A 5.9-mile circular walk through the Sub-Edges with flat terrain
Drinks and snacks are recommended.
This route is clearly signed (signposts and waymarks).
Pets should be kept on leads at all times.
Sturdy shoes or boots are recommended.
Start at the Village Hall and head west to the High Street. Turn left and walk up to The Thatched Tavern where you will turn left into China Corner and walk straight on until you pass through the narrow gap between the houses. This leads up to the Fair Acres estate.
Turn right and follow the hedge until you come to a steel gate (adjacent to the site of the Honeybourne murder in 1809). The path to the old chicken sheds at Weston Road may be obstructed. If so, continue on to the bridge and then turn left along the headland to the Weston Road.
TAKE GREAT CARE when crossing this road. This is a very fast road, and visibility is not very good. Follow the grass verge to your right where, after 130 metres, you will join a footpath towards Weston Fields Farm. After 50 metres fork right to the stile by the telegraph pole. Follow the path with the brook on your right, crossing two more stiles before coming to a gate that leads into the garden of Long Stretch Farm. Through this beautiful woodland garden, before crossing over the bridge to follow the path with the brook now on your left side. Over another stile, continuing to follow the brook until you meet a stile leading onto the dismantled railway. Straight over the railway and through the gate into Gloucestershire.
Continue straight-ahead to the next gate where you will turn right; through the field gate, then immediately left to walk alongside the fence surrounding the new woodland planting. Over a stile just past the dilapidated sheds; follow the field edge with the stream on your left. Over another stile and ahead again * until you reach the bridge on your left. Cross over the stream and then straight-across the young tree plantation until you reach the next stile. ** With your back to the stile take a 2.30 o’clock direction to the next stile. Over the stile and follow the track to your right until you meet the main road in Weston-sub-edge.
TAKE GREAT CARE to cross this road and continue ahead along Church Street until you reach Parsons Lane on your right, taking time as you pass under the large cedar tree to turn back to look at the barn with two white doors, noticing the fire-plate at the apex of the roof (erected by an insurance company – “Which Mark is to be number’d with the Number of the Subscribers Policy, and there to remain so long as the Subscribers continue to pay their Quarteridges”) above a stone dated 1857.
Here you will follow the footpath sign alongside this house until the path meets a junction in the road. Take the right fork to follow the field hedge – on your right-hand side – to the end of the road.
Over the stile ** and straight-ahead, with the hedge on your right, into the corner of the field where you turn left (noting the WW11 air raid shelters for WRAF serving at Honeybourne airfield) and walk 30 metres to the stile into the next field. Straight-ahead across the field to the next stile. Over this stile and straight-ahead again following the hedgerow. Over a bridge and into the next field. With your back to the bridge, walk in an eleven o’clock direction towards the red-brick house; over the stile and then on to the road.
TAKE GREAT CARE as you cross this road and pass through the gates opposite into a private garden. Walk ahead through the garden and into the orchard. Keep walking straight ahead to a stile in the right-hand corner; then follow the brook on the right; over the next stile; through a gate; then over another stile on the right that leads into another private garden. Turn immediately left to follow the path to the road where you will turn left again and walk to the main road. TAKE GREAT CARE as you cross this road to enter the next field through the field gate (signposted).
Follow the edge of the field for 850 metres, with the hedge on your right, until you reach a bridge over a brook on your right-hand side. Over the bridge and immediately turn left to follow the hedgerow on your left side. Over the stile ** and walk towards the high ground where you will see the medieval ponds to your right. Walking past these ponds, head towards the far right corner of the field and through the kissing gate. With the hedgerow on your right **, continue ahead, over a stile, until you reach a gated bridge. You are now leaving Gloucestershire. Cross the Far Poden driveway and head towards the far left corner of this field; over the stile; cross the bridge on your left and immediately turn right. Over the stile ***, and straight ahead towards the stables. This field was once a medieval pond. Pass by the stables to the bridge in the far right corner of the field. To your left is the ancient site of a medieval overshot mill.
Turn left to join the Poden Farm driveway and over the stile; then walk straight-ahead until you reach the disused railway. Straight over the railway to the gated bridge; across the bridge and into the next field where, with the bridge behind you, head in a two o’clock direction across the field to the next bridge. Over the bridge; through a rough patch and into the next field. Continue ahead with the hedgerow on your left until you reach another bridge; straight-on to the next stile; straight on into the left-hand corner of this field where you turn right to follow the headland until you reach a stile near the farmhouse. Over this stile and walk straight-ahead through the woodland area until you reach the stile that leads onto the Weston Road. TAKE GREAT CARE when crossing this road. This is a very fast road, and visibility is not very good.
Follow the path through this housing development until you reach the steps down between the old houses in China Corner. Straight-ahead to the Thatched Tavern; turn right down the High Street to arrive back at the Village Hall.
We hope you have enjoyed your walk today, and that we have whetted your appetite for a variety of future walks during 2021 in and around the Parish of Honeybourne.
Email [email protected] for copies of any walks, to express concerns, or seek advice on how to best enjoy Honeybourne’s Rights of Way.
* expect sheep
** expect cattle
*** expect horses
**** A great way to gently improve your fitness and wellbeing, whilst
appreciating the beautiful countryside in which we live.
June 2021