Celebration Weekend 2017: Freshford and River Avon Circular

PLEASE NOTE REVISED MEETING POINT AND START TIME 10:30  THIS WALK IS OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS AND IS OFFERED AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION WEEKEND 

An delightful Sunday afternoon walk that packs in 4 villages, 3 Rivers, 3 Valleys, 2 canals, 4 pubs (we will stop at one of them), 1 hill, a small museum, a tea shop, the remains of a carthusian priory, and even an aqueduct!

Our route starts off through the pretty village of Freshford and then follows the river Frome for a short while before a steep ascent out of the valley up a wooded slope. After crossing the busy A36 we continue on the plateau to pass the ruined priory before dropping down a grassy slope into our second valley at the Hamlet of Midford, which being about half way around, is a good place for a quick pint at the Hope and Anchor.  Now we will follow the valley of the Midford Brook a couple of miles to pass our 3rd village – Monkton Combe. A little further we reach the Somerset Coal canal visitor centre, with a handy stop for tea, cake, ice cream etc. The last part of the walk initially takes us across the Dundas Aqueduct, built to carry the Kennet and Avon canal across the River Avon below, and we can follow the canal back towards Freshford, crossing back over the river Avon at our 4th village, Limpley Stoke