Cancer Research UK Walk 2008
Lapworth/Kingswood is a lovely location about 10 mile from Warwick and at the junction of the Stratford on Avon and Grand Union Canals and, as it offered various walk possibilities, it was decided to have a figure of eight walk with the half way point, for midday refreshments, being the Village Hall. Not only did this help with the catering but also made it easier for those walkers who were only able to do half of the walk, which this year was approximately 12.5 miles in total length. Yes, as we get older they do seem to get shorter; but quality is more important than quantity and both the morning and the afternoon walks proved to be very enjoyable.
The enjoyment was also helped by a perfect day for walking. The sun was out all the day but thanks to slight cloud cover the temperature never became oppressive. The route details (in black) are below interspersed with comments, pictures etc.
The morning route visited Lapworth, Hockley Heath, Rowington, and Stratford on Avon Canal. The approximate distance being just over 6 miles.
The afternoon route visiting Baddesley Clinton, Rowington, and the Grand Union and Stratford on Avon Canals was also just over 6 miles.
Most of the early part of the morning route was easily identified by direction signs incorporating an oak leaf.
-o-O-o-
1. Leave Lapworth Village Hall,
turn left and follow footpath along road. At
Catesby Lane, path goes up an embankment before
returning to lower level alongside road.
2. Soon, after road and path go round right hand
bend, enter field via kissing gate on left – this
is a few yards before the canal tow path. Walk
through field with hedge on left until Sports Field
is reached – Lapworth Cricket Club.
3. to next field, then downhill to gap in hedge at
bottom left hand corner – pond can be seen on
left.
The Pond seen on our
left.
A very tranquil place with bluebells on the far
bank.
4. Follow path uphill, go over
stile and follow track – hedge on right – to lane.
Cross lane and take path on right towards Lapworth
Church and follow this through churchyard to Church
Lane.
Walking through the
churchyard at Lapworth Church. Although we
were using Lapworth Village Hall the Church is a
mile or so away
from the main part of the village which has built
up around the
junction of the Stratford on Avon and Grand Union
Canals.
5. At lane turn right and
immediately left into field. Follow path into
second field which goes downhill and across stream
– this area may be muddy. Follow track uphill,
ignore marked path in left corner, and soon after
will see path into field on left. Enter field and
turn right and follow hedge until gate is reached.
At this point path goes diagonally left across
field to lane.
This was the only part
of the walk where a navigation error could easily
occur, as the marked path in the left corner was
very obvious and inviting while the actual path
required was less well marked and not so
obvious.
Looking back towards Lapworth Church. Note the
abundance of buttercups.
Following the rain the
previous day the area by the stream was
muddy. Also some walkers were having a problem
crossing the
stream but thanks to a piece of plank and a
placement by Jeff the
problem was minimised.
6.At lane turn right and in a few
yards take path left (opposite drive to house).
Path goes right – between fence and hedge – into
field. Here turn left and follow tracks to A3400.
Turn left and before the 50 Sign is reached a
footpath will be seen on opposite side of road.
7.Cross road and follow path, which soon crosses
grassed area to gate. Turn right and follow track
to right of house and soon pass through gap in
hedge – on right – and into lane.
Along the lane to
Nuthurst Grange.
8.Turn left in lane
and follow until just before Nuthurst Grange is
reached and take footpath on right. Cross
diagonally over field and over two stiles before
going down hill to lane. At this point M40 is very
obvious. Cross lane and go along signed footpath
until footbridge is reached. Cross footbridge and
with hedge on right go uphill towards dilapidated
barn.
Crossing the field to the dilapidated barn
The dilapidated barn.
Photograph was taken in February. 2008 when the
walk was planned.
9.Go to left of barn and across
field to yellow marker post – keep obelisk to
left.
Crossing the field near the obelisk.
The dilapidated barn and the M40 can also be seen.
Ken, Richard & others having a break in the
lane beyond the Obelisk.
Dawn with the Obelisk beyond.
10.Cross lane and follow waymarked path. Note
churchyard and dilapidated church on right. The
next part of route is likely to be muddy as it is
used by cattle.
