent to the station.  Its grid reference is 072433.
By public transport:  First Bus 28 to Minehead from Taunton's bus station and main line railway station calls at Watchet and Washford  1/2 - hourly on Monday to Saturday, hourly on Sundays and bank holidays. 

Eating out:  Watchet is blessed with numerous pubs, cafes and restaurants. Washford Inn is conveniently close to Washford station - at the start of the walk.

Visitor attractions:  Washford station is home to the Somerset and Dorset Museum Trust, which commemorates the sadly-departed main line railway from Bath to Bournemouth. Watchet is a delightful and historic former harbour town with two museums and a marina. For lively railway activity, both Minehead and Bishops Lydeard are worth visiting.  Neither are featured on our walk, so you will need to return another day for that!

Summary of the walk:   The walk follows the Old Mineral Line where it runs between the West Somerset Railway and the attractive Washford river over much of their lengths. In so doing it enjoys good views of both the river and the railway as well as the surrounding countryside. A diversion is suggested which crosses adjacent fields from Kentsford railway crossing and heads up to the historic St, Decuman's Church and Holy Well.  .

The walk: 
1.  Go left out of the station and join a footpath on the left labelled 'Old Mineral Line' just beyond Washford Inn. Completed in 1861, the line was designed to connect the iron ore mines in the Brendon Hills to Watchet Harbour. It lasted on and off until 1910 - well after mining had ceased. Apart from this track-bed, there is little to see, except Watchet station house, now holiday flats, and the goods shed, now a garage. The path soon turns left, then right to follow the backs of houses, while the railway runs parallel on the left.

2.  On meeting a road go forward into Huish Lane, and, after passing a school, turn left into a cul-de-sac between Rock Cottage and Lilac Cottage. This is also signed 'Old Mineral Line' and soon comes face to face with a playing field. Go left around the field and soon enjoy views over Washford River - and perhaps that of a passing train!

3.  After about one mile (measured from Washford), Kentsford railway crossing is a classic vantage point for viewing approaching trains, especially those steaming from Watchet.  Not only that, but the nearby bench is ideally located for a picnic lunch!
 A diversion from the route at this point (described below) would take you, if you so wish, to the Holy Well and St Decuman's Church. This saint is recorded (according to legend) as having arrived on a raft with a cow as companion. The Holy Well is where some of his miraculous healing was demonstrated, including that of rejoining his own severed head to his body. Believe all that if you will!
 Continuing along the Old Mineral Line, you will have sight of Watchet Paper Mill before you pass under a railway bridge.
4.  Keep forward (in Whitehall) when a road comes in from the right, and stay with it as it crosses the river at Mill Street and bears right to become Anchor Street.  Watchet station is now minutes away.

Diversion from Kentsford Crossing to the Holy Well and St. Decuman's Church.

From the crossing go down the path on the right and join a waymarked path beyond the buildings of Kentsford Farm. Walk the length of the first field and climb the slope in the next, with St. Decuman's church in view directly ahead. Continue climbing beyond a farm gate, but now in a rough track. The entrance to the Holy Well is uphill on the left, while the church is at the top. A path opposite the churchyard will take you back into Watchet, if you so wish. Alternatively return to Kentsford Crossing and continued with the described walk.

The track-bed of the Old Mineral Line

 

The Classic view from Kentsford Crossing.

Walk 2:  Taking the train from Williton station to Stogumber station and walking back. 

Useful maps:  OS Explorer 140 and OL9 or Landranger 181.

Getting there: 
By road:  Williton station is is off the A39, 9 miles east of Minehead.  Grid reference:  086416.
By public transport:  First bus 28 from Taunton's bus station and main line railway station to Minehead calls at Williton 1/2-hourly Monday to Saturday, hourly on Sundays and bank holidays. Williton station is a 3/4 mile walk from Williton's central bus stop - where all the shops are situated.

Eating out:  Williton has a number of pubs and a fish restaurant. The station itself offers refreshments, as does the delightful little station at Stogumber.

Visitor attractions: Williton station houses a diesel and electric locomotive heritage centre, which is usually open on Saturdays. For lively railway activity Minehead and Bishops Lydeard stations are worth visiting, although neither are featured on our walks.

