Copsale to – 6½ miles

Start from TQ171249 by the junction where the Downs Link crosses Bar Lane at Copsale.

From the Downs Link walk westwards down Bar Lane passing ‘Copsale Hall’, a green and black corrugated building, on your right where tea, coffee and bacon sandwiches are served on the first Sunday morning each month.

Follow the road round to the left and up a short incline.

At the top of the incline turn right down the farm track to ‘Pollard’s Hill Farm’ access.

Follow the track through the middle of the farm for about a ¼ mile eventually bearing left in front of ‘Vincent Cottages’ to meet the A24 dual carriageway southbound.

Cross carefully into the wooded central reservation area.

Now cross the north bound carriageway where the traffic passes at great speed. Due to traffic lights further south there should only be a short wait for a significant gap in the traffic to appear easing the crossing of the fast road.

Cross to the track on the other side and walk straight ahead for a short distance.

As the track bears left go straight ahead to keep an overgrown boundary to the right and a tall deer proof fence to the left.

Walk ahead keeping the deer proof fence on the left and ignoring any paths off to the right.

After about a ¼ mile the path drops down into a wood leaving the fence to the left and crosses a small bridge over a stream.

Climb up from the bridge towards a tree plantation and then bear right keeping the plantation on the left.

After about 250 yards, with a dense copse directly in ahead, turn left onto a broader path keeping the tree plantation on the left.

As the plantation ceases bear right to pass into a wood and after a short distance the tall deer proof fence reappears on the left.

At this point turn right towards an old rusty gate to meet the Shipley Road.

Cross the road directly to the wide track opposite, marked public bridleway.

Follow the track into the wood until finding a cottage on the right.

Pass through a gateway and into a field staying on the track and close to the field boundary on the right.

The track bears left and then right before dropping down to pass through a tree lined boundary into a small field with two simple barns to the left.

Shortly the track bears right but walk straight ahead onto a small path into the woods.

Follow the broad bridleway in the woods keeping the main wood on the left, and a field some 15 yards or so to the right, until eventually meeting Dragons Green Road.

Turn right, cross the road and in a very few yards turn left and immediately left again to pass over a stile beside a field gate.

Pass into the field and turn right to stay by the field edge close to the boundary on the right.

The path passes through a narrow band of trees into the next field still staying close to the boundary on the right.

Exit this field, over a stile to the left of a gate, onto a path into a wood with a track that soon reaches a gate and a road, Oldhouse Lane.

Turn left leaving ‘Blackthorn Cottage’ on the right, ignore the roads to the right passing straight ahead onto Baker’s Lane and up a small rise past ‘Dukes Place’ to the right.

The road drops down, as it bears left take the footpath signed to the right beside a rusty metal field gate.

Walk straight ahead across the field to the far side bounded by a wood and large trees.

Once across the field bear left to follow the large tree boundary.

After about 150 yards, where the field boundary bears left, turn right to follow a wide open path into the woods. Do not follow the path when it turns right but go straight ahead to cross a small footbridge over a ditch and onto a gravel drive beside some houses.

Turn right down the drive towards the white oak beamed barn and then left once in front of the barn leaving it directly to the rear.

Soon the drive bears right but the path bears left down a track towards a small pond.

Bear left to leave the pond on the right and once through a gate opening turn sharp right.

Keeping the pond on the right, head for a single large oak tree on the far side of the field, leaving a line of large trees well to the left.

Just to the right of the single oak tree pass through a small gate nestling in the corner of the field hedge.

Bear right passing a wood clad house to the right.

Keeping the hedge close to the right, a wire sheep fence soon joins from the left.

Go through a gate and some steps down to reach the Road.

Turn right and walk along the road for about 300 yards and turn left at a road junction to walk along Emms lane.

Walk along the lane for a similar distance and then take a path to the left, where the road starts to turn to the right, between 'Chivers' and 'Field House'.

Continue along this wooded path, going over a stile at a gate. When emerging from the wood, turn right along a field edge, going under power lines and go downhill and over a footbridge.

Bear left and keep to edge of field (battling with severe overgrowth in summer).

Ignore the path on the left and go downhill and over a footbridge.

Bear left and keep to edge of field (battling with severe overgrowth in summer).

Pass to the left of a small stand of conifers and bear right to follow the left hand edge of the field.

Turn left through a gap in the hedge and go up hill, keeping to right hand edge of field, to join a track and cross the West Literary Trail.

Stay on the track for about 400 yards, pass some stables then turn left onto a footpath through the hole in the hedge.

The path is not marked so keep to the left hand edge of the field round two sides then pass through a hedge tunnel to reach a road.

Turn left and walk down the road for 50 yards.

Turn right through a gate then immediately left to follow the path running parallel to the road.

Turn back onto the lane at the entrance to Palmer’s Barn.

Stay on the lane for 300 yards then turn right onto the footpath just past Kettlesbridge Farm.

Follow the footpath, keeping to the right hand edge of the field as it goes through a hole in the hedge, then turns right, left and left again.

At the corner of a tree-lined boundary turn right at the fingerpost. Follow the path until it joins a bridleway, signed ‘Fewhurst Farm’.

Turn left onto the bridleway then straight on to reach the A272.

Turn right to follow the road, then after 50 yards cross with care and turn left onto a tarmac lane then straight forward onto a rough track through a metal gate.

Follow the track, ignoring the footpath sign, closely followed by a field entrance, on the right.

After 100 yards, turn right to follow a well-worn path through the woods.

Stay on this path, ignoring a path to the left and a crossing path, until reaching Lower Station Road, opposite Natts Lane.

Turn right and continue on Lower Station Road to the station.