The best traffic-free bike rides around Staple Fitzpaine

Castle Neroche is a significant historical site in Somerset, England, located on the northern escarpment of the Blackdown Hills. It is not a standing stone castle today, but rather a complex of impressive earthworks that reveal a long history of use.

super dooper whoopey doo!!

great bit of downhill

Drink beer, hydration is essential

Norman castle The earthworks at the site are larger than would normally be found in a castle from the Norman period, raising speculation that it reused previously developed features. The castle was probably built by Robert, Count of Mortain in the 11th century. Archaeological evidence suggests it was built in several stages. During the first a rampart enclosing 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) was built. Soon after the Norman Conquest a smaller inner ringwork was constructed. The site was later converted into a motte and bailey, with a corner of the 20 feet (6.1 m) high motte serving as a barbican. By the early 12th century the castle was no longer in regular use. However, its use was resumed during The Anarchy, a period of civil war and unsettled government during a succession dispute between the supporters of King Stephen (1135–1154) and those of his cousin, the Empress Matilda. Continued use in the later 12th century may have been by administrators of the surrounding royal forest as a base for operations against poachers.

Castle Neroche is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle on the site of an earlier hill fort in the parish of Curland, near Staple Fitzpaine, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The origin of the term Neroche is believed to be a contraction of the Old English words nierra and rechich or rachich for Rache, a type of hunting-dog used in Britain in the Middle Ages, giving a meaning of the camp where hunting dogs were kept. This also gives the site its alternative name of Castle Rache. Iron Age The reason for the construction of Iron Age hill forts has been a subject of debate. It has been argued that they could have been military sites constructed in response to invasion from continental Europe, sites built by invaders, or a military reaction to social tensions caused by an increasing population and consequent pressure on agriculture. The dominant view since the 1960s has been that the increasing use of iron led to social changes in Britain. Deposits of iron ore were separated from the sources of tin and copper necessary to make bronze, and as a result trading patterns shifted and the old elites lost their economic and social status. Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe believes that population increase played a role and has stated "[the forts] provided defensive possibilities for the community at those times when the stress [of an increasing population] burst out into open warfare. But I wouldn't see them as having been built because there was a state of war. They would be functional as defensive strongholds when there were tensions and undoubtedly some of them were attacked and destroyed, but this was not the only, or even the most significant, factor in their construction.

It's a good climb from Thurlbear Road, starting with a watersplash. Weekends will be busier with dog walkers and horse riders, so remember to let them know you're there before passing. There's also drop-ins from bandit trails crossing the path here and sightlines aren't great in the summer. After the well surfaced bridleway, it widens out into a newly made logging road up to Frost Street. It's also a great descent on a rigid mountain bike, but be like Shaw Taylor on 'Police 5', and "keep 'em peeled" This is part of the Herepath, a circular path waymarked and open to horse riders, cyclists and walkers.

Wide open fireroad descent with a couple of footpath crossing, then a steeper, well surfaced bridleway out to the road. Take this bit easy on a weekend as it's popular with horse riders and dog walkers; there's also some drop-ins from bandit trails crossing the path here and sightlines aren't great in the summer. A nice little watersplash finishes it off nicely before the tarmac. I rode it as a climb up through the woods, and it's great both ways.