We are the Taunton Deane Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Yvonne H
This walk is around the Killerton NT estate and will be passing through Danes Wood and Columbjohn Wood and Framces Court Farm and Columbjohn Farm. Hopefully the bluebells and Wild Garlic will be in flower.
We shall also see something of the history of the land here.
The sites of a Viking Camp and also a medieval manor house which was the site of a recent ‘dig’ on Digging for Britain. We shall see an Elizabethan chapel, also 18th century excavations for a replacement grand house and then walk up the side of an [extinct]volcano that became an Iron Age hillfort.
Apparently the original medieval house was taken over by the parliamentarians in the civil war and was the HQ in the seige of Exeter - not the present house - that was not built until the 19th century, after the Civil war, it was not in a good state which is one reason why they built a new house!
The Vikings also camped out in Danes wood to plan their attack on Exeter - a lot of history when you start looking!
The Stables tea shop is close to the car park and is open all day for refreshments.
Well behaved dogs are welcome. There may be livestock in some of the fields and there the dogs should be on leads.
Meet outside the Engine House meeting room, which is adjacent to the car park. Parking is free for NT members. Bring your membership card. Non members £4.80 all day There is free parking in the layby, off the road that leads to Killerton from the B3181, just after the M5 bridge on the left by a red phone box. Killerton is then accessed by taking the footpath through the field at the end of the layby. It should be a 10minute walk.
