Off the Beaten Track in Somerset: Snowdrop Valley, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Snowdrop Valley, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor

Snowdrop Valley is located half a mile north of the village of Wheddon Cross in the valley of the River Avill. The land is privately owned by the Badgworthy (pronounced Badgery) Land Company but they allow free public access to Snowdrop Valley during the snowdrop flowering season c. late Jan - early March each year.

There is a small car park in the centre of the village (free) and a very large overflow car park a few hundred metres down the road towards Exford (fee). This is the car park for the Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions.

The footpaths down to Snowdrop Valley are clearly marked but be warned it can be very muddy and a bit slippery, so walking boots or wellington boots are a necessity. It is downhill all the way, which means of course that it is uphill all the way back! If you don't want to walk there or are unable to do so, on certain days there is a park and ride service to Snowdrop Valley but you need to book it in advance. The footpath around Snowdrop Valley itself is fairly flat and slightly less muddy than the path down to it but I wouldn't recommend walking round in ordinary shoes or trainers.

Snowdrop Valley is located on a narrow lane. This is closed to all traffic except the few residents who live on it and the park and ride minibus during the snowdrop season, as there are few passing places and there is nowhere to park along it anyway.

The livestock market's café is open on certain days, the Rest and Be Thankful Inn serves meals and there is a village shop, so one way or another you don't need to go home feeling hungry or thirsty.

Snowdrop Valley is popular, so you are unlikely to have it to yourself unless you go at first light or dusk or on a weekday but not when it is the school half term holidays. It is possible to do a variety of longer circular walks from Wheddon Cross, which incorporate Snowdrop Valley. I have done 3 different ones of 8-10 miles but I am sure there are many other possible variations.

Most of the valleys and many of the hedgerows in West Somerset at this time of year have some snowdrops but I haven't seen anywhere else in Somerset that has this many in one place. However if you don't like mud and/or flowers it isn't the place for you!

Snowdrops may not be native to the UK, but they are native to parts of mainland Europe. It isn't clear when they were first introduced to the UK: possibly in the 16th century as an ornamental garden plant or maybe in medieval times. They were first recorded as growing in the wild in the late 18th century.