Important!
Very sadly this route has now been removed. Unfortunately, despite requests for walkers to respect the countryside and permissive paths over which this walk passes, the route has become a problem for the landowner and village, with visitors failing to keep to the footpaths, take home their litter (even dirty nappies have been left behind) and park considerately. Chew Stoke waterfall is a very special place and one very dear to my own heart. The landowners are working hard on conservation projects and to engage with the local community in environmental and outdoor incentives but they are no longer able to support the additional pressures of those few but significant visitors who fail to care for the countryside they are there to enjoy.As you will know if you are a regular visitor to this website, I am passionate about getting kids and families out into nature, enjoying the countryside and engaging with wildlife. I am in absolutely no doubt that the vast majority of visitors have been doing just that and in an environmentally aware way. I am sorry to have to remove this route and hope you will continue to enjoy other local Baby Routes.
Just please, please remember: Leave No Trace.
Finally, if you would like to take the opportunity to refresh your kids on the Countryside Code, then you may find this link helpful.
Walk Distance: 4.5 km
Walk Duration: 1hr 15
OS Map: OS Landranger 172 Bristol & Bath; OS Explorer 154 Bristol West & Portishead;
Suitable for: Babies in backpacks (a few stiles to climb); older children;
Walk features: waterfall, field walking, pretty views, historic St. Andrews Church
Walk description:
Chew Stoke Waterfall Walk takes you through the heart of pretty Chew Stoke village in Somerset and out into the gentle rural countryside surrounding it. The walk passes a small waterfall hidden away in a copse – perfect paddling territory for children on warm summer days and a truly magical spot to visit on early spring days when the sunlight peeps through the trees overhead and lights up the gleaming white heads of the carpets of snowdrops on the banks of the stream. This was a favourite childhood walk of mine and the waterfall itself still today reminds me of the fairy glades and hidden places of old tales -just like something out of the Bridei books by Juliet Marrillier or other such modern day fairy tale writers.
This walk is a good version for winter walks when the ground is muddy, as it completes the loop on quiet country lanes. In drier weather walkers may prefer to return via the fields, turning right rather than left at Lower Strode and passing on footpaths behind Knoll Hill.
St. Andrews Church
The Chew Stoke Waterfall Walk starts from St. Andrews Church on Church Lane, Chew Stoke. St. Andrews is itself worth a quick visit before setting off: constructed in the 15th century, this Grade II listed building is home to a veritable host of angels with 154 angels carved in wood and stone to be found the church interior. Chew Stoke was also home to the famous Bilbie bellmaker family who made bells for all over the West Country. Edward Bilbie’s first bell is still to be heard ringing out from St. Andrews Church today.
Wood angels in St. Andrews Church
Walk past St. Andrews Church on your right and continue past Church Farm. Take the small lane to your left marked by a footpath sign. Pass through the kissing gate and walk down the impressive avenue of trees beyond. If you turn and look back here you will have a pretty view of the Chew Stoke Church’s spire framed by the trees.
At the end of the avenue, turn right along the path by the hedge, following the public footpath sign. Walk on and continue through the kissing gate. The path continues straight and you will come to another kissing gate beyond.Go through this and continue.
Just before reaching the end of the next field and another kissing gate, there is a small path marked to the left hand side. Take this and follow it downwards to the riverside where it emerges into a small copse, revealing Chew Stoke waterfall and some perfect paddling for little ones.
A wintery waterfall.
The path leads on past the waterfall itself before climbing back up the bank and rejoining the main path in the field above. The path is quite overgrown here (take care with babies in backpacks) and if the weather is particularly wet and muddy, the path by the waterfall can be a little slippy and precarious, particularly on the return uphill slope. If so, you can retrace your steps to where you left the main path and simply walk on through the kissing gate. The waterfall path will rejoin this main track just beyond the gate.
Continue on the path and pass over the little footbridge. Follow the hedge on your left and continue on the path as it passes through the fields and over two further stiles.
