Day 9 of a 9-day walk through Somerset from Skilgate to Bitton. On Day 9 I walked from Stanton Drew to Bitton

1. A WALK THROUGH SOMERSET
Skilgate to Bitton, in easy 8- to 10-mile stages, on minor
roads and footpaths
John Downs with Indie
Day 9 of 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton– 9.01 miles (14.50 km)
OS Explorer Map 155 Bristol & Bath
Somerset - Day 9 1
The River Avon, north of
Keynsham, with the
Cotswold hills behind

2. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton
Passing between Bristol and Bath and ending up in Gloucestershire and the edge of the Cotswolds
Somerset - Day 9 2

3. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton - Overview of route
A walk on minor roads and footpaths, skirting around Bristol by heading north east past Pensford to Charlton Field and then
on to Keynsham and Bitton. Keynsham offers one of the few places to cross the River Avon between Bristol and Bath. One
significant climb to 120 metres after Publow. Good views over Bristol from trackway leaving Charlton Field.
General Directions : 1st leg – 4 miles Cross the River Chew at Stanton Drew and proceed east along B3130 to Belluton (near
Pensford). Cross the A37 and descend to Publow before climbing up Priest Down and Publow Hill to the Charlton Road at Charlton
Field.
2nd leg – 5 miles Follow the trackway from Charlton Field down to River Chew at Chewton Keysham. Follow the River Chew on the
Two Rivers Way right through Keynsham, then cross the River Avon and join the Monarch’s Way heading north east to Bitton.
Somerset - Day 9 3

4. Set off from Stanton Drew at 11.04 on a dry and sunny day. Altitude: 45 metres. Head north over River Chew and turn right onto
B3130. Follow the B3130 east to Belluton and the A37 (87 metres altitude, 42 minutes elapsed time). Take a right on the A37 and
then turn left down Parsonage Lane. Follow Parsonage Lane down to Publow Lane (39 metres altitude) and take a left at Publow
to climb up Priest Down to join Woollard Lane. After climbing Publow Hill cross Slate Lane ( 121 metres and 1 hour 26 minutes
elapsed time) and take a right down a trackway at the junction with Charlton Road. Large industrial site on the right by trackway –
Resourceful Earth Ltd’s anaerobic digestion site. Good views left across Bristol to Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton– First leg to Charlton
Road
Somerset - Day 9 4

5. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton - First leg to Charlton
Road
Tiny former toll house at Stanton Drew (on market for £140,000). Views on the B3130
to Belluton. High stone walls lining B3130 near Belluton. Not a good walking road –
narrow with high speed traffic and no footpath
Somerset - Day 9 5

6. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton - First leg to Charlton
Road
Views of the road and surrounding fields at the top of Publow Hill. The trackway
leading from Charlton Field down to Chewton Keynsham
Somerset - Day 9 6

7. Route to Keynsham from Charlton Field : Follow the trackway down the hill and take a right at Redlynch Lane down to Chewton
Keynsham. Take a left onto Chewton Road and then a right down a footpath to the River Chew and the Two Rivers Way. Altitude
now 18 metres and elapsed time 2 hour 14 mins. Take a left and follow the footpath into Keynsham town centre, joining St.
Clements Road. Directions through Keynsham on next slide.
Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton – Second leg from
Charlton Field to Bitton
Somerset - Day 9 7

8. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton - Second leg from
Charlton Field to Bitton
Clock wise from bottom left : The trackway to Chewton Keynsham. View over Keynsham
towards the Cotswolds from the trackway. RedLynch Lane above Chewton Keynsham. On
the riverside footpath at Chewton Keynsham
Somerset - Day 9 8

9. Follow the River Chew on a footpath through the Keynsham Memorial Park, then take a left onto Bath Hill and a right into the
Keynsham Bandstand Memorial park. Following the river pass under the A4 Keynsham By-pass then cross the river and climb up
slope to join Avon Mill Lane. Take a left, pass under the railway line and then a right onto the A4175. Cross over the River Avon
and immediately turn right down onto footpath running beside the Avon.
Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton – Second leg from
Charlton Field to Bitton
Somerset - Day 9 9

10. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton - Second leg from
Charlton Field to Bitton
Clockwise from bottom left : The River Chew near Chewton Place. The Two Rivers Way
leading into Keynsham. The weir on the River Chew in Keynsham. The TRW footpath
running through Keynsham Memorial Park
Somerset - Day 9 10

11. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton – Second leg from
Charlton Field to Bitton
Somerset - Day 9 11
Follow the footpath beside the river, past the boatyard and moored houseboats, into open fields. Bear left away from
the river on the Monarch’s Way through a series of fields and pass under the elevated Bristol and Bath Railway. Note
Noel Edmonds’ house on the left. Bear right after the railway line across fields to Kings Square at Bitton, with Hunter’s
Lodge on the left. Take a right onto the A 431, walk through Bitton and take a left up Golden Valley Lane. After a few
hundred metres turn right up a footpath between some houses, heading towards Upton Cheney. END OF THIS 9-
DAY RAMBLE ACROSS SOMERSET

12. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton– Second leg from Charlton
Field to Bitton
Clockwise from bottom left: The start of the footpath by the River Avon leading
out of Keynsham. Canal boats on the River Avon. The Monarch’s Way footpath
leading into Bitton. A view from the Monarch’s Way footpath at Bitton looking up
towards Upton Cheyney.
Somerset - Day 9 12

13. Day 9 – Stanton Drew to Bitton
Walk statistics (Garmin)
Somerset - Day 9 13