Wills Neck

Wills Neck 384m, Quantock Hills. Section 41
OS 1:50 000 Sheet 181 : ST165351

23rd September 2001 & 14th April 2002.
Baggers Album ->England->41

The summit.

Ramscombe in the coniferous Quantock Forest.

Leaving Hodder's Combe in the oakwood part of the forest.

Aisholt Common, to the north of Wills Neck.

The trig after repairs in April 2002.

Map: Wills Neck

The Quantocks is where I started out in this hill bashing game, but I have not been back for over twenty years. It was a pleasant surprise to see that hardly anything had changed in this superlative little hill group, other than the appearance of mountain bikes.

Well actually , Triscombe Quarry had expanded , swallowing up more of Wills Neck and the trees had grown somewhat in Ramscombe, but it was all familiar and the paths were no more worn than in the 1970's and there was a pleasant absence of obvious 'management' and hectoring signs. It was also quiet.

After the high point of Wills Neck, we crossed Ramscombe to Dowsborough, a hill capped with coppiced oakwood and a hill fort. It's very unusual to find such an extensive sesile oak forest in England, and this hill with the surrounding combes is not to be missed.

We found a quiet way out of one of the many branches of Hodder's Combe before following the long ridgeway track back to Triscombe. Memories of the bumpy ride in school minibuses along this track.

14th April 2002

So after over twenty years I was back in the Quantocks for a second time in a few months. This time it was after orienteering in the Blackdown Hills.

I had enough energy for a short walk over Lydeard Hill and Aisholt Common. If doing Wills Neck for the first time, please go up via Aisholt Common, this will ensure that this will always be one of your favourite hills. A wild place, and a big difference since the 1970s is that there are now dartford warblers in the gorse.

A big difference since last autumn, was that the trig had been painted and the tumulus repaired. The true summit is still nearby in the gorse. The ponies are still there.

Corbetts

Bagging Diary

Tables

Links

Ramscombe in the coniferous Quantock Forest.
Leaving Hodder's Combe in the oakwood part of the forest.
Aisholt Common, to the north of Wills Neck.
The trig after repairs in April 2002.
	Map: Wills Neck
	The Quantocks is where I started out in this hill bashing game, but I have not been back for over twenty years. It was a pleasant surprise to see that hardly anything had changed in this superlative little hill group, other than the appearance of mountain bikes. Well actually , Triscombe Quarry had expanded , swallowing up more of Wills Neck and the trees had grown somewhat in Ramscombe, but it was all familiar and the paths were no more worn than in the 1970's and there was a pleasant absence of obvious 'management' and hectoring signs. It was also quiet. After the high point of Wills Neck, we crossed Ramscombe to Dowsborough, a hill capped with coppiced oakwood and a hill fort. It's very unusual to find such an extensive sesile oak forest in England, and this hill with the surrounding combes is not to be missed. We found a quiet way out of one of the many branches of Hodder's Combe before following the long ridgeway track back to Triscombe. Memories of the bumpy ride in school minibuses along this track. 14th April 2002 So after over twenty years I was back in the Quantocks for a second time in a few months. This time it was after orienteering in the Blackdown Hills. I had enough energy for a short walk over Lydeard Hill and Aisholt Common. If doing Wills Neck for the first time, please go up via Aisholt Common, this will ensure that this will always be one of your favourite hills. A wild place, and a big difference since the 1970s is that there are now dartford warblers in the gorse. A big difference since last autumn, was that the trig had been painted and the tumulus repaired. The true summit is still nearby in the gorse. The ponies are still there.

Wills Neck 384m, Quantock Hills. Section 41OS 1:50 000 Sheet 181 : ST165351

Corbetts

Bagging Diary

Tables

Links

Wills Neck 384m, Quantock Hills. Section 41
OS 1:50 000 Sheet 181 : ST165351