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The official walk entrance to this old drover's track, aptly named The Drove and which passes through Beech Clump en route to Whitesheet Hill, is off the B3092 road at Drove Lodge (see map). . .
Drover's Lane (The Drove) is an 18th-century drove track lined with beech trees. Once called generally a green lane this leafy tunnel approach to Beach Clump is now marked as a public bridle way (long dashes distinguish this from a simple footpath with short dashes) by Ordinance Survey. There are two distinct ways (not counting the one along the path at Stourton turn off, as awkward as first described below) to Drove Lodge's entrance to our track. The following is the first one explored (route 2 is linked at the end of this page). . .
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neatly parked on Stourton Lane (which leads to Kilmiington Common), facing Whitesheet
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should be safe until return - over hedge on left are the grounds of Stourhead House
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Walking up to B3092 to hang right along the main road to Drove Lodge
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having hung a left we look back at Coldcot Cottage and Coldcot Farm
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pressing on towards Mere, note tall beech trees which mark The Drove - upper left
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there's Drove Lodge (on this busy road with narrow verge)
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originally it was feasible to cut through this official field path
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but, who wants to temple over the farmer's labour?
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straight across, on a line from the left of the big puddle, an sanctioned path on the map
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however, we suffer the driver's scorn at the 'dangerous pedestrian'. . .
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. . .and arrive safely at Drove Lodge (gladly)
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Stourhead House across the park
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and there it is, entry to The Drove's 'green tunnel' of beech trees
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a better angle
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yes, this is the place
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the way in
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last look back. . .
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and through the gate
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southerly, on the left a nice view of. . .
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. . .Zeals Knoll
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is it still there?
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the way (of hoofprints) ahead
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better view of. . .
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. . .Zeals Knoll
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open view of Zeals Knoll, Nor Wood and, further left, Long Hill at mere
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panning easterly Whitesheet comes into view
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gum boots have their uses
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oh, Zeals Knoll. . .
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. . .again
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if we had crossed the farmer's field we would be here already
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field styles and suchlike are fascinating things - this is a double-yolker
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on the other end of the puddle's line (see road entrance pics above)
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a better view
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the field side stile
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another angle
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both stiles again
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up The Drove towads Beech Clump we meet another stile. . .
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which leads to. . .
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. . .another stile we met in part-2 of this series
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going up to Beech Clump's higher (and dryer) ground
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nearly there. . .
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there's the little monument
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waxing lyrical
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the little monument
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beech trees of Beech Clump
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proof of autumn
Having explored The Drove to its conclusion, steps were retraced back to the car. It was still there. At the junction of Stourton Lane and the B3092 some farmer workers were loading straw. Upon entering the car the emergency signal started to make a piercing noise and the ignition system refused to function. For several minutes the problem persisted and during that time a Range Rover with two Stourton rangers drove over from the estate to see if I needed help. As it happened all was sorted and I waved a thanks anyway to them (and the farmers, who probably had earache) as I drove away (with tail between legs). A fitting end to a route to Drove Lodge's entrance to The Drove which is not recommended. There's a much safer (and scenic) way to do that, trust me. . .
Also see. . .
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Note: As more information becomes available it will be added here . . .
item 03-10-2012 / pics (unless credited by direct link) 03-09-12 + 07-10-12 — jp©
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