Bury Hill Fort
An interesting rural walk which follows sections of the Frome Valley Walkway including the Huckford viaduct and the steep-sided, wooded valley at Winterbourne Down before climbing to visit Bury Hill Fort, an Iron Age fort with well preserved double earth ramparts. There are 4 stiles and 32 steps plus an optional section with steep slope and steps to the fort.
Start at Golden Heart pub in Down Road, just off A432 at Kendleshire/Winterbourne Down.
Turn right out of pub & walk on pavement (beware fast traffic) to Damsons Bridge.
Turn Right (through gate?) onto footpath and follow this toward viaduct.
Turn Left over stile to follow River Frome toward railway viaduct.
Cross Huckford footbridge and turn Right to go under viaduct.
Turn Left at viaduct and follow UP path and 32 steep steps toward Winterbourne.
Turn Left onto Hicks Common Road, over railway and downhill to bottom.
Go straight across road outside a pub and along short road.
Turn Left at end (Stone Lane), then keep/fork right.
WATCH for a really sharp right on to a footpath and follow this (through woods, beside Frome) and eventually over bridge.
Go right after bridge to continue along wider footpath through woods to its end.
Turn Left onto road & look on left for footpath up into woods (by wooden posts after about 50 - 100 metres)
Alternative route to omit next steep section: Continue on road, past house, keeping left, and follow road for a few hundred metres before turning left through kissing gate onto footpath on a slight bend mentioned in point 17. Continue from point 18.
Take care up steep footpath with several steps at top (slippery if wet/mud/leaves)
Go straight across surfaced track at top and over stile - or through gate if open.
Follow path to the Right, which goes through trees & over rough ridge (earth embankment) to the Bury Hill Fort, an Iron Age encampment.
Walk on trodden path, diagonally across flat top of Fort, and note earth embankment round edge (the view would have been good from here before the trees grew).
Go over steep stile (or through gate if open) and turn Right to follow lane to road.
Turn Left onto road for about 130 metres - at bend, Turn Left through kissing gate onto fenced footpath.
Follow path to end and exit onto road via stile (or gap to right of stile).
Turn Left onto road, Keep Left & then Right onto Down Road, crossing to pavement, which takes you back to pub.
Using the map. The map shows the main walk in yellow and alternative routes in red. The Start/End point is marked with a yellow diamond and points of interest on the route are marked with a red pin. Click on a red pin to see descriptions and photos.
Use the +/- buttons at the bottom of the map to zoom in or out. Use the icon at the top right of the map to get a full screen image.