Frome & Avon Valleys
We recommend you use a map with this description, either on the OS Maps smartphone app or an OS map such as the Bradford on Avon Walking Wheel map.
The walk starts & finishes at Explore BoA (Tourist Information) in Westbury Gardens next to the Town Bridge and follows in a clockwise direction.
Start with your back to Explore BoA. Turn right to the road then right again and into St Margaret's car park. Go diagonally left in front of Timbrell's Yard to join the riverside path.
Go under the railway bridge, keeping straight ahead to the tarmac access road. Turn right onto this and after about 600m bear left uphill to the towpath.
Cross the wooden footbridge and follow the footpath (canal now on your right) over another wooden bridge and up into a field. Keeping the hedge on your right go through the gate then climb up diagonally left to enter woods through a metal gate. This is Becky Addy Woods; further in and up to your left you will see signs of an old quarry.
Follow the clear footpath as it rises and meanders through the woods to join a road at a bend. Turn left up the hill for about 50m then right onto a track that soon becomes a path. On the left you will see the gated entrance to the extensive Westwood stone mines, now defunct but used during World War 2 to store many of the nation's treasures.
Follow the path between some houses and emerge onto a tarmac access road.
Turn left uphill to join the road then turn right, passing Chestnut Close. Soon after Friary Close look out for the footpath sign on your left. Climb up onto this and soon emerge into The Pastures where you follow round to the right and down to the road.
Turn right and cross over to walk on the grass verge for about 150 metres. At the bend bear left onto Iford Hill and descend steeply to Iford Manor at the bottom.
Cross the stone bridge (Britannia Bridge) over the River Frome, opposite The Manor. At the end of the houses on your right turn right into a long field, with the river across to your right. Follow the higher path to enter a wood and keep straight on.
Emerge into a grassed area and continue ahead to a track. Turn left then after about 20 metres turn right up some steps to a gate. Follow this path and at the end, with Dunkirk Mill in front of you, turn right to follow the track round to the road.
Cross straight over to climb steep steps through woodland up to the road. Turn right and follow this between houses.
(At the cemetery entrance on your left you may wish to make a short detour to The Galleries Shop & Cafe. Go down through the cemetery, turn left onto the road at the bottom and The Galleries is across the road on your right.)
Continue on the road for about 100 metres then bear right across the grass past the large tree to a gate in the corner. Go through then turn left downhill to emerge at the road in front of The Inn at Freshford.
Turn right over the bridge then immediately left into a field. Cross this on the well defined path, with the river on your left. Go through Tess's Gate (apparently named after a local dog) and along the concrete path below Avoncliff Woods.
Emerge into a field, keep straight ahead then up into a tree lined path. Keep ahead on the track to Avoncliff.
Pass under the aqueduct and up the other side onto the towpath. Turn right to cross the aqueduct then turn right again in the small car park to follow the road downhill.
Bear right at the junction, pass Belcombe Court on your left and at the end of the wall on your right look out for the footpath sign. Turn right to follow this path down and around, across the railway line. In the field you turn left then keep the the left hand edge.
At the end turn left up steps, back across the railway lane and climb up into Barton Orchard. Follow this round to the right and at the end go through the alley on your right. Walk through Holy Trinity churchyard and turn right to cross the footbridge over the river. Turn left down steps to walk along the bottom edge of the car park, through a doorway in the wall and turn right back to the start.