Sue Gearing heads to the Somerset/Devon border for this quiet ramble

This walks is about 6.25 miles/about three hours walking. Use the map OS Explorer 128, Taunton & Blackdown Hills, grid ref: 152 168. Park at the free National Trust Quarts Moor parking area on the road which runs east/west across the Blackdowns, parallel with and south of the M5. To reach it from the M5, leave at junction 26. It is opposite Wallace's farm shop and restaurant.

I mmerse yourself in the rolling landscape of the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The hills form a tranquil, beautiful, and relatively isolated landscape on the border between Devon and Somerset.

Steep ridges, high plateaux, valleys, ancient woodlands and springs create a stunning mosaic of countryside dotted with farms and villages and sheltering valuable wildlife habitats.

The circle visits the Wellington monument and a great pub. At the end is a farm shop cafe for a well earned cuppa.

The going is on footpaths which are pretty good underfoot, as well as on quiet lanes and roads. It's a good doggy day out, too.

START

Just by the entrance to Quarts Moor parking area, go left over a stile into the National Trust woodland. Follow the grassy path straight on, parallel with the road. At a raised bank, go right and immediately left and continue as before. As the path bends right at the end of the wood, bear up left and come back on to the road.

1. ROAD

Turn right. There is not a lot of traffic but it is fast, so take care. After about four minutes, go straight over a staggered crossroads, past Hemyock Place and after another minute reach the parking area for the Wellington monument on the right. Turn right through this and follow the broad track for about a third of a mile through woodland all the way to the open heathland area and the monument.

2. MONUMENT

This 175ft tall triangular tower, which is a landmark for miles around, celebrates the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo. It is the fifth tallest freestanding obelisk in the world.

Sadly, because of a need for major structural repairs, it is surrounded by corrugated fencing and cannot be climbed

The foundation stone was laid in 1817 but it was not until 1854 that the monument was finished.

Inspiration for its design came from an Egyptian obelisk, particularly noticeable in the large stone scarab over the entrance door.

A counterweight hangs inside to help balance the monument in windy weather. Originally it was surrounded by four cannon. However, during World War II they were removed and used for scrap to help the war effort. The Wellington Rotary Club donated the cannon currently standing at the base of the monument in 1985.

There is an information board under a beech tree near the monument. Go past this on the path, bearing off left away from the monument and soon reach footpath markers on the right into woodland.

Go into the wood and then bear over left and cross a stile by a wooden gate into a field. Don't continue on the path through the woods.

Now simply go straight on, keeping close to the woods on the right and crossing a few stiles. Start to descend. As you reach the fence corner on the right, go left downhill to the woodland strip along the road below.

3. STILE

Cross a stile hidden under trees and come on to the road again. You have about four minutes on the road. Turn left. Pass a house on the left and go around the right bend which is arrowed; as it bends left, cross right over the first marked stile into a field.

4. FIELD

Go ahead following the right edge. Now simply continue in this direction for about a mile through open areas and woodland along what is a hill edge, crossing stiles. As you go along, the views over the typical Black Down Hills valley on the right get better. In season there will be some good bluebells along here. Pass a summerhouse hut on the left, and cross a stile and then a short path leads to a stile on to the lane.

Turn left, going gently uphill. After two or three minutes reach a farm.

5. FARM

Turn right through the yard following the footpath sign. Go through a kissing gate and straight on across the field (watch your footing as there are large stones hidden under the grass).

Go through a gate (a Bristol gate) on the far side. Maintain direction across the next field, going through a wide opening into a third field and cross this. A gate leads on to a road. Ahead is another of the lovely little valleys of the Black Down Hills. Cross the road and turn left a couple of yards and find a stile hidden behind the hedge on the right by an iron grille.

Once in the field, bear diagonally left steeply downhill into the valley to a metal gate down on the left. Go through on to a lane.

6. LANE

Turn right downhill. This drops down into the pretty scattered hamlet of Ashculme. Cross the stream and then continue on, staying on the lane.

7. LEFT TURN

At farm buildings, turn up a lane left starting the climb out of the valley. I tried the footpath route across this valley not far away but it was quite hard going and boggy, so this is the best alternative.

Ignore a footpath on the right and then later ignore another and shortly after this take the first footpath on the left at a marker post.

8. FOOTPATH

Turn left on a path which goes above an area called Clayhidon Turbary – a peaty, boggy area, but a great wildlife habitat. Turbary is an old word meaning a piece of peatland from which turf, usually moss peat, may be cut for fuel.

The path looks across to the Wellington monument and the area you have just crossed. At the very end turn right, just past a shed and a gate takes you into a field. Go straight up past a power pole and through the gate at the top. Keep on through a farm.

Follow the farm drive out, through gates, to a lane. Turn left and immediately right on the footpath along a stony track. Pass a house on the right and continue to just before the house at the end. Bear right on a grassy path by a bank and go through a gate. The path takes you to a crossing track by the church at Clayhidon.

9. CLAYHIDON

Here is the very popular and beautifully sited Half Moon Inn, with a garden overlooking a small valley.

To continue, go back to the track by the church. Sadly, the church was locked when I came here. Continue up the track and this leads to a footpath. Follow the path straight on to a field. Cross a stile and turn left along the edge.

Go through a gate in the corner and on. Cross a ladder stile and continue on as before. The edge may be a little overgrown with wild flowers but is easily walked.

In the far corner, cross a stile on the left. Turn left and immediately right, passing a stable. Stay over to the left, but keep on and soon reach a crossing stony drive.

10. DRIVE

Turn left and this leads to a road. Turn right on the road, which should be quiet.

11. CROSSROADS

After about nine minutes reach a crossroads on the main road which you probably drove over to get to the start. Turn left and after about four minutes when you reach woodland, turn right on the public footpath. Go down here for a couple of hundred yards passing a National Trust path sign on the left.

Then come to a very definite path on the left through the woods. It isn't marked. Follow this all the way to a raised bank, now heading back in the direction of the road. Cross the bank and continue on towards the road. Then turn right and reach the parking area.

The Half Moon Inn, Clayhidon, Devon EX15 3TJ. Tel: 01823 680291; website: www.halfmoondevon.co.uk

Wallace's farm shop, Hemyock, Devon EX15 3UZ. Tel: 01823 680307; website: www.welcometowallaces.co.uk. Please call to confirm opening times before setting out.