This is a pleasant ramble in East Mendip, ideal for the winter months, from the hamlet of Witham Friary through rural Somerset passing near what was once a great Carthusian priory and its fish ponds and calling in at a splendid welcoming pub at a village half way round. It's about 5.5 miles/2.75 hours walking. Use the map Explorer 142 Shepton Mallet and Mendip Hills East, ref: 744 408. Park in Witham Friary, a very pretty hamlet about three miles south of Nunney Catch. From the Nunney Catch roundabout on the A 361 Shepton Mallet to Frome Road proceed towards Frome and then turn right signed to Trudoxhill and Witham Friary. Go through Trudoxhill and on down round bends to Witham Friary. Park in the football club car park, round the bend past the church. If it is full, or likely to be, then find somewhere else suitable nearby.

Autumn and winter are ideal seasons for this circular ramble exploring quiet farming country and ancient mixed woodland.

It has only a gentle uphill section. We follow a quiet road from Witham Friary and then use footpaths through fields and woodland and an old byway.

En route we call in at Trudoxhill for refreshment, if desired.

Then the Macmillan Way takes us back south, passing near the almost invisible remains of what was once one of Britain's great priories. At the end is a classic cider and beer drinker's pub, little changed over centuries – the Seymour Arms at Witham Friary (it doesn't serve food). It's a good outing for dogs, too.

START

Turn left through the village that is named after the former friary, which was nearby. Go past the church with its distinctive tower.

This was once part of the nearby priory. Although the original building dates from about 1200 it was altered in 1828, and then rebuilt and extended in 1875 in "muscular Gothic" style. Built of local limestone rubble, the church is supported on each side by four massive flying buttresses. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.

Continue out of the village for about 15 minutes, climbing gently and going round bends.

1. FARM DRIVE

Reach a drive on the left to Barrow Farm. Follow this. Go round a bend and climb slightly. Just as the woodland on the right ends, turn right following the footpath into the field and follow the woodland on your right.

2. WOODS

Cross a marked stile into the woods by an oak and turn left on the path just inside the wood.

This is mixed ancient woodland, which is well managed and has a variety of plants associated with ancient woodland, such as sweet woodruff and dog's mercury.

The path after several minutes leads to a stile. Cross and then turn 90 degrees right and follow the wire fence going deeper into the wood.

Continue to follow the arrows. Go over a crossing path and then it might get a little wetter walking on a wide corridor of grass and sedges.

3. FIELD

Eventually cross a stile into a field. Go straight ahead and, in the far right corner, turn right and immediately left into another field and then go left with the hedge on your left. Cross a stile and continue on.

4. TRACK

At the end, cross over on to an old trackway, Westend Lane – a pleasant dry route. Go ahead at the side of a gate which is across the track and continue on. Just before the track curves gently right, look carefully for a short path on the right leading to a stile and plank bridge.

Cross into a field and go straight across. After a double stile and footbridge, continue on and in the far left corner, go under a rail, then over a stile and turn right following the right hedge. A stile leads on to a short path and on to the lane in Trudoxhill.

5. TRUDOXHILL

Turn right to the White Hart, a beautiful and well- run country pub with a good garden and a tempting menu. Opposite on the main road is a millennium stone under which a time capsule is buried – not to be recovered for a hundred years!

Continue past the pub on the side lane, Froghamshire Lane. You have now joined the long-distance Macmillan Way. Ignore side-footpaths.

6. STILE

After a few minutes, at a bend, go right over a stile into a field. Stay in the field, going ahead with the hedge on your right. When I came here, the fields were saturated after prolonged rain and quite sticky. Cross stiles just short of the corner and continue on towards a farm. Leave this field in the corner and pass the farm on your left.

7. ROAD

Come on to the road and turn left. Ignore the right turn, and soon go right on to a public footpath into a field. Follow the hedge straight on, passing farm buildings.

Cross a stile and maintain direction down the full length of the next field. Go to the far left corner, through a gate, and turn right, continuing in the same direction as before but with the hedge on the right. Cross a stile in the far corner. Now bear diagonally left down the field, getting some pleasant views across to the wooded ridge and Alfred's Tower.

In the far left corner go through to another field and just continue straight on down the hedge-line and join a small track leading to a lane. Turn left. Our circle continues by going right on the first public footpath on a track.

But you may wish to make a small detour and visit the site of the old Carthusian monastery before returning here: go a little further on the lane and then right through the next opening over a stile. Follow the left hedge up.

Cross a railway line and continue to follow the hedge. Look through an opening to the field on the left and you may see a few humps and bumps.

This was the great Carthusian monastery of Witham Friary established in 1179 by Henry I in his Royal Forest of Selwood here, as part of his penance for the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The house succumbed to the dissolution of the monasteries and surrendered without trouble in March 1539. The monastery had significant land and included the area up on the Mendip escarpment which still bears the name Charterhouse (an anglicised version of Carthusian).

8. FISHPONDS

To continue, follow the track to the old fishponds which provided food for the monks. Keep them on your left. Once past these, maintain direction through fields along the right hedge. Over on your left is the River Frome, which you can't really see well.

See ahead the tower of Witham Friary church. A stile at the end brings you back on to the road and turn left, retracing your steps to the start.

A little further on from the car park by a phone box is the Seymour Arms, well worth a visit if you want to step back in time about half a century. There you can enjoy good beer and cider at very reasonable prices.

It has been in the same family for generations and has been untouched by modernisation or the lure of serving food. It was purpose-built, along with farm buildings, in 1866 or 1867 for the Duke of Somerset's estate.

The White Hart, Trudoxhill. Tel: 0871 917 0007.

The Seymour Arms, Witham Friary. Tel: 01749 850742.