PUB PUB NORTHAMPTONSHIRE WALK SHROPSHIRE WALK 11 EVERDON & FAWSLEY 12 LONG MYND & ADSTONE HILL MIDLANDS MIDLANDS A uDistance: 6½ miles/10.5km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 10 miles/16km uTime: 7 hours uGrade: Moderate B Looking west along the PLAN YOUR WALK Views of the PLAN YOUR WALK lake known as The Canal. Stiperstones and Long Mynd from Adstone Hill. PHOTO: PHOTO: ROGERBUTLER ROUTE ROGERBUTLER ROUTE Start/parking Start/parking Car park Everdon, NN11 3BL, opposite pub in Bridges, grid ref SP594574 SY5 0ST, grid ref Is it for me? Field paths SO393964 and good farm tracks; Is it for me? Paths and CHOSEN BY… Heritage and Natural England short lengths of quiet lane CHOSEN BY… hamlet of Bridges, where a tracks through fields and ROGER BUTLER to prepare a comprehensive Stiles 17 ROGER BUTLER traditional pub of the same across open moorland, This scenic walk scheme of historic landscape The Long Mynd was name nestles next to the with a couple of steep in the rolling restoration and the lakes and PLANNING made for walkers babbling River West Onny. ascents Stiles 17 Northamptonshire countryside landmarks can be viewed from Nearest town Daventry and this seven-mile wedge of Part of the walk follows the Refreshments The Plough has just about everything: several vantage points on the moorland forms the popular track of the ancient Portway Inn at Everdon – a village PLANNING panoramic views and peaceful walk. The isolated Church of St pub complete with a large centrepiece of the Shropshire and several Bronze Age tumuli Nearest town villages; historic houses and Mary the Virgin, in the pasture collection of memorabilia Hills. Deep valleys cut their can be seen higher up. The Church Stretton interesting churches; and lakes by the lakes, can be visited – (01327 361606) way into the steep slopes and heather provides a carpet Refreshments The Bridges and parkland designed by though you almost have to Public toilets None old trackways twist and turn of colour in late summer, but pub (01588 650260) Capability Brown. And there’s squeeze through the tiny Public transport Nearest across the high heathery in winter snow can close the Public toilets None station Long Buckby – Public transport Nearest a lovely country pub at the wooden door. The walk taxi required for onward plateau. There’s always plenty open roads which climb to rail station Church bottom of the main street in continues to the escarpment t r a v e l t o E v e r d o n of fresh air up here and the 1600 feet as they cross the Stretton. An excellent Everdon, where many houses village of Preston Capes, Maps OS Explorer 206; views stretch way into Wales. top of the broad ridge. shuttle bus service have been built from the where tightly-knit lanes lead Landranger 152 The western side of the Long operates across the Long attractive local ironstone. to the church and its excellent Mynd is less frequented than Start Mynd at weekends and The route leaves Everdon views back towards Fawsley the east and this circular walk From the road junction at Bank Holidays between 1 Easter and the end of by following a long breezy and beyond. Paths descend Start makes use of quiet paths to Bridges, take the lane leading E September - see www. ridge which descends to from here, passing the remains 1From pub and church in explore a scenic valley and past Youth Hostel (now one of shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk the grounds around the of a motte and bailey castle, to Everdon walk up High Street, an outlying hill, as well as the oldest in the country) and for full details Elizabethan Fawsley Hall, now meet quiet tracks by the farm past triangular village green, climbing up to the highest cross stile on R after 400m. Maps OS Explorer 217; a hotel. The surrounding estate and former mill at Snorscomb and take lane (Fawsley Road) point on the main ridge. The Keep ahead through the trees Landranger 137 has worked with English on the way back to Everdon. forking L by last houses. After ➥ route starts and finishes at the and fork L, ahead and over ➥ GRADIENT PROFILE GRADIENT PROFILE 600 600 400 400 200 200 metres metres 0 0 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 ✁ MIDLANDS MIDLANDS SHROPSHIRE DECEMBER 2018 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DECEMBER 2018 12 LONG MYND & ADSTONE HILL 11 EVERDON & FAWSLEY uOS Explorer map 217 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map 206 