Walk 1
Hampton Lucy Scar Bank

We are very fortunate in Hampton Lucy in having many miles of public and permissive footpaths, all of which have beautiful views over rolling farmland. After rain you'll need wellies; in fact after heavy rain we would not recommend this walk at all. This walk starts on Shake­speare's Avon Way, a long distance route that follows the River Avon from its source to the River Severn.

Park near the Boar's Head pub; make for the bridge over the river and go left (north) as far as the gate of River Keeper's (former Avonford) Cottage. Before the gate turn left up the hill, skirting round the cottage garden, then through a gate. Superb views of the water mill and river down to your right, as you enter a rather scruffy wood (mainly dying elms). After about 300yds there's a bench on the left with a good view over the river, just before you go through another gate into a huge field. The path skirts along the edge of the field with woods on the right (some say the Scots pines indicate an old drove road). Mind the badger holes. After about another 100yds the proper path enters the woods on the right and runs parallel to the field edge, but through tall brambles and then very knobbly sloping grassland. If you can fight your way through this you'll be rewarded with another bench on your left with good views over the river. If not you can just carry on inside the field, although it isn't a public right of way (PROW). Soon after the bench the path re-enters the field and continues north, downhill, until at the bottom of the slope (many badger setts here) the woods on the right give way to a meadow, with very clear mediaeval ridges and furrows running parallel to the river. (Continue below for shorter walk.)

Longer walk (5.5mi / 2h45): Continue with the hedge on your left into another field and follow a line of trees at the top of the bank until you reach a copse. Turn right and then left to skirt the copse. On reaching a modern barn, turn left up a muddy track. Cross over the track, following the sign to Wood Cottage, alongside a copse and turn left at the end of the copse. Continue behind The Thatched House keeping close to a hedge on the left until you reach a road. (There is a very short section of public footpath through the trees at the end of this section but it is very overgrown and hard to find.) Turn left across the junction then right through the hedge onto a hidden footpath and over a stile into a field. Cross the field keeping the hedge on your left then turn left over a stile and again keep the hedge on your left. Turn right at the fence then part way up the slope turn left through the fence and cut diagonally to the right

across the field to a gate in the track to Daisy Hill Farm. Cross the track and go through another gate into a small field, skirting the private garden of the farm, through a gate and keep the wire fence on your right. Go through a gate and then downhill with a hedge on your left. Turn left over a stile and keep the hedge on your left. Turn left at the end of the hedge and follow the hedge on your left. Part-way along you walk through a small copse and emerge in the same field. Turn left onto the road (point 57 on the map) by several concrete drinking troughs. Follow the road for a while, then turn right along the gravel track to Mount Pleasant Farm. After the farm buildings keep the hedge on your left going downhill. Cross a stile and turn right keeping the hedge on the right to arrive at the road. Turn left to return to Hampton Lucy village.

The Scar bank circuit (2.3mi / 1h00): A kissing gate allows you into this meadow, and there is yet another bench from which you can admire the mediaeval field system across the river (a good sledging spot in winter). You are now on a permissive path which takes you southwards back along the river and through the garden of River Keeper's Cottage, where you will have to press a red button to open the gate, to get back to your starting point by the bridge. Along the way you may meet cows (they are harmless, but may not like dogs) and you will probably see Canada geese, maybe a heron or two, coots, and if you are very lucky, the blue streak of a kingfisher. Look out also for buzzards overhead. Keep to the river on the left or you will end up in a muddy wood or negotiating a fence.

A path alongside the River Avon, Hampton Lucy

Another 100yds to the west is the Boar's Head pub, you may be glad to hear. It doesn't open till 12.00, so you can afford to dawdle on the walk.

AS, PD, LD

Walking near Hampton Lucy

Hampton Lucy riverside walk

As you begin this walk by the bridge you should first take a good look at the bridge from all angles. It is one of the earliest iron bridges to be built in England, having been cast by the Horseley iron works of Tipton, Staffordshire, in 1829. It was paid for by the Rev'd John Lucy, who also paid for the very large church of St. Peter ad Vincula to be built at this time. Across the river you can see Charlecote Mill, thought to have been rebuilt in 1806. It is still a working mill, having recently been taken over from John Bedington by Karl Grevatt, who is there most days to sell you flour, and on most bank holidays to show you round.

If you continue this walk northwards along the top of the “scar bank” you will reach the highest point in the parish, Copdock Hill, where there is an OS trig. point (86m) hidden among the bushes. Skirting around the contour of the hill brings you down to the Hampton Lucy-Sherborne lane. If you follow this a little further north you come to the entrance to Hampton Wood Nature Reserve, which is a mass of bluebells in early May. Opposite this is the Forest Hermitage, a Buddhist retreat.

A field near Hampton Lucy

The Forest Hermitage

The Forest Hermitage is a branch of a monastery in Thailand. Set in Lower Fulbrook, near Barford in Warwickshire, it is a small peaceful Buddhist hermitage after the tradition of the forest monasteries of North East Thailand and comprises Santidhamma, the original property where the monks live and where occasional events open to the public are held, and Bhavanadhamma, which is for nuns, female devotees and guests.  The Buddha-Dhamma Fellowship is the trust responsible for both. The community is led by Ven. Chao Khun Bhavanaviteht OBE, whose blog, News & Musings can be found at
http://foresthermitage.org.uk/ .