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Distance:
6
miles for the full walk, but can be shortened
Parking: car
park opposite the church, or the Swan Inn if you are planning to
eat after your walk
Duration: short
version 2 hours, longer version just under 3 hours.
Refreshments: The
Swan Inn is recommended particularly for its fish menu.
The
walk starts opposite the church car park, passing by the church
and heading straight on keeping the river to your right. When you
reach a field, head towards the far left gate into another field
where you follow the grassy track. Pass by a stile and keep to the
right field edge. Climb over a stile and turn left crossing over
a stream and another stile.
Turn
left along the field edge passing a pond on your right. At the end
of the field climb the stile by the pond and follow the track, crossing
a brook and over a stile into a field of sheep keeping the copse
on your left. You will see a stile going into the copse - at this
point you can cut out the next section of the walk if you wish,
and skip to **.
For
a longer walk, pass by the stile and cross the field to a gate.
Keeping the brook on your right follow the right field edge, and
near the far corner climb a stile, and cross a bridge over a stream
onto an enclosed track.
When
you reach a lane turn right and a short way on your left follow
the footpath sign into Chalkney Woods. (In spring the wood floor
is covered in bluebells). This eventually opens onto a wide grassy
track leading to a lane. Turn right and when you reach a crossroads
take the right lane which will take you to a boarding kennels that
likes its privacy!
Pass
through their gate and after the stables turn right with the river
and Chalkney Mill on your left and vehicle sheds on your right to
join a track. Continue through a gate to a field with horse jumps
and cross it to reach a four-bar metal gate. Continue down the track
which ends at Swanscombe Farm. Follow the brick lane until you see
a stile on your left marked Margery Allingham Walk. Take the path
across the middle of the field and over a stile. Keep straight ahead
across the field crossing a small brook via a plank to return to
the stile into the copse.
**
Enter the copse via the stile and follow the path. (At certain times
of the year this can get over-grown with nettles so long trousers
are advised). Keep heading uphill through the wood and at some stables
continue on the track eventually passing a house and onto a lane.
At a fork in the road bear left and take some steps on your right
up into a field. There is a view down to the viaduct to your left
from here.
Cross
the field on the marked path and cross a bridge and over a stile.
Hug the left edge of the field and over the stile, down some steps
cut away in the earth to the road at Swan Street. Turn right and
then left into Bacons Lane. Continue down Bacons Lane passing Katoomba
and Apple Croft to reach a track which takes you over a railway
bridge to reach Bacons Farm.
Walk
straight ahead through the farmyard, turn right around the last
building, then after a few paces more reach a gate on your left
to pass into a field. Keeping to the left field edge proceed downhill.
At the bottom of the field go over a stile by a pillpox. At the
end of this field climb over a gate and continue to another stile.
Keep heading to the right and walk along the field edge. You can
see Popes Hall ahead.
As
you follow the path through the field you can see Chappel Viaduct
ahead. Go over a plank bridge and follow the burnt way across the
field to a footpath sign where you bear left to a lane. Pass Holly
Cottage then shortly turn right into a field heading towards a shed.
Cross
a bridge and follow the path by a copse to a stile by the viaduct.
Pass under the viaduct and either head straight on back to the car
park, or to reach the Swan Inn for a well-earned drink turn immediately
right passing through the play area to reach a gate into the pub
garden.
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