Summary of the walk:   After following paths and tracks parallel to the railway, the walk encounters the meandering Doniford Stream and the one-time mills that depended on its waters. It joins forces with the Macmillan Way and enters the delightful village of Stampford Brett. It crosses the A358 and soon follows field-side paths to Williton, all the while in sight and sound of the railway.

The walk: 
1. Leave Stogumber station through the small car park adjacent to the station shop and tea stop, and go under the railway bridge (alternatively go over the railway foot-crossing and descend a short path). Turn right immediately from the bridge into a rough drive alongside Railway House, with the railway running parallel on the right. Stay with this straight on for 1/2 mile to Yard Farm and a road, passing through a series of gates and over a stream as you go.

2.  Go left in the road and, when it turns left by the house Bramble Tye, join a farm track on the right. This passes a farmhouse and meets farm buildings ahead. The track turns left there, but you should go through the farmyard to a field on the right. Follow the left-hand edge of the field to the far left-hand corner; and once out of the field turn right immediately, just inside woodland and in a level track. The attractive Doniford Stream will accompany you under the trees while following the field-edge and will lead you to a one-time mill house, Curdon Mill.  To your right you have perhaps one of the best views of the Quantock Hills.

3.  Turn right prior to Curdon Mill and left after 75 yards, passing through a variety of converted buildings to a road, at a bend. Go forward in the road for 1/4 mile to where it turns right  (for Williton etc).  Keep forward here (don't turn right!); and when this branch soon turns left, keep forward again, between farm buildings and in a farm track.

4.  You are now on the MacMillan Way, a 290-mile coast to coast walk from Lincolnshire to Dorset which raises funds for cancer support. After about 250 yards leave the track for a kissing-gate on the right alongside a high-voltage electricity pylon. Cross the field at right angles to the track to another gate  (360 degrees) and, you do so, hopefully see a steam train passing beyond the houses in the 1/2-right direction. From that gate the path goes half-left and almost immediately right under trees. It passes a waterside cottage and, later, a bungalow. With Stampford Brett church coming into view ahead, you will soon be in the village itself.

5.  Keeping forward from the church pass two attractive cottages ('Quarry' and '30') and in due course meet the A358 road from where you have a view of the railway bridge on the right. The railway will remain in view after you cross the road to a drive opposite, which passes to the left of a petrol station. This takes you through Mill Farm to a stile and gate beyond the farm's buildings. Keeping forward in farm track - which evolves into a footpath - ignore a pedestrian gate on the right and enter a field on the left when the path terminates. Follow the right-hand edge of what was originally a succession of three fields to a kissing gate in the far right-hand corner. Turn right from the gate and soon meet a cottage at the termination of a rough drive. Go through a vehicle barrier on the right here and walk alongside a field edge. You will soon follow a brook - which is backed by houses - before crossing it and emerging at a road.

6.  Turning right in the road, stay with it until it joins a busier road (the A39). Turn right there and soon left into Station Road. Williton Station is directly ahead - where hopefully you will find the cafe open!

A Minehead train approaches Stogumber station.

Two idyllic Stampford Brett cottages

The WSR story:
Standing on the platform at Watchet, you may notice the unusual orientation of the station building - at right angles to the track.The explanation given is that Watchet was, until 1874, the termination of the line. After that time the railway was extended to Minehead, another 8 miles. In 1882 the line was converted from Brunel's gauge of 7 feet 1/4 inch. (that's the distance between the rails) to what we now know as  Standard Gauge of 4 feet, 8 and one half inches. As one of many lines that succumbed to Dr Beeching's Act, the railway closed in 1970.
 It will surprise no-one that such a railway in such beautiful countryside would not be allowed to die. And it was this determination that led to the formation of the 'West Somerset Railway PLC' whose prize was the opening of the line in 1976.
 Fortunately many of the stations have retained their original buildings. Minehead station is very large indeed, with platforms approaching 1/4 mile in length. And it possesses a rare structure among heritage railways  - a locomotive turntable. This is a fully restored and functioning turntable from the Great Western Railway.  At the other end of the spectrum is the delightful little station at Stogumber, the starting point of walk 2.
 In addition to the many special events that are held throughout the year, the railway is accessible to charter trains which run through from the main line connection at Norton Fitzwarren all the way to Minehead.