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IAIN’s LOCKDOWN WALKS No. 27 CIRCULAR FROM CLAVERDON
Walk starts from the Claverdon Church Centre car park, Church Road, Claverdon, CV35 8PD. Alternatively from Claverdon railway station (NB request stop), CV35 8PE.
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From car park turn briefly right then left onto driveway to Park Farm and after 60m take kissing gate on right and walk diagonally right to far corner. After passing thru gate, continue right with pool on your left then shortly afterwards turn left down path (ignoring tractor track ahead) and proceed with hedge on your right along two fields. Cross stile then railway line with care and another stile and continue on same heading beside a drainage ditch and on reaching stream go to left, past redundant kissing gate, thru coppice and after 70m cross stile followed by footbridge then another stile. Beyond footbridge go slightly right up the next field, cross a stile and then a steeper gradient and continue to the right of a spinney. Follow the tractor track with hedge on your left to a road. Cross over Langley Road to metal gate opposite and cross middle of field on same bearing to gate then aim to left of bungalow and join driveway via kissing gate and upon reaching the Wolverton Road turn right. After 40m follow waymarker and turn right up a slope towards Wolverton Church.
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From the church continue on path to metal kissing gate and bear half-right across a paddock to gate. Bear slight left to walk up gentle slope with hedge on your right and at end of field follow waymarker right thru hedge gap to follow field boundary on your right and after kissing gate go down diagonally left across a field to metal gate. Cross Langley Road and walk a little to your left and look for yellow-topped waymarker on right, go between trees to reach gate. Go half-left across a meadow, aiming for righthand end of hedgerow and go thru gate. Continue with field boundary on your left to reach kissing gate and cross railway line to another. Continue ahead then cross footbridge, follow hedge and stream for about 30m and cross field on this bearing to fence and gate then diagonally left up slope aiming for dilapidated corrugated iron shed. Go thru gate by shed and continue ahead along left-hand field boundary to metal gate. (If you are taking short cut 1 here turn right then almost immediately left into lane and when this turns sharp right re-join main walk at 6).
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Turn left along the lane for about 300m thru the village of Langley until just after lefthand bend, and opposite St Mary parish noticeboard, join Monarchs Way on your right between house and driveway to “August Hill”. Follow the farm track that then becomes a footpath along left-hand field boundary. (If you are taking short cut 2 continue ahead and skip to 5). After 350m after leaving Langley take footpath left and walk half-right then between thicket and narrow stream to a stile. After stile turn right along field edge and shortly afterwards pass thru field gap and head for stile opposite. Cross and walk slight right across reedy meadow to reach and cross a footbridge. Continue on heading to walk past 5 oak trees, cross stile and aim for old oak then bear slight right to reach the Langley Road.
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Turn right and walk along verge for 150m then turn right into lane to Cutlers Farm and remain on this for 1.2km past Edstone Pool and about 100m before reaching the farm go thru gate and take bridleway right up the slope with the hedge on your left. Upon reaching Knowles Wood turn right to walk along southern edge and after 200m and just before metal gate leave bridleway and take gate on your left. Follow path gently upwards inside the wood’s eastern margin until shortly before reaching northern boundary and follow waymarker right. Upon emerging from wood continue ahead and after about 100m follow well-defined path as it bears left and follows the edge of the wood. After 450m a path T-junction is reached; turn right follow path as it descends until a kissing gate alongside a metal farm gate and shortly afterwards a road is reached. (Now jump to 6).
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Short cut 2. Ignore kissing gate on left but continue ahead along well-defined path toa field gap to reach a vantage point and junction of paths. Turn right, go thru fieldentrance then immediately left to follow left-hand field boundary. At next field follow well-defined path along left-hand field boundary that after a short distance turns right then curves left towards bottom of field and copse of trees. Upon reaching bottom of field turn left briefly and look for wooden gate on right. Go thru and emerge into field and go half-right to join farm track. Continue along track past farm gate towards Cutler’s Farm then turn right onto bridleway as under 4 above.
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Turn left uphill along road thru small hamlet (part of Langley) and after 350m at Tjunction turn left uphill for about 150m, then just beyond the White House take signposted track on right signposted Lane End. Go thru gate then another and upon reaching open field gap with redundant gate alongside turn left to descend slope with hedge on your left. Cross footbridge with stiles either end and begin to ascend with hedge on your right and after about 500m go thru metal kissing gate onto Langley Road. Turn right and after 75m go thru green metal gate on your right beyond the house named Rookley. After 100m go thru gate on left and cross field aiming for lefthand corner, exit via gate, or open farm gate, onto Church Road and turn right to return to car park.
Full walk: 12 km (7.5 miles) 11+ stiles
Short cut 1: 8 km (5 miles) 5 stiles
Short cut 2: 11 km (7 miles) 11 stiles
Iain Wells. Surveyed 9th October, 2020