Quiet lane walking with fine views on the descent back to Chew Stoke
Finally you will see Lower Strode Farm building ahead of you. The path passes through a parking area for the farm and another gate onto the lane beyond. Turn left here (unless returning via the fields behind Knoll Hill, in which case turn right), passing Lower Strode Farm on your left hand side. The lane climbs steeply uphill, passing Manor Farm near the top on the left hand side and finally flattening out as the lane reaches a t-junction at the top of Gravel Hill. Turn left along the lane and enjoy the pretty views over the gentle green rolling hills of the Chew Valley. The quiet lane weaves past some remote houses before descending sharply back down to Chew Stoke. As you walk back into Chew Stoke village, you will pass Chew Stoke Primary School on your left-hand side, where the separate entrances once assigned for boys and girls can still be seen marked into the facade of the building. Chew Stoke School is also home to another Bilbie bell.
The lane brings you to the village centre and the Packhorse Bridge. Turn left and walk over the ford (nicknamed locally the Irish Bridge because the water flows over it more often than under it) or if the water is up, continue instead over the Packhorse Bridge and The Street.
Packhorse Bridge, Chew Stoke
At the corner of Church Lane, turn left passing the ornate Old Rectory on your right hand side and the Church Hall on your left. Climb the small hill back up to the walk start at St. Andrews Church.
Map of Route:
Directions:
St. Andrews Church, Chew Stoke is located on Church Lane, Chew Stoke. There is some limited free street parking on Church Lane and the surrounding village streets.
Chew Stoke is poorly connected by public transport but there are two buses (no. 672) a day from Bristol Bus Station, passing Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station and stopping at Radford Factory, Chew Stoke approximately 35 minutes later. The start of the walk is a ten minute stroll along Pilgrims Way.
QR Code:
Rate this walk:
7 comments
Skip to comment form
Hi , I would love to receive you monthly newsletter email if possible.
Many thanks
Hi We went on this walk yesterday. Lovely walk albeit a bit muddy but to be expected at this time of year. Real problem is getting past Lower Strode Farm. Whilst the path goes through the yard via the farm gate, the yard is about 8 inches deep in cow slurry and not passable. Also clearly the farmer knows this as he’s put barbed wire on top of the surrounding timber fence as well as built a barbed wire fence 2 feet inside the timber fence to stop you getting to it and thus avoiding the slurry. No cows in the field or any recent signs. Unless you have wellies on, you have to turn round and go back home.
It’s not a walk I’d recommend.
Author
Hi Simon. Thanks for the feedback. I’ve chatted to other local walkers and heard that the farmer has not been the most helpful in maintaining the path recently. I’ll add a caution to the walk for the time being and check it out in the next month or so when I’m next in the area. I’m taking it the walk as far as the waterfall was still fine? There is a cut through just a short way beyond this that avoids the farm, so will look into adapting the route. Many thanks for taking the time to comment and I’m sorry your walk didn’t work out as expected. Kate
Thanks for the reply Kate.
We also complained to the Council and had a very helpful man call me two days later. He said that mine was the second complaint that week on the same issue. He had spoken to the owner who said that he’d clear it up. The owner apparently had let the field out over the winter to a farmer who had not been the most helpful chap. The Council man said that the local parish and his council had spent a lot of money improving the path and would follow up to make sure things were resolved.
The path to the waterfall is no problem and is clearly well used.
We didn’t see the cut through to avoid the farm and if it is there it wasn’t obvious to us.
Regards
Simon
Farm slurry problem: this has been resolved. I walked this yesterday and the slurry area was spotless and farm is up for sale. There were no cows visible – I imagine they’ve gone.
Short cut round the farm: I took this – fearing the (as it turned out, non-existent) slurry. The turning for it IS marked, but not easy to spot – just keep you eyes peeled to the left as the farm buildings come into sight.
However, taking this ‘short cut’ does entail crossing the stream and a very steep clamber up the other side, and over a decidedly dodgy stile that slopes backwards.
Otherwise this is a delightful walk, made even better yesterday in glorious April sunshine.
Author
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback Martin. Glad you had a lovely walk and the slurry issue has gone.
Please remember this walk remains on a working farm and farm access for wide vehicles is needed throughout Church Lane and the village of Chew Stoke.
Thank you for parking considerately.