Nestled amidst the rolling hills of Somerset, Glastonbury is renowned for its rich history and vibrant community. This quaint and colourful town offers visitors a unique experience and one you can easily get lost in when strolling along this route.

The average Glastonbury Festival attendee will have walked 30 miles, but although you won’t quite be hitting those figures on this walk, walking in summer can be a delightful experience, with warm weather and longer days inviting outdoor adventures – as long as we are hydrated and well-protected with high SPF sunscreen. Somerset Health Walk’s 'Glastonbury advanced walk' forms part of our Mendip Health Walks schedule. Somerset has many more remote areas compared to other counties across the country, but this does not stop us from trying to achieve our vision at Somerset Health Walks: ‘For everyone in Somerset to have access to a free, friendly short group walk within easy reach of where they live, to help them become and stay active.’

This route is considered a SASP Level 4 health walk. These are 3 to 5 miles, with fields and steep hills, quicker pace and stiles. This is a more advanced walk in our programme, ideal for those with very good mobility and fitness and able to complete 90 minutes with minimal stops. From the regular meeting point, on a raised but accessible area outside Glastonbury Information Centre, alongside the Town Hall and Abbey. Magdalene Street, Glastonbury BA6 9EL.

1. The walk heads up Glastonbury High Street, with an abundance of independent retailers, interesting shop windows to view, from art, crystals, fairies, magical, mythical and spiritual. At the top of the High Street, which has a gentle incline, a large bright mural, one of the many around the town.

2. At the top of the High Street the walk turns left to cross at a safe point on Chilkwell Street and then take a right up Bove Town, this is where the gentle incline becomes much steeper. Follow the road around until you reach Wick Hollow. Keep going and the walk becomes very peaceful away from the hustle and bustle of the high street. Eventually, the walk loses pavement and walkers walk in single file in the direction of oncoming traffic, which is very rare.

3. Keep walking past Bulwalks Lane on your right and Wick Hollow becomes Maiden Croft Lane. You will come to a junction, keep going straight on through a gate, Paradise Lane, signposted Gog and Magog, but not before stopping and pausing to enjoy views of the Tor on your right-hand side. Continuing straight on through another gate, the paths form part of the Glastonbury way and time to take in more views across the Valley and rolling Mendip Hills.

4. Next, the walk comes to another gate with steps down to a field. Keep to the left through the field, shared with moving livestock. The field is steep, uneven and undulating. Go through a further gate and turn left towards the famous Gog and Magog, the only surviving examples of the Avalon Oaks that were mostly felled in 1906. Sadly, damaged by fire in 2017 Magog survives and provides a link to the medieval past. Next to the right, go through a gate to Middlewick Farm, remembering to close the gate after you. Here is where you can take a break.

5. From Middlewick you can follow the pathway to the left, through reception and an orchard. Meeting the first stile of the walk across the stile and through the farm. You will see Paddington Farm Trust to your right. The Trust was founded in 1983 and works with disadvantaged young people offering educational and recreational farm experiences. Then a steep incline across a field through to a gate and back to Maiden Croft Lane, the walk has formed a loop and the way back should be familiar now to Wick Hollow and Bove Town providing some welcome shade and a downhill route, safely across Chilkwell Street to the top of the High street where the walk ends.

COMPASS POINTS

1. Paid parking available

2. Public Toilets en route

3. Refreshments available at Middlewick Farm

5. Have your camera at the ready for historical sites