A fabulous hike up through the woods to the top of Wavering Down and Crook Peak with views across to Glastonbury Tor, Cheddar Gorge and the Bristol Channel.
Start
King's Wood Car Park. Rough postcode: BS25 1NW. Free parking but can get very busy. You can park up the small road alongside but do be mindful of local residents.
Duration:
2-3 hours
Length:
4.5 miles.
Terrain:
Some uneven paths and hilly. Can be very muddy and slippery when wet. Optional scramble onto Crook Peak which can be avoided by approaching the rocky summit from the left.
Dog friendly?
Yes though there are some wild ponies that are often on the path. There are also cattle around sometimes.
Getting here:
The drive from Bristol is roughly 35 minutes. Take the Bristol Airport Road (A38). Just after passing through Sidcot you'll see a Texaco garage on the right. Take the first right immediately after the garage. The car park is a little way along the lane to your left.
By bus, the 126 Weston-super-Mare to Wells service stops at Winscombe Hill.
By train and bike: The Strawberry Line starts at Yatton railway station (which is just a 15 minute hop from Bristol Temple Meads) and runs very close to King’s Wood.
Komoot details:
Go through the gate at the back of the car park and head straight up the hill through King's Wood.
Eventually you'll emerge onto the hillside. Look to your left and you might just see Glastonbury Tor in the distance. The water below is Cheddar Reservoir.
The path is fairly obvious throughout. It runs parallel with a stone wall on your right all the way to Crook Peak. Look out for the wild ponies that often hang about under the trees here.
Just after the farm on your right, you'll start up a steep hill to the summit of Wavering Down, which is marked by a trig point. From here, you'll see Crook Peak in front of you - it looks further away than it is!
Make your way along the wall to Crook Peak. When the wall runs out, keep heading upwards to the rocky summit. As you approach the rocks, there's a small section in front of you where you can climb straight up if you fancy it.
If you'd prefer to walk, go round to the left of the rocky outcrop to find an easier path up to the summit.
From the summit you can look out to the Bristol Channel, with Brean Down and Weston-super-Mare in front of you. The lumpy little hill to the south west is Brent Knoll, and you won't be able to ignore the M5 rushing past either!
Return via the same route, keeping the wall on your left.