![]() ![]() ![]() The woods suddenly end at the summit, leaving you to cross over the open fields of Worminster Down. As you pause to catch your breath look behind you to savour great views back over the lowlands to the cathedral at Wells standing proud and framed, but rather dwarfed still by the great Mendip ridge behind it. You are now walking in the footsteps of a desperate Royal – following the Monarch's Way, part of an epic 615 mile long-distance trail that runs from Worcester to Brighton, tracking the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651.Īfter a humiliating defeat in The English Civil War at the Battle of Worcester and with a £1000 bounty on his head, King Charles was pursed by Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentary Forces along this route, across the Mendips via Wells, as he headed towards the south coast to try to find a boat in which to flee to exile in France.Īfter crossing the infant River Sheppey, you reach your first ascent today as you track up from the low meadows into the treeline on an ancient upland area known as Worminster Down.Ĭlimbing its north flank the path gets narrower and steeper, twisting back and forth through the trees and scrub, watch out for rabbits and roe deer as you climb on a trail that does not get much human use. #Glastonbury tor to stonehenge uk pilgrimage full#You are quickly swallowed up by a large and ancient tract of cool, lush woodland, full of busy squirrels and the sound of songbirds. The route leaves the Mendip Way at the green below the towering cathedral at Wells, an appropriately spiritual start to our walk.įrom here our holy trail to Glastonbury passes out of the “City” through the Penniless Arch and Medieval Market place into the fairy-tale grounds of the Bishops Palace, following its serene moat past the sturdy castle-like walls to reach the meadows beyond There with some impressive views back over the Cathedral you bid goodbye to the bustle of Wells and enter that peace and quiet that always accompanies any walk through the rich and hidden countryside of inland Somerset. For the walker its a route that feels like your own mini quest… with its own Holy Grail to aim for right at the end of it! Route Description The one constant as you walk, is that you are always following a trail that is sweeping onwards down the ley lines towards that unmistakeable and perfect conical shaped Tor. The walk from Wells Cathedral uses the historic Monarch’s Way and takes you through shady apple orchards, over ancient wooded downs and finally along a lofty ridge that rises over the extensive Somerset Levels. Walking in from Wells, you avoid the day-trippers by sneaking up to the Tor from the East, appropriately hobbit-like on a “back door” route through a swathe of hidden, rural Somerset. ![]() And if you are going to arrive via the Tor, then the best way to do it is by using your own two feet, following your own personal pilgrimage from Wells Cathedral to the holy ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. One - There is no better way to arrive then by climbing over the lonely and dramatic Glastonbury Tor and pausing to drink in the views, before descending into the mystical mayhem of the town that clusters at the foot of the Tor. 11.5 miles Easy Grade Walking with three moderate ascents ![]()
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