A meander along the River Frome
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Join us for a walk along this unspoilt backwater defining the border of Somerset and Wiltshire. Our route traces out the path of the River Frome as it meanders from it's source near the town with the same name. There's some lovely rural views punctuated by some quite eye catching old buildings like tranquil Iford Manor (The tea room and stunning gardens of which we may have time to visit near the end) and the dramatic ruins of Farleigh Hungerford Castle, having a gruesome history and the best collection of human-shaped lead coffins in Britain. Then there's picturesque Tellisford Mill with its ancient bridge and micro hydro electricity plant. At our furthest point upstream, we reach the sleepy stone village of Rode, where a drink in one of the two hostelries will refresh us.
Along the way we'll see quintessential English scenes of rolling farmland interspersed with grand old trees and ancient hedgerows.
Dogs are welcome to join us on this event but we do ask the following:
Please appreciate the fact that not everyone is a dog owner or lover- especially when we stop to eat
Please ensure you adhere to the Countryside Code at all times - see (Keeping Dogs Under Effective Control)
If your dog is uncontrolled and strays in open land frightening other animals or livestock, the leader is supported by the OutdoorLads board of trustees to ask you to leave the event as this is not acceptable behaviour
We cannot guarantee that this route is dog friendly - there may be styles to carry your dog across.
Your dog needs to have the stamina to keep up with the group. This may be an issue on hot days.
What to bring
Bring £6 for admission to the Castle, and some for a drink at the pub, and tea at Iford.
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking NB This route is liable to be muddy in places after heavy rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch. Tea coffee sweets and soft drinks are available at the Castle ticket office. There will be a pub stop in Rode, but not time to order food. It is also planned to stop at Iford Manor which has does great tea and cakes in the housekeepers tea room.