Castle Combe and surrounding countryside

This walk of about 5¼ miles is through the picturesque village of Castle Combe and into some of its associated countryside.  Although most of the walk is in the secluded wooded countryside around the village it is best avoided at busy week-end and holiday times.  There are some rather steep climbs.

NOTE:  A great deal of this walk is through areas in which dogs must be kept on leads.

Park in the signposted free car park at Upper Castle Combe (845777) near the B4039.

From the car park walk ½ mile SW downhill into Castle Combe village.

Castle Combe is a particularly picturesque stone-built village which is generally accepted to be the loveliest village in Wiltshire and has often been named as England’s prettiest village.  Castle Combe has been used as a setting for films, notably for Doctor Doolittle.

From the market cross near the church walk for ¼ mile S down Castle Combe High Street and across the road bridge as far as the footbridge about 100 metres beyond the gate piers to Bybrook House.

There are public toilets a little S of the road bridge.

At 841768 leave the road by crossing the arched stone footbridge on your left and follow the footpath (signposted Long Dean 2”) first S and then SE for about one mile along the shoulder of the hills and through woods high above the By Brook and round the S side of Rack Hill to the hamlet of Long Dean.

At Long Dean turn right, cross the footbridge over the By Brook, and follow the way SW uphill beside a wall on your left passing on your left a former mill, continue up a hollow way for ½ mile, and upon emerging from the tree-lined path into the open keep to the high ground by following the contours until you reach a minor road which is then followed SW down to the A420 a little E of Ford village.

At Ford a public house is available for refreshments.

Walk for a short distance W along the A420 (being careful of the A road traffic), by a timber bus shelter (842749) leave the A420 by turning N (right) along Park Lane, and at the end of the lane cross a stile on the left and bear away right and walk N along the grass track above a stream.  Keep near the stream to ensure that you do not miss the footbridge (843754) at the end of an open field, cross the footbridge, climb the steep footpath N, continue through open fields along the side of a hill and then descend the hill to the road junction at 839761.

Enter the road through a metal gate and from this road junction take the left fork (NOT the road signed Castle Combe”) and follow the tree-lined road NW past Shrub Farm to the bend at 833767.

At this bend leave the road by the signposted bridleway, walk immediately NW and after a short distance NW and descend a hollow way to Broadmead Brook (830773).

Cross Broadmead Brook by the stone slab footbridge, then turn right and follow the N bank of the brook NE then E through woods to  Nettleton Mill House and here (833776) turn right towards a high locked metal gate which is by-passed by a semi-consealed pedestrain pass gate to its right.

Continue E and follow the signposted footpaths across the Manor House golf course, cross the bridge carries the golf course drive, and pass near the S end of the castle site.

The Norman castle which gave Castle Combe its name was originally built by the Dunstanvilles on the site of a prehistoric earthwork.  The castle was in 1394 acquired by the Scrope family and was held by them for nearly 500 years.  Practically nothing of the castle now remains other than its earthworks, its stone having been used in the 16^th C to build the Manor House.

Continue to follow the public footpath signs through the golf course at first SE and as you near the Manor House Hotel gates fork left away from the hotel and continue to follow the footpath E across the S end of the park.  Ignore the long flight of steps on your left, and continue to follow the footpath with a wall on its right.  When this footpath divides ignore the right hand path to the village and follow the other path uphill, pass to the left of a football pitch, and continue walking between some stone gate piers and join a tarmacadamed lane which runs past the former village school and rejoins the outward route at the road a little downhill from the start point at the car park.