The dilapidated church. This photograph was taken
in February.
During the walk the
number of churches in the area was commented on.
Was this, or is this, a very religious
area?
11. Continue ahead towards another church that can
be seen in the distance. Keep hedge on right. Enter
churchyard and go to right of church to 'pick up'
path, which soon becomes a wide metalled track
after passing derelict wooden church building.
Follow track to road and turn right to Hockley
Heath.
View of the next church also taken in February.
An unusual view. If anyone has a better caption
please let me know.
The derelict wooden church building. I think most
of the walkers found this unusual
and could have been out of the Blair Witch Project
or a similar spooky film.
12. Cross road when footpath ends
to footpath on other side of road and follow this
around the left hand bend to road junction with
A3400. Continue over canal bridge and left through
car park of Wharf Inn to Stratford on Avon Canal.
Paul and Dawn who I accompanied most of the way
along the canal at the beginning of the this part
of the walk.
I was reminded later in the day
that it is not always a good idea to trust the
navigation of the person or group in front as
although the instructions stated that you should
'turn left over the canal footbridge' one group
decided to go right and a number of other walkers
followed. Well that's one way of lengthening a
walk!
Dawn and Paul at one of the draw bridges found
along
this part of the Stratford on Avon
Canal.
13.Turn left over canal footbridge and follow canal
for about 2 miles. At Bridge 33, located just past
the Lapworth Marina, cross bridge and continue
along the tow path until gap/gateway in hedge is
reached – At this point tow path and road are only
a few feet apart. Leave canal here, cross road with
care, and turn left and in a few minutes you will
be back at Lapworth Village Hall. The map that
covered the area of the morning walk was the OS
Explorer map 220
The first walkers arrived back at
Lapworth Village Hall shortly before 12.30 p.m. and
sat down to enjoy the refreshments supplied by Lin,
who was ably assisted by Joan. It certainly had
been a pleasant stroll with an assortment of paths,
views and an unexpected number of churches, and I
was pleased to note that most walkers had found the
instructions easy to follow.
To see a copy of the morning route
that can be easily printed click here
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Although I had intended
to walk the afternoon route with Jeff I was delayed
in 'getting away' so for the second walk I was
accompanied by Christine and Annis, two of the
regular walkers on these events. And very good
company they were too.
The afternoon route visited Baddesley Clinton,
Rowington, and the Grand Union and Stratford on
Avon Canals and like the morning stroll was just
over 6 miles in length.
1. Leave
Lapworth Village Hall and follow the road right,
towards the canal. Before reaching the canal turn
right into Brome Hall Lane and immediately cross
the road and go through the car parking area to the
canal (Kingswood Basin) and turn right.
2.Cross the footbridge over the canal and continue
alongside the basin to a second footbridge; cross
this and turn left along the canal (This is the
link canal between the Stratford on Avon and Grand
Union Waterways).
A view looking back at of one of the footbridges
crossed at the Kingswood
Junction
3.Follow the canal under the railway bridge and
cross footbridge at the junction with the Grand
Union Canal (Sign-posted Birmingham) and follow
canal to Bridge 65 where canal is left.
4.Taking care (No footpath) cross road, turn right,
and walk past Navigation Inn and house. Turn left
down track marked with oak leaf sign and a sign for
'Train and Trek”, opposite gates to The Manor
House. Follow track through gate into stable yard.
Route goes to the right of the stable block.
5.Go through gate and follow direction signs
diagonally across the field heading for the far
right hand corner. N.B. when checking on this route
there were horses in the field but they took no
interest in walkers, however, the entrance to the
field was very muddy.
Although there was still mud just
inside the field it was not as muddy as it was in
February.
6.Enter 2nd field and follow hedge on right –
obvious path – to 3rd field (Signed as being
Baddesley Clinton National Trust Property). Enter
field and initially continue with hedge on right
until corner is reached. Turn corner, then go ½
left diagonally across field to driveway to
Baddesley Clinton House. Turn right on drive and
follow sign towards car park and house.
