Andrew Swift follows an unfamiliar path through Bourton Combe and discovers something he never thought he’d stumble upon in this part of Somerset…
One evening in January, while sorting through a pile of old books, I came upon one published in 1931 – Unbeaten Tracks of the West: The Hiker’s Guide by PE Barnes. This turned out to be an absorbing read, giving an intriguing glimpse of what the countryside around Bristol was like a century ago. Many of the places featured were familiar to me, and it was fascinating to find out what they had once looked like. There were many that were unfamiliar as well, and one that particularly stood out was Bourton Combe.
I’d heard a lot about Bourton Combe, but had always put off exploring it – partly because the OS map suggested that, compared with, say, Goblin Combe, Burrington Combe or Brockley Combe, it wasn’t that large; and partly because I couldn’t see how I could include it in a longer walk.
Looking at what Barnes had to say about it, however, I began to think I might have underestimated it, and, when I read that “no combe hereabouts surpasses it … in its wealth of wild flowering in time of May”, I decided that, when spring eventually arrived, I would set out to discover if it was still as alluring a century on.
Comparing a modern map with one from the 1920s did raise a slight qualm, however. Backwell Common, across which Barnes strolled after emerging from the combe, was no more, its place having been taken by a vast quarry. In the event, this didn’t prove much of an issue – apart from the odd explosion disturbing the tranquillity – but I did encounter another problem I hadn’t anticipated. Bourton Combe is just outside the village of Flax Bourton, to which there is a frequent bus service from Bristol. I went there by car, however, turning off the A370 onto Bourton Combe Lane, at the end of which there was, I was told, limited parking. Unfortunately, it was so limited that, even though I’d chosen a time when I hadn’t expected it to be busy, I nabbed the last space. And, while strapping my walking boots on – essential given the terrain – two more cars drove up and had to turn back to try to find parking in the village. Perhaps it might be worth considering taking the bus rather than the car, or, if you do drive, being aware that there might be a problem and trying to avoid busier times.
Exceeding expectations
The combe itself, though, not only exceeded my expectations, but also held within it something I wasn’t prepared for, something I’d never expected to stumble upon in this part of Somerset. More of that later – for now, if you’d like to see what Bourton Combe looks like for yourself, this is the route I took…
At the end of Bourton Combe Lane, turn right up a high-banked muddy track, through a tunnel of trees. After 250m, turn left up another track, whose rocky surface, combined with mud, makes for a slippery climb.
The track runs along the wood’s perimeter, with superb views eastward to Bristol over an expanse of woods and green fields. Eventually, as you continue to climb, the woods close in. Carry on in the same direction, and after another 800m you will see a group of buildings ahead. This is Water Catch Farm, and, immediately after passing it, turn right and carry on along a narrow path.
After 250m, when the path curves right, follow it as it heads downhill, passing a ruined, ivy-covered cottage on the right. A few metres further on, just past another ruined building on the left, a sign warns of blasting in the quarry where Backwell Common once stood. Turn right to start heading down the combe, carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic. A little further on another dominant feature of Bourton Combe’s flora appears – rhododendrons, undeniably attractive but an ecological nightmare, not only because they are invasive but also because they form a dense canopy under which nothing else can grow. In Bourton Combe they are not a recent introduction; they were well established when Barnes visited and he was delighted to see them “just coming out”.
An ancient feeling
One thing has changed in the last hundred years, however. According to Barnes, “Bourton Combe gives an impression of arcaded orderliness and embowered sedateness that other combes in these parts do not”.
Not any more it doesn’t. As the sides of the combe steepen, the path grows ever rougher, gouged and scoured by winter torrents, echoing the forces that formed this rocky gorge aeons ago. Craggy slopes and tumbled trees, colonised by moss and ferns, create a seemingly primeval landscape, a pocket of temperate rainforest in a hidden gully on the edge of Mendip – not what I’d expected to find, and all the more astonishing for that.
Past ancient yews, the path continues downhill. Even on a sunny day the gloom progressively deepens, the sky is blotted out, and cliffs rear up on either hand, as though you’re heading towards a subterranean realm – until the combe suddenly broadens out, sunlight streams in and the woodland floor is once again carpeted in wild garlic, its scent hanging heavy in the air. Here, at last, is that embowered sedateness. All too soon, though, the path forks, and, instead of carrying on down, we need to bear right uphill to re-join the stony track that leads back to the starting point.
Small it may be compared with some of Mendip Hills’ better-known combes and gorges, but Bourton Combe, with its varied habitats and microclimates, is every bit as worth seeking out. And, while it may no longer have the arcaded orderliness Barnes praised so highly, I am very grateful to him for prompting me to set out and discover this hidden gem less than five miles from the centre of Bristol.
Try the walk yourself
Starting point: Bourton Combe Lane (ST508690; BS48 3QL)
Getting to the starting point: By car: head west from Bristol on the A370 to Flax Bourton and turn left along Bourton Combe Lane. By bus: from Bristol, the X1 (quarter-hourly
Monday-Saturday, half-hourly on Sunday) stops at Post Office Lane (just past the church) in Flax Bourton; from here walk back 200m and turn right along Bourton Combe Lane
Length of Walk: 2.5 miles
Approximate Time: Two hours
No facilities available
Level of challenge: Paths are rough, rocky
and may be muddy in places
Map: OS Explorer 154
To discover more about temperate rainforests, visit
lostrainforestsofbritain.org
