The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Stanton Drew

The concrete outlet tower serves as the central control point for the reservoir's water supply. Connected by a bridge to the main dam, the tower houses sluice gates and valves that regulate the flow and distribution of water to the River Chew and the local water supply.

This hill, while lower than the surrounding ridges, provides great views from the top. Fern covered with several tracks crossing the slopes.

great view and ultra relaxing

I wouldn't go out of your way to come here... But, if you happen to be in / near here on a walk, then you may as well add it on! • Also, this pond is very deep in the woodland. There is a path all around it, and it is very pretty; it's mostly obscured from view (which is great) because this means that you can peek through the foliage and see birds who aren't aware you're there! Of course, they will be as soon as you move on! I have only been once, it was very muddy after & during rain, so I can't advise on other seasons.

As with many stories of stone circles, legends explained the stones were a petrified party of people. Aubrey wrote that The Cove were the parson, bridegroom, and bride. Another group of stones was the band, while the circles comprised the dancing guests later, the story evolved, as the wedding took place on a Saturday. As the evening wore on, one musician player (either a piper or a harper) had simply refused to play beyond the point of midnight since it would mean playing on into the Sunday. The furious bride claimed she would find another player even if it meant travelling to hell to fetch one. Then Hell came to her in the form of the Devil, dressed in a disguise of that as an old man. He played and played as the company endlessly danced, but soon to find that they couldn’t stop dancing, no matter how much they tried or badly wanted to, and they had became to turn into stone by in the Sunday morning

The Stanton Drew stone circles are located just outside the village of Stanton Drew in the English county of Somerset. The largest stone circle is the Great Circle, standing in a 113 metres in diameter and is in-fact the second largest stone circle to be discovered in Britain. After Avebury and It’s considered to be one of the largest Neolithic monuments to have ever been built. The date of the construction is not actually accurately known of, but it’s thought to have been built between 3000 and 2000 BCE. These standing stone circles of which have been studied since John Aubrey's visit in 1664. It was only made a scheduled monument of it is today in 1982. Please be aware that an entrance fee is charged by the landowner for any entry in among the grounds of the Stone Circles and any public access is at his discretion only. NO DOGS ALLOWED! As the land is used for agriculture purposes and usually has cattle grazing on the fields where the standing stones are. Please be aware that the English Heritage sites do not permit drone flying from or over sites in our care, by any circumstances except by contractors or partners undertaking flights for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent CAA criteria, have the correct insurances and permissions, and are operating under controlled conditions only. Just having experienced this ourselves before.

Pensford Viaduct is a disused railway bridge. It was built in 1874 to carry the Bristol and North Somerset railway over the River Chew. It was closed in 1968 and is now preserved as a historic building. Great views of the viaduct can be had from Stanton Lane.

Gorgeous Woodland. Really stunning villages nearby, too. The fields in the vicinity can become *very* waterlogged after a lot of rain!!