Bluebells in the churchyard at Baddesley Clinton.
During both walks bluebells were in abundance and
probably at their best.
Another view of the bluebells in the
churchyard at Baddesley Clinton.
7.Go past car park (on left) and turn left along a
path sign-posted 'to the Church'. Follow path which
goes through churchyard and in a few feet take path
on right sign-posted Heart of England Way. NB from
here the Heart of England Way is followed to the
Grand Union Canal.
8.Continue to follow signs along field paths until
a metalled track is reached. Go ahead along the
track passing a farm on the right. Here the track
becomes a rough path which leads to a road.
Warwickshire Countryside between
Baddesley Clinton and Rowington.
9.Turn left at the road (keep on right side to face
oncoming traffic). Soon after passing a windmill
conversion on the right, and opposite Green Farm,
go right into field. Follow track between fence on
left and tape on right (to separate walkers from
horses). At end of field, to the right of gate, is
a gap in hedge and kissing gate. Go through hedge
and kissing gate and follow sign direction over
hill to gap in hedge. (If the gap is not
immediately noticed follow hedge to left)
This gap referred to above has now
been filled by a gate, but as it was obviously new
this did not cause any real navigational
problem.
Annis, with big smile, crossing stile on the way to
Rowington Church.
10.Follow signs continuing in same
direction and soon, having gone up a slight hill,
Rowington Church will be seen. Go past line of
trees, downhill to gate, and then up hill with
hedge on left. Near the top of ascent go left into
another field and follow track to churchyard.
The above was not exactly true. When
these walk notes were done in February the leaves
were off the trees and Rowington Church could
easily be seen. However, in May with foliage in
abundance the landmark church at Rowington was not
visible until it was almost reached.
Walkers a short distance ahead. At this point in
February Rowington Church was clearly visible.
The Church at Rowington.
11.Follow path through churchyard
to main road. Cross road with care and go left and
immediately right (on a bend) down lane –
signposted as Footpath/bridleway - and in a few
minutes the Grand Union canal will be reached.
Looking back at reflections on the Grand Union
Canal.
It was at this point we joined the waterway.
Chris and Annis - Note the canal tow path at this
point is much improved.
To see how it was see the picture of Chris at the
same point on the 2005
Walk.
But no improvements had taken place further along
the tow path.
Annis smiles at the camera while Chris contemplates
the best way to cross the quagmire.
Nearing the Tom O' the Wood Public
House.
12.Cross the bridge over canal and turn right to
follow tow path to Bridge No 63 by the Tom O' the
Wood Public House. Leave canal, turn left and soon
after turn right into Dicks Lane. Follow lane,
which goes under a railway Bridge before reaching
the Stratford on Avon Canal.
Locks at the point we crossed the Stratford on Avon
Canal.
13.Cross bridge and follow track away from canal.
At T junction of paths turn right and follow track.
When farmyard is reached continue ahead and at
meeting of five tracks continue ahead taking main
track/lane to left of farmhouse.
Pleasant walking immediately after crossing the S
on A Canal.
But a little further on we were greeted by more
mud.
14.Follow lane (Brome Hall Lane) to main road and
then turn left to Lapworth Village Hall.
The maps used for this walk were the OS Explorer
maps 220 and 221.
To see a copy of the afternoon
route that can be easily printed
click here
I think everyone who
took part in the walk(s) enjoyed it. As stated
previously the weather was good, the scenery
interesting and varied, and as always the food,
both at lunchtime and at the end of the walk, was
excellent. A big thank you must to the Lin and Joan
for their culinary endeavors; everyone loved the
cakes. Thanks also go to Jeff for arranging the
venue etc.
As the people walking were fewer than last year it
maybe that the money from sponsorship will be less
than in some previous years. However, it is hoped
that absent walkers, if they have not already done
so, will sponsor the walkers who were there on the
day.
It seems that everyone had a very enjoyable time,
and with such a good venue and with such enjoyable
walking I believe there is a strong possibility we
will return to Lapworth for a future
walk.
Cancer Research
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(Kingswood) Walks Main Page
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