The best MTB trails around Wayford

Well placed after a steep climb

Lovely bit of off road riding

Not sure you'll be enjoying the view much while pushing up a loose flint section.

Great food and a well deserved pint

If you’re looking to play "King of the Hill," Neroche Castle is your ultimate hidden playground in the Blackdown Hills. This isn't your typical fairytale stone fortress; it’s a massive Norman "motte-and-bailey" earthwork that looks like a giant green multi-layered cake. Ancient Earthworks: Scramble up the steep banks to see the impressive defensive ditches that kept invaders out nearly 1,000 years ago. Epic Views: On a clear day, the summit offers a "top-of-the-world" vista stretching all the way to the Quantock Hills and the Bristol Channel. Woodland Wanders: The surrounding forest is perfect for a shadowy, atmospheric stroll through the pines.

Gemini said If you find yourself in the rolling hills of West Dorset, the Church of St John the Baptist in Broadwindsor is a classic, "slow-paced" country church that packs a surprising amount of history into its quiet stone walls. It’s perched on a high spot right in the heart of the village, looking out over the square like it’s been keeping watch forever (which, to be fair, it mostly has). Here’s why it’s worth a wander: A Royal Fugitive’s Hiding Spot The village’s biggest claim to fame involves a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek. After losing the Battle of Worcester in 1651, King Charles II fled for his life and spent a night right here in Broadwindsor. While the King was hiding in a nearby inn (now private cottages), Parliamentarian soldiers actually arrived in the village to search it. Legend says he only escaped because a local woman went into labor in the same building, causing such a chaotic distraction that the soldiers moved on without finding him. He eventually escaped to France, but the church stands as a silent witness to that tense night. The "Witty" Rector In the 1630s, the church was led by Thomas Fuller, a man described as one of the first English writers to actually make a living from his pen. He was famous for his "pregnant wit" and once said, "Charity begins at home, but should not end there." * Even today, the village is very proud of him—you’ll often find his quotes inscribed in the local community pub, The White Lion, just down the road. What to Look For Inside The "Wonky" Architecture: The church has a mix of styles because it’s been rebuilt and patched up over nearly 900 years. You’ll see heavy, rounded Norman arches on one side of the nave and more pointed "Early English" ones on the other. It gives the interior a slightly mismatched, organic feel. The Ancient Font: There is a square font made of Purbeck Marble that dates back to the early 1200s. It’s been used to baptize village children for eight centuries. The Bells: The tower holds a ring of six bells. Some of them are "pre-Reformation," meaning they’ve been swinging in that tower since before Henry VIII broke away from Rome. The "Compromise" Clock: If you’re there during the day, you’ll hear the clock chime. There was a recent local debate about whether it should chime at night; in a very "British village" move, they compromised—it now stays quiet from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM so the neighbors can sleep!

An informative 3D view of the geology under the landscape of Neroche and Staple Hill

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.