Winter is a great time to take advantage of the many walks around Middlewick and Glastonbury.
The Glastonbury Town Map shows Glastonbury walking routes. A copy of the map can be collected in our Farm Shop or is also available throughout the town of Glastonbury.
Frosty mornings and Crisp cold days are perfect for a hike up Glastonbury Tor. It is just a 30-minute walk from the cottages and this walk is across country lanes so muddy footwear is not needed. The Tor is a hill that is 158m high and from the top has incredible 360-degree views across the surrounding flat land of the Somerset Levels. Sunsets and Sunrises are particularly stunning from the top. It is usually quite quiet up on the top except for special dates like Solstices, Equinoxes, May Day, and New Year’s Eve.
The shape of the Tor is down to unusual geology and artificial terraces
The origin of these artificial terraces is not known for certain. They may have been for growing vines or other crops. Two different springs run from under the rock of Glastonbury Tor, the white and the red spring. under the rock of Glastonbury Tor and the rock mysteriously causes two different water flows, one red spring, and one white spring. For more about the Springs make sure and visit the Chalice Well Gardens and The White Spring which are a short walk on the other side of Glastonbury Tor.
On top of the Tor, there sits the remains of a 14th-century church of St. Michael. This is a replacement for an original church that was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century. Look for the wonderful carvings on the building, St. Bridget milking a cow and St. Michael holding the scales of justice.
The Glastonbury Tor does have a grizzly history as well. The last Abbot of Glastonbury, Richard Whiting, was hung, drawn and quartered here along with two of his monks in 1539.
Glastonbury Tor was given to the National Trust in 1937 by the former dean of Wells, Thomas Jex-Blake. The Tor is always open and it is free admission. There is a donation box where you are encouraged to donate to help with the upkeep of the land. Better still why not join the National Trust as a member to help them with the fantastic work they do?
Another short walk from us is Norwood Park House which was built in around 1480 as a residence of the abbots of Glastonbury. From here there is a wonderful walk up Paradise Lane. I like to imagine this was the road that many monks walked to Glastonbury Abbey and to spot cobblestones from long ago underneath the muddy track. Paradise Lane will take you up to Maidencroft Lane which you can follow back to Middlewick, up the Glastonbury Tor, or down into the Town of Glastonbury.
For a quick winter walk here in Glastonbury you can head to Gog and Magog, the ancient oak trees. These are just 5 minute walk from the Middlewick cottages and the Middlewick Farm Shop. These two old oak trees are the last of a row of trees that went all the way up to Glastonbury Tor. Gog is dead but Magog is still alive. A couple of years ago there was a terrible fire in Gog and we thought we would lose the tree. But it has stayed standing. Here is the link to see the huge fire. YouTube Link to the Fire
Just a short distance this is a perfect walk to go on with small children or for those who do not want to venture too far. Make a wish on the trees when you are there.
Glastonbury Town is just a 1.5km walk across the lanes, a mud-free walk all the way. One additional option to get into town is to walk up the Glastonbury Tor and back down the other side. For details of this walk here are the details: Walk into Glastonbury from Middlewick