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop stile, after 450m. Continue 3 200m, take stile on R and turn to next stile, where the path L along hedge to next stile. enters a conifer plantation with Go straight ahead over field to stream below, and go over gap in hedge and continue to 1 another stile to cross a farm another gap with stile. Walk 2 track at the bottom of small 2 over next field, with ruined START side valley. Cross another stile farm on L, and go through next 5 and follow path through gap in hedge, now slightly START 1 garden at the foot of 4 downhill to another gap. Ratlinghope Hill. The hamlet Continue, with hedge on R, of Ratlinghope (pronounced WALKED DATE to stile and pass Westcombe WALKED DATE Ratchup), with church, is the Farm on R to reach gate at other side of Darnford Brook. lane. Go straight over, through farm gate with sheepfold on L, ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 007/18 ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN MEDIA 007/18 ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN 1 mile/1.5km and walk up field to gate in 4 2Follow the Shropshire Way fence at top. The path ahead 3 signs to join grass track/path, crosses a large swathe of with gates and stiles, which 6 pasture with parkland trees gently climbs into the peaceful and descends to stile at lane. 5 Darnford Valley. Keep L of the barns and ford at Lower TIME TAKEN 1¾ miles/3km 3¼ miles/5.25km track, later lined by hedges, TIME TAKEN Darnford and, as a track swings 2Turn R around head of 3Turn R uphill, into Preston to pass Snorscomb Farm on R. N, fork R to climb a grass ridge, Leave the top by continuing 1.2km to the junction of tracks lake and take first gate on L, Capes, and then turn R on Proceed to gate and turn L and then up ‘Golden Valley’. S to reach road after 450m. at the S end of Adstone Hill. signed Fawsley Estate, with Church Way. Walk to rear of along open track to pass At the top, a steel kissing gate Turn R, pass the tree-lined isolated church ahead. This was churchyard for great views. restored mill on L. gives access onto the line of enclosure of Pole Cottage 8½ miles/13.5km established by the monks of Return to main lane, turn R and the old Portway track. (a corrugated barn) and 6Take good track on R, Daventry Priory in the 13th take driveway opposite phone 6 miles/9.5km immediately fork R on track through gate, and keep ahead century and it once served a box. Immediately take gate on 5Fork L through next gate 2¼ miles/3.75km descending W. along crest of Adstone Hill, village which has long since R into field. Keep boundary on and, after bridge over stream, 3Turn R on track for 2.6km, and a section within tunnel of disappeared. Take track to L L, go over two stiles and look take path on R to quickly pass past the trig point on Betchcott 6¼ miles/10.25km hawthorns. Three stiles lead the of church and continue across L to glimpse old motte and through two footbridges with Hill, and continue to a dip, by After approximately way N and, after approximately a low causeway between the bailey castle. Keep straight stiles. Trend L and keep ahead YOUR RATING YOUR 5 RATING YOUR conifers, at head of High Park 750m, and by a prominent 2km, descend to double gates lakes of Fawsley Hall. Cross ahead over field to footbridge to stile in hedge. Walk around Hollow. Walk up to the open bend, go R through gate by the lane. Go through R-hand stile into open pasture. Keep and stile in hedge. Go over next edge of allotments to gate at road – you’re now on the Long to take path/track through gate, turn L and return to L and look for marker post field to open lane and turn L. lane. Go R, with church ahead, Mynd – and turn R for 200m. pasture to lane at Stanbach start after 450m. leading the way to a dip with to return to Everdon. at foot of hillside. Go straight stile in hedge. Go R along field 4½ miles/7.25km 4¼ miles/6.75km over, cross stile and follow field edge, turn L and keep ahead, After 250m, turn L along © Country Walking December 2018 December Walking © Country VIEW THE WALK ON 2018 December Walking © Country 4 VIEW THE WALK ON 4Fork L on obvious track path over a couple more stiles OS MAPS ONLINE: past barn on R, to footbridge hedge to go through bridleway OS MAPS ONLINE: through heather and follow and a small footbridge, with lfto.com/cwroutes at top corner. Go over field to gate. Walk ahead to next gate lfto.com/cwroutes this for 1.7km to next road.