Short walk .............

6 mile Circular Walk around Coughton
by Peter Travis

This delightful circular walk starts from The Throckmorton Arms near Coughton Court
 a well know National Trust property. The walk will give you a flavour of The Millennium Way taking you across mostly flat countryside with no stiles. Approximately 6 miles in length, and clearly marked with the distinctive black Millennium Way circular waymarkers.

 

Turn right out of the Throckmorton Arms car park and walk down the main road for approx 300 yards, passing an entrance to Coughton Court and continue further down road to take a footpath left, via a metal kissing gate.
Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409. It holds a unique place in English history with its close connections to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Go ahead towards Coughton Court and as you approach the main building take the kissing gate ahead, cross bridge and turn right along the paved path to pass Throckmorton Catholic Church on your left. At the T - junction turn left along the lane to cross the ford via a footbridge. Immediately past the ford go left along a wide footpath signposted The Arden Way. Continue ahead for just over a mile, following a wide track which rises gently towards an old barn on your left. Ignore track to barn but stay ahead on the main track with hedge right to continue gently uphill. Keep ahead along track until you reach the road.

Turn right at road and after 40 paces turn left down the lane signposted Shelfield Green. Continue along lane and at right hand bend take the footpath left through metal gate signed bridleway and Heart of England Way. The track rises gently to pass the southern tip of Alne Wood on your left. Near the top of the track we leave the Heart of England Way taking footpath left keeping to the left of the house. After a few yards the path divides. Go through metal gate ignoring the sign to the right but continue directly ahead with wire fence left. Go through next metal gate then through woodland to pass under power lines then ahead on path between trees continuing ahead with hedge right to top right corner. Go through gap following waymark sign into next field where you will be rewarded with glorious views to your left. Keep hedge right to reach the lane.

Turn left down lane and after approximately 100 yards take hidden footpath right up steps and through gap then turning left to walk around edge of field with hedge left. Ignore gate to road left in corner of field, instead continuing around edge to take waymarked path left through metal kissing gate and go ahead towards wood. Go through metal kissing gate ahead and small footbridge towards edge of wood to find track. Keep wood right and continue along track to reach metal gate. Go through the metal gate then turn immediately left to follow around edge of field keeping fence and hedge left eventually to exit field in left hand corner via small footbridge and metal gate. Continue ahead with wood left and on reaching road cross over taking footpath directly ahead to cross small stone footbridge over stream then under power lines keeping hedge left. Continue to far left corner to find metal gate.


Here we join the MILLENNIUM WAY. Go left through gate following the black Millennium Way waymarker, keep hedge left continuing around edge of field then under power lines towards large house ahead. Go through wooden gate ahead into garden of house and stay ahead with hedge left and pond right to exit garden by gate just to the left of main entrance gate. Emerge at the junction of three tracks. Turn slightly right and walk up the hill along the field edge with hedge right. Continue with hedge right to corner gap at top of field. Take gap and go ahead uphill passing twin electricity poles in middle of field. Continue to summit and go forward to take gate in corner. Go ahead with wire fence on right to walk gently downhill and take metal gate ahead. Continue downhill with hedge right passing to rear of cottages to reach corner metal gate. Take gate then go forward a few yards to take next metal kissing gate and turn right down road. Follow road to take first surfaced lane on left waymarked Millennium Way.


 Go past house on corner leading to "The Former Church of St. Leonard's Spernall. Pass church on your right and immediately after church gate go through kissing gate. Go ahead with fence right eventually reaching metal gate giving access to metal footbridge over River Arrow. Continue ahead close to riverbank left, into the narrowing of field to take kissing gate ahead. Go half right across the next field to the corner where there are a number of hedgerow oaks to find gate. Take gate, turn immediately right with hedge right and a fence on your left. Go to field corner, stay in field but turn left in front of gate and go with hedge right walking towards Coughton Court ahead. On reaching next corner take kissing gate to next field and follow National Trust sign for Coughton Court ahead. Go forward a short distance with metal rail fence right to take another kissing gate then go half left across field towards the cottages on far side to exit by kissing gate to emerge on to main road where we leave the Millennium Way. Turn right at road to bring you back to your start point at the Throckmorton Arms for some welcome refreshment.
 

All the paths, bridleways and roads we have used in these instructions are public rights of way as designated on Ordnance Survey maps. Following the instructions and walking tips on this web site in no way constitutes any liability on 41 Club that such routes or tips are safe or suitable.