An enjoyable circular trail of approximately 1.25 miles / 2km through Bearland / Chargot Woods where you can appreciate the challenges the engineers and miners faced in this undulating landscape with superb valley views. Along the route you can view the entrance to two Adits (horizontal mine shafts) that form part of the heritage iron-ore mining industry and community that existed on the Brendon Hills 150 years ago. A very pleasant walk with the local history explained on well presented information boards maintained by the West Somerset Mineral Line Association. For further information and additional walks - including guided tours - visit their website at www.wsmla.org.uk

Surveyed by: Exmoor National Park Authority Volunteer, May 2016 (Spring)
Accessibility Rating: 3
Distance: 2.3 km

Full Profile

The start of the walk - the information board in Chargot Woods car park.

The starting point for the walk (the information board in the Chargot Woods car park) can be seen on the left hand side of the photo. To begin the walk exit the car park through the 3-metre wide gateway (seen on right of photo) at the eastern end of the car park and turn left onto a 3 metre wide hard-packed gravel road.

After approximately 20 metres there is a narrow pathway (approx. 0.5 metres wide with tall grass either side in the summer) leading off to the left. The path is accessed by walking over or between some large stones approx. one foot high and up to several feet in length lining the left hand side of the road

View of the initial few metres of the pathway.

After approximately 50 metres the path opens out into about 1 metre wide with a solid surface of packed earth/gravel occasionally covered with pine needles as it wanders through the woods. There is a steady downwards gradient of 10% - 17% (1:10 > 1:6).

Picture of the path continuing downwards through the woods.

After another approx 200 metres walking northwards the path turns sharply to the left (approx 180 degrees) with a slightly steeper gradient on the turn.

Path coninuing south, downwards through the woods.

After approximately 100 metres walking south the path turns sharply (almost 180 degrees) to the right. At the corner there is a small one-person resting perch.

The path continues northwards through the woods on a 10% - 17% (1:10 > 1:6) gradient.

After approximately 100 metres the path joins a hard-packed gravel roadway approx 3 metres (10 feet ) wide. The pathway at the junction is marked with a wooden marker post annotated 'Miners Trail'.

The wooden marker post annotated 'Miners Trail'.

Turn sharp left onto the roadway travelling approximately south west on a downward gradient of approx 10% (1:10). The photo shows the junction where the grassy track meets the roadway.

After approx 100 metres the roadway takes a sharp turn (180 degrees) to the right.

View taken approximately northwards at the apex of the roadway bend. At this point there is a narrow path off to the left which may be obscurred by undergrowth; it is possible to take this path and rejoin the main trail further along having passed the entrance to the Adit. However this phototrail uses the main roadway as the main trail.

After about 50 metres the roadway curves gently to the left with a gradient of around 17% (1:6).

The view to the left includes one of the adits and the drainage stream from the mine.

After a further 150 metres there is a grassy trail approx three metres wide leading sharply off to the left. Take this trail - it is flat to start with; it has a hard-packed surface with a central grass strip.

View along the grassy track.

50 metres along the grassy track, on the left hand side is a pathway which leads to some steps which signifies the site of one of the iron-ore Adits - this pathway is the continuation of the one that left the main roadway approx 250 metres previously.

The entrance to the Adit can be viewed by walking approx 40 paces along the narrow sidepath where steps indicate the site of the Adit.

Continuing up the main trail on an upward gradient of 10% > 17% (1:10 > 1:6), after approx 50 metres there is an opening in the woods where the track curves to the right. On the left hand side of the bend you can see the fenced-off entrance to another Adit approximately 20 metres from the track.

View of the Adit from the track.

This is a closer view of the entrance to the Adit. There are two steps up to a solid wooden platform for closer viewing.

Coninue on the main track which sweeps round in a wide arc to the north.

Approximately 75 metres further along and the track again narrows to approx 1.5 metres with an uphill gradient of 10% > 17% (1:10 > 1:6)

A little further along (about 50 metres) and the gradient increases to 25% (1:4)

A little further (approx 50 metres) along there is a small wooden one-person resting 'perch'.

After another 50 metres or so the path joins a 3 - 4 metre wide hard-packed earth/gravel road. Turn left onto this road. The gradient of the last metre or two of the path where it meets the road increases. There is a wooden marker on the right hand side of the path where it meets the road.

View south along the road at the point where the steep grassy path joins (left hand side of the picture.)

100 metres along the road and it curves gently round to the right at a steady gradient of up to 10% (1:10).

After a further 200 metres the road turns at a right anlge to the left.

Over the next 150 metres the road curves gently to the right and then left. The track remains 3 - 4 metres wide with a steady upwards gradient of 10% (1:10)

After a further 50 metres or so as the road curves gently to the right, to the left hand side through the trees you can see the Bearland Woods Ventilation Flue and and information Board.

A few metres further along the track, a marker post can be seen on the left hand side of the road; shortly after this there is a narrow (approx 1 metre wide) steep path (downwards gradient 25%; 1:4) approx 75 metres long which leads to a bench and a short flat pathway where you can view the Ventilation Flue close-up and inspect the Information Board.

View of the pathway leading down to the Ventilation Flue.

Continuing along the main roadway for approximatey 200 metres it curves gently round to the right and then to the left at a steady uphill gradient of 10% (1:10). The road has occasional sideways gradients/cambers of up to 17% (1:6).

After another 200 metres the roadway leads back to the Chargot Woods Car Park which is entered via a 1.4 metre wide gateway

View from the Chargot Woods car park westwards towards the finishing gateway.