South Somerset: Step out for Health

Region: South West

Last updated: 22, May 2012

South Somerset: Step out for Health programme is supported by South Somerset District Council to enable and encourage people to become more active, more often. There are a number of Walking for Health Led Health Walks, which are led by volunteer Health Walk Leaders across the South Somerset district as a way to improve your health through regular walking within the local community.

The programme encourages walking on a regular basis in a sociable atmosphere. Under the programme walkers of all ages and abilities can access the walks. Each walk has a trained volunteer Health Walk Leader and you are supported to walk at a pace that you find comfortable. Some of the walks have refreshments, which are optional but does enables the walkers to get to know each other.

If you are attending a walk for the first time you will be asked to fill out a confidential Outdoor Health Questionnaire, all walkers will have completed one including the leaders.

Alternatively we also have 34 walking routes mapped across South Somerset. All walks are between ½ mile and 5 miles long, and are available from Chard to Langport to Wincanton.

Walk routes are available from the Healthy Lifestyles Team at South Somerset District Council or the Local Information Centres.

Please see the information below for details of the led walks or follow the link below for more information about health walks and how to become a leader yourself within South Somerset.

www.southsomerset.gov.uk/health 

Our walks

Broadway Walking Group

Start from: 1^st, 2^nd 3^rd and 5^th Tuesday of the month meet at Standerwick Orchard Village Green, Broadway and on the 4^th Tuesday of the month meet at Wharf Lane Car Park, Ilminster.

Frequency of walks: Weekly

Days: Tuesdays

Time: 9.15am

Length of Walk: 60-75 minutes

Shorter Walk Option: On the 2nd Tuesday of the month a shorter walk option is offered. The walk starts at 10.30am from The Bell Inn, Broadway. The walk lasts for 45-60 minutes and returns to The Bell Inn for coffee/tea with the other walkers who walk the longer route.

Description of walks: Village walks are a mixture of road way and countryside routes and some are more level than others.  Ilminster walks are also a mixture of road way, pathways and countryside routes and some can be quite steep.

Anyone for coffee: Some routes include an optional coffee stop either during (usually Monks Yard, Horton Cross) or at the end of the walk (Meeting House, Ilminster or The Bell Inn, Broadway).

Leader: Elaine Labrom

Tel: 01460 55849

Mobile: 0790 042 4157

Email: elainelabrom@yahoo.co.uk

 New walkers might like to ring Elaine before hand to discuss their individual needs so that these can be taken into consideration if required.

Chard Health Walks

Start From: Boden Centre (the Old Library), Boden Street, Chard, TA20 2AR or the Chard Reservoir car park TA20 1RX 

Frequency of walks: Weekly

Days: Wednesdays

Time: 10.00am

Length of Walk: 60 – 75 minutes, unless stated as longer walks.

Description of walks: The walks are around the local neighbourhoods (unless stated otherwise), given the terrain the walks cannot be guaranteed as being flat.

Anyone for coffee: There is no organised coffee after the walk, although some of the members do so informally.

May and June Programme of Walks:

- Wednesday 2nd May - Chard Walk about 2.5 miles, meet at the Boden Centre, 10.00am. Leader Bernard Speyer

- Wednesday 9th May - Walk at Lamberts Castle, meet at Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Leader David Coath

- Wednesday 16th May - Chard Reservoir walk about 2.5 miles, meet at Chard Reservoir car park, meet 10.00am. Leader David Coath

- Wednesday 23rd May - Donyatt over Herne Hill, about 2.5 mile walk, meet at Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Leader Jim Banks

- Wednesday 30th May - Day Out Ham Hill area. Meet at the Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Lunch at Ham Hill and an optional afternoon wall. Leader Bernard Speyer

- Wednesday 6th June - Chaffcombe about 2.5 mile walk. Meet at the Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Leader Bernard Speyer

- Wednesday 13th June - Chardstock about a 2.5 mile walk. Meet at the Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Leader David Coath

- Wednesday 20th June - Local walk about 2.5 miles. Meet at the Boden Centre 10.00am. Leader Jim Banks

- Wednesday 27th June - Wayford Woods area for a 2-3 mile walk. Meet at the Boden Centre 10.00am. Transport required. Leader David Coath.

Leader: David Coath

Tel: 01460 65523

Email: davidcoath@hotmail.co.uk

Crewkerne Health Walks

Start from: Crewkerne Aqua Centre

Frequency of walks: Weekly

Days: Tuesdays

Time: 9.45am

Length of Walk: Up to 75 minutes with the opportunity to only do part of the walk

Description of walks: Walks go into the countryside when the weather and conditions permit, otherwise the walks are around town. The leaders tailor the walks to the participants in terms of terrain and so forth. They are a very friendly group who always welcomes new members. Once a month they use the Community Bus to enable the group to walk further a field. 

Anyone for coffee: Members of the group often have a coffee together in a café after the walks, especially on the away walks. 

Leader: Sue and Mike Frackiewicz

Mobile: 0776 144 1453

Email: suefrack@btinternet.com

Health Walks - Stoke-Sub-Hamdon

Start from: The Lighthouse Coffee Shop, All Saints Hall, West Street, Stoke-Sub-Hamdon

Frequency of walks: Fortnightly - 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month - forth coming dates April dates have been moved so as not to clash with Easter and are as follows Monday 16th April 2012 and Monday 30th April 2012 and then back to the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the Month

Days: Mondays

Time: 10.30am

Length of Walk: 60 to 75 minutes

Description of walks: Walks around the village on pavements and using footpaths in the surrounding countryside including Ham Hill. Footpaths may be uneven under foot and some hills involved.

