Quantock Circular in Ramscombe Forest

Start : The Quarry car park at Ramscombe.

(S/E) Turn left out of The Quarry car park and walk westwards away from picnic site along a forest track gradually climbing up through the trees. Continue straight ahead, ignoring turnings to the right, until you reach a gate across path at top of combe.

(1) Go through gate and turn immediately right and up a steep slope. This path then becomes fairly level and takes you above the Combe opening up good views on your right.

(2) Continue along this path to gap in beech hedge on your left leading to Dead Woman’s Ditch, indicated by a large wooden post on left. Go through gap and follow path up to car park, the Bronze Age earthwork Dead Woman’s Ditch lies to your left.

(3) Cross the car park to the Over Stowey/Nether Stowey road sign and follow a grassy path alongside road through bracken and gorse. As the path drops down towards another small car park, Sandy Beds, there are good views across to Bridgwater and the Somerset Levels.

(4) At Sandy Beds take the path at right angles on the right marked with a post “No Vehicles”. Continue down this path until it meets a wider forest track with a gate. Go through the gate and follow this track with a stone water tank on your left.

(5)Continue down the track ignoring side tracks going off sharply down to your right. Take this wide forest track meandering down-hill and through a large gate.

(6) At a cattle grid by Adscombe Farm turn right and follow the wide forestry road past Great Wood Camp.

(7) Just past Seven Wells car park take the right hand fork in the road facing the oncoming traffic. Continue until you reach a small wooden bridge on your left. Cross the bridge to the picnic area where there are benches and BBQ facilities where you can enjoy a picnic under the trees. Exit the picnic area and turn right and The Quarry car park is on your left. (S/E)

This walk is mostly on forest tracks. The walk can be shortened just after (5) by going down the right hand track and picking up the main walk at (7). The downward gradient is rather steep and uneven.

The final section from Adscombe Farm is along the forest road on which there is a 15mph speed, however you need to take care especially at weekends and during school holidays when this road can be busy and, some drivers do not always observe the speed limit.

Refreshments : No refreshments enroute but pubs in Nether Stowey and Keenthorne, cafes in Nether Stowey.

Public Toilets : Adjacent to The Quarry car park at Ramscombe.

Public Transport : Nearest connecting buses Nether Stowey, Over Stowey and Crowcombe.

This walk was first published by The Nether Stowey Footpaths Group via the Village Links in Action initiative. Artwork by Gerry Wright. More information at Stowey Walking website here.