Ashley circular via Stoke Albany

Mon, 2013 Jul 8 9:16 AM British Summer Time 

With Barry and Gordon. Another hot and sunny walk, after early mist. Pleasant breeze. Uphill to begin, then undulating - good views. Dry underfoot. 8 miles, and 589 feet of climbing.

The mist is in evidence when we set off from Ashley, just opposite the George pub. We walk along the road past a couple of houses, through a gate, and then take the footpath which leads directly uphill along the side of a field of cows. 

At the top end of this field are two footpath signs - the most obvious is a stile straight ahead. We ignore this and take the path through a gate to the left. This is a bridleway, and goes diagonally downhill, then crosses a brook, and joins Brig Lane.   The track goes uphill for a while, and after almost a mile arrives at the road on the edge of Wilbarston. We turn right towards Stoke Albany.  

In this wall are traces of former archways and windows. It bears the date 1684.

St Botolph's church, Stoke Albany

Although we've not walked three miles yet, the bench opposite the church tempts us to take an early snack break.

We manage to add a mile to our route, but this gives us the bonus of a fine field of poppies, a kite, a flying pig, and some more views of Stoke Albany.

OK, not quite flying

Brampton Ash spire in the distance

lamp post leaning

Back on the correct route, we follow the road down to the right from the old village hall, until the footpath leaves to the left, on a right hand bend.  The path takes us over a field to cross the drive to the golf club.  We walk in the same direction along the next field and cross the field boundary into a very big field. The path heads uphill past a derelict shed, to the end of the field.  There are lots of blue damsel flies shimmering around the path.

At this point we have to go through what looks like a tunnel of vegetation in the corner of a copse. It's not quite the obstacle that it looks.

The next field has a clear path through the ripening barley

It leads up to a private burial ground, with railings and a seat with a lovely view.

At this point we stray slightly from our route - basically turning the wrong way when we meet the Macmillan Way.  Luckily we soon realise and put ourselves straight, heading for the six-way signpost on the ridge.

We follow the sign towards Ashley, through a field of wheat, then have a choice of two routes. The right hand one looks more user-friendly, though we have to walk through very high grass towards the end.

It isn't long before we emerge into Ashley, cross a road and take the path opposite, which eventually comes out at the road we started from.

From here, it is a short walk to the car.

Map and details