Anyone for coffee: Teas and coffees, light refreshments and lunch available at the Lighthouse Coffee Shop

Leader: Penny Trapnell

Tel: 01935 822208 

Email: pennyatrapnell@aol.com

Mudford Health Walks  

Start from: Mudford Village Hall Car Park

Frequency of walks: Fortnightly alternating Thursdays and Wednesdays

Days: Alternating Thurdays and Wednesdays - 

Thursday 3rd May - Approx one and a quarter hour easy circular walk towards Trent along local footpaths and lanes. Will be back in time for a coffee at the village hall

Wednesday 16th May - Car Share to "Coker Ridge" for approx two hour circular walk via Hardington Nature Reserve and Lyatts. Hardington Nature Reserve is renowned for it's display of orchids which should be at their best at this time of year. Will be hilly in places.

Thursday 31st May - Approx one hours circular walk via Snake Island and local fields. The Monks Hood growing on Snake Island should be in full bloom. Will be back in time for coffee in the village Hall.

Wednesday 13th June - Car share to Collard Hill for approx two and a quarter hours circular walk. There will be beautiful views (weather permitting) along the ridge overlooking Compton Dundon and the Somerset Levels but will be hilly in places. The Large Blue Butterfly has been successfully reintroduced at the Collard Hill and hopefully we will see one or two as this will be the middle of their breeding season. We also hope to see many varieties of orchard including the Butterfly Orchid and the Bee Orchard. For those not wishing to complete the whole walk there will be an opportunity for a short cut back at the half way point. Lunch afterwards in the Castlebrook Inn at Compton Dundon for those not in a hurry.

Thursday 28th June - Approx one and a half hours circular walk via Droveway Lane. This walk will be extended to include Lower Mudford and part of Primrose Lane. Will be back in time for coffee at the Village Hall.

Time: 9.30am

Length of Walk: 60 to 75 minutes on Thursdays and slightly longer walks on Wednesdays approximately 90 minutes

Description of walks: Walks around the village on pavements and using footpaths and tracks in the surrounding countryside. Footpaths may be uneven under foot and some hills may be involved. There will also be away walks with starting points away from Mudford travelling out with the possibility of car shares, please contact Geoff regarding these walks.  

Anyone for coffee: Teas and coffees and light refreshments available on a Thursday in Mudford Village Hall at the coffee morning

Leader: Geoff Argent

Mobile: 01935 850507

Email: geoff-swallow@hotmail.co.uk

Somerton Health Walks

Start from: Cost Cutters, Somerton

Frequency of walks: Monthly

Days: This varies from month to month, for information please find posters in Cost Cutters, Cobbs Health Food Shop and the surgery.

Time: This varies from walk to walk, for information please find posters in Cost Cutters, Cobbs Health Food Shop and the surgery.

Length of Walk: Approximately 60 – 75 minutes

Description of walks: Some walks will be in Somerton and some off in the car to local areas 

Anyone for coffee: Sometimes they do have a coffee in Somerton, or where they are walking. 

Next walk: Wednesday 30th May 2012, starting from the Castlebrook Inn, Compton Dundon at 6.30pm

Leader: Anita Redman

Email: a.redman60@googlemail.com

Yeovil Health Walks - three Walk options - Regular Walks, 'Level Walks' and Longer Monthly Walks

Regular Health Walks

Start from: Goldenstones Car Park, by the ticket machine

Frequency of walks: Weekly

Days: Tuesdays

Time: 2.00pm

Length of Walk: 60 – 75 minutes

Description of walks: A variety of town and country walks, with some walks being level and others being undulating. They try to tailor the walks according to the conditions underfoot and the people in the group.

Anyone for coffee: The group go to the Gateway Café between the railway walk footpath and Addlewell Lane for a drink and a chat about till about 4.00pm  

Leader:  Jean Philips

Mobile: 0781 204 9678 

'Level Walks' - Shorter Walk Option of the Yeovil Health Walks

Start from: Goldenstones Car Park by the Ticket Machine

Frequency of Walks: Weekly

Days: Mondays

Time: 2.00pm

Length: 30-40 minutes

Description of Walks: Short level walks suitable for anyone who is recovering from an injury or illness or who might have been advised, or just feel themselves that their condition could be improved by taking regular exercise and fresh air. Additional advantages of walking with a group are the company and an enjoyable cuppa in the pleasant surroundings of the Gateway Cafe where we plan to finish up each week.

Leader: Jean Phillips and the other Volunteer Health Walk Leaders of Yeovil Health Walks

Mobile: 0781 204 9678

Longer Monthly Walks - For more information on these longer walks please contact Jean Philips on the details listed above

May - Friday 11th May 2012 - meeting at the Gateway Cafe in Yeovil at 11.00am for a coffee before setting off at 11.30am to walk to Esat Coker via Pavyott's Farm. They will have lunch at the East Coker Tea Rooms and then return to the Gateway Cafe aroun 3.30pm. The total distance walked will be around 7 miles.

Taster Buggy Walks

Taster buggy walks are being run in the Yeovil area and supported by the Children's Centres - Birchfield, Jigsaw, Oaklands and Reckleford Children's Centres.

The idea of the taster buggy walks is to give parents the opportunity to walk with their young children, get some fresh air and chat to other parents at the same time. These walks are being used to promote the buggy walks and to identify leaders to undertake the Health Walk Leader Training to enable the buggy walks to become a regular  activity for parents in the Yeovil area. The next Health Walk Leader Training day is on Tuesday 21st February 2012 and is suitable for individuals with no prior knowledge of walking who want to lead health walks or buggy walks in their local area. For more information on Health Walks, Buggy Walks or Health Walk Leader Training please contact Cheryl Lingard, Tel: 01935 462348, email: cheryl.lingard@southsomerset.gov.uk or look on the South Somerset District Council's website www.southsomerset.gov.uk/healthwalks