Watergore to North Perrott

It was a last minute decision to do this leg of the walk, so it was back on the bus to Watergore. We retraced our steps to Wigborough before turning off to follow the Parrett south. The trail keeps going through fields to Merriott.

The Kings Head was quiet, but open. It was a warm day, so the pints went down easy. We continued through the village towards Haselbury Mill. The path appears to be diverted around the site and it looked like the path was going through a tunnel under the A30. Unfortunately it was blocked at the far end and we had to return and cross the road. But once on the other side, it felt like we were in a river valley for the first time.

It was probably the best bit of the walk so far. The trail follows and crosses the Parrett before climbing out of the valley towards North Perrott. We pass the cricket ground and church before coming out in the centre of the village.

The Manor Arms is an old pub on the main road. My bad planning meant I wasn't sure where the bus stop was and what time the next bus was. So what better place to find out than in the pub. They weren't sure of the times, but they thought that the buses were being diverted because of roadworks in the next village. So we took our time with the pints and walked along the road to eventually get a bus. We were later home than I'd hoped.

Bower Hinton to Watergore

There are two branches to the Parrett Trail in South Somerset that form their own circular walk. To get all the pubs 'done' and fit into the public transport, we get a free (because the ticket machine wasn't working) bus to Bower Hinton. The path comes through this long village of Hamstone houses before heading off across some fields towards the noisy A303. It then takes a track parallel to that main road before reaching a minor road that bridges over it into Stoke-sub-Hamdon.

The Half Moon Inn looks fairly scruffy on the outside, and just as scruffy on the inside. We have a chat to the landlord who explains that he struggles to keep real ale in the summer and so we have to settle for a couple of pints of cider. The pub is on Ham Hill Road and unsurprisingly the path takes us up this hill soon after leaving the pub.

Hills have been a rarity on this trail so far. So we pause for the view at the top. There is a country park here and in that is

the Prince of Wales. It was quite busy for food, unsurprisingly for a summer Saturday lunchtime. We had a couple of real ales and sat inside. The trail winds around the park before descending towards Norton-sub-Hamdon.

We are back on a road now and pass some posh houses and their gardens that Sid wants to peer into.

The Lord Nelson is in the middle of the village. It is quite spacious inside, relatively busy and had nice ales. The trail heads out from here back into the flat countryside as we seek the elusive, shrinking Parrett.

We do cross it eventually and then pass a polo match near Wigborough. Back on tarmac, we also come across quite a large grass snake. The next village is Over Stratton.

The Royal Oak was about to close for the afternoon, but just time for a couple of Badger pints. Then it was back to Watergore again for the bus home.