Monarch's Way

From Wikipedia,

Monarch's Way
Waymark on a Public Footpath
Length	615 mi (990 km)
Location	Warwickshire, Worcestershire,Staffordshire, Sussex,Gloucestershire, Hampshire,Shropshire, Somerset, Devon,Wiltshire and Dorset, England.
Trailheads	Worcester – Shoreham-by-Sea
Use	Hiking
Hiking details
Sights	Cotswolds, Mendip Hills

The Monarch's Way is a 615-mile (990 km)^[1] long-distance footpath in England that approximates theescape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.^[2] It runs from Worcester via Bristol and Yeovil to Brighton. All of the footpath is waymarked. The waymark is yellow and shows a picture of the ship Surprise above the Prince of Wales three-point feathered crown which is superimposed on a Royal Oak tree (which is atBoscobel House) in black.

The Monarch's Way enters Somerset, having crossed theRiver Avon at Keynsham, where it diverts from the route taken by Charles II into Bristol and instead runs alongside the River Chew, where it shares the route with the Two Rivers Way, through the Chew Valley to Chewton Keynsham, Compton Dando and Woollard.^[4] It then crosses the river at Pensford and turns north to Norton Malreward, skirting the prehistoric henge monument ofStanton Drew stone circles, the second largest stone circlein Britain, and travels along Dundry Down to the village ofDundry.^[4] From Dundry there is a northerly loop to Leigh Court at Abbots Leigh where Charles IIstayed on the night of 12 September 1651. The path then returns to Dundry and heads turns south to Winford and passes Regil before passing between Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon Lake toCompton Martin,^[5] where it climbs up into the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, passing East Harptree before entering the Forestry Commission plantation Stock Hill.^[4] On leaving the woods the path skirts the Priddy Mineries and Priddy Pools Site of Special Scientific Interest^[6]and continues south to Wookey Hole before entering the city of Wells, where it passes theCathedral and Bishop's Palace.

South of Wells the Monarch's Way crosses the River Sheppey and passes through Twinhills Woods and Meadows before entering North Wootton,^[5] continuing across the Somerset Levelsand the A361 and A37 roads to Hornblotton. It then crosses the River Alham and travels east crossing the River Brue and the A371 before entering Castle Cary.^[7]

South Cadbury, Trent, Dorset

The King was sheltered by Colonel Wyndham at Trent Manor House. The next part of the journey leads down to the Dorset coast where a ship had been found to take the King to France. AtMontacute the Monarch's Way passes in front of the Grade I listed Abbey Farmhouse,^[8] which incorporates the gateway of the medieval Montacute Priory.

Ham Hill, Crewkerne, Drimpton, Hawkchurch, Charmouth The King stayed overnight on 22 September 1651 at the Queen's Armes before taking passage. Unfortunately the plan fell through and the King beat a hasty retreat inland returning to Trent.

Charmouth to Shoreham (225 miles or 362 kilometres)[edit]

From Charmouth the Monarch's Way follows the South West Coast Path east along the Jurassic Coast of Dorset past St Gabriel's Mouth, over Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast,^[9]through Seatown, over Thorncombe Beacon and past Eype's Mouth to West Bay. From here it heads north up the River Brit to Bridport, swinging west and north to Pilsdon Pen, briefly joining theWessex Ridgeway eastwards before reaching Broadwindsor. The King hid overnight in the George Inn, Broadwindsor on 23 September 1651.

From here it continues eastwards to the north of Beaminster, before zig-zagging north and east to Winyard's Gap near Chedington, where it meets the head of the River Parrett Trail. Continuing north the path enters Somerset and passes Hardington Marsh, swinging east from Hardington Mandeville to East Coker and then north through Yeovil and Mudford.

Crossing the River Yeo and back into Dorset, the path returns like the King to Trent. The King stayed here before setting out for the south coast and exile in France.

Skirting north of Sherborne to Sandford Orcas then re-entering Somerset the path passes to the south of Corton Denham to Charlton Horethorne and South Cheriton, then north to pass under theA303 to Wincanton. From here it continues north-east to Penselwood.

After crossing the Stour Valley Way and River Stour, the path enters Wiltshire at Zeals. From here it crosses the A303 dual carriageway and passes Zeals House before reaching Mere, passingWest Knoyle and climbing Cleeve Hill. Crossing the A350, the path continues east to Hindon,Berwick St. Leonard, Fonthill Bishop and Great Wishford. Here it crosses the River Wylye to Stoford before heading north and east near Stapleford, to cross the A360, dropping down into the valley of the Avon at Middle Woodford before crossing at Lower Woodford. Traversing the country to the north of Salisbury, the path next crosses the A345 and the River Bourne at Winterbourne Dauntsey. After passing Figsbury Ring the path crosses the A30, to follow the course of the former Roman road from Winchester to Old Sarum. As it approaches Middle Winterslow, the path is joined by the Clarendon Way, the two paths following the Roman road over the county boundary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch's_Way
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch's_Way