Walk 2
Wellesbourne to Middle Hill
and Charlecote

This walk goes from the old Warwick Road opposite the King's Head, Wellesbourne into Charlecote.

Proceed towards the end of the old Warwick Road and look for the way marker on your right. Follow this

tarmac path along the edge of the new housing development and cross over the footbridge at the end. The distinct path crosses the first field and follows the hedge line of the next one. Turn left at the end of the third field and climb the short hill with the woods on your right. At the top, follow the path round to the left and after a short distance, enter the wooded area on a distinct track. On leaving the wooded track, continue for another 1½ fields and look carefully for the way marker indicating a footpath on your left – through the hedge. Pro­ceed along the path to Middle Hill Farm and follow the waymarkers round the farm to join the tarmac drive that leads to the main A429 Warwick Road (about ½ mile). Cross the road with care and take the footpath immediately opposite. You are now at the back of the Life Sciences Park (former HRI). After ¼ mile, cross the Charlecote road and proceed down the tarmac track immediately opposite, past an old barn. Just after the barn, enter the field on the left and continue straight down to the far end, where there is a gate in the left corner. Follow the field edge with a gravel pit lake on the right. Turn left at the end of the field and then right into the next field. Continue along the field edge to join the Hampton Lucy Road, that borders Charlecote Park. Turn left up the road for a short distance and then turn right along the footpath past St Leonard's Church, the Charlecote Pheasant and the main entrance to Charlecote – a Tudor mansion that has been in the Lucy family for 900 years. There are plenty of places to stop for refreshments here and it is also worth while to go round Charlecote Park and House. To return to Wellesbourne, keep on the main road past the two garden centres and over the bridge. There is a footpath way marker on your left, shortly after the bridge. This path follows the river Dene all the way to Wellesbourne – just over a mile. Cross over the white bridge, to your left and follow the path into St Peter's

churchyard. Continue through the churchyard and exit at the rear of the King's Head pub. The narrow lane at the side of the pub leads to the main road and the Shell garage.

Short Walk – Wellesbourne – Charlecote and Back Cross the main road at the petrol station and go down Hoppers Lane at the side of the King's Head. Turn right and proceed through the church yard. Continue through the gate on the far side, down the slope and turn right through the gate just before the white bridge. Follow the path that goes under the bypass and continue along the field edge. Do not cross the footbridge by the weir. Continue to the end of this long field which leads onto a metalled track. Turn left and cross the bridge. At this point, you can either turn left and follow the riverside path back to Wellesbourne, or turn right and proceed to Charlecote. The path follows the river and joins the Charlecote road by the main bridge. Turn right to reach Charlecote Park and the Garden Centres. Your return journey is by the same route, but keep to your left and take the path on the left of the river back to Wellesbourne.                                      JK, DJ

Charlecote

• Charlecote Park: home of the Lucy family; built in Tudor times, but extensively modified in early Victorian times.  There are about 200 fallow deer in the park and a flock of Jacob sheep.
• St Leonard's Church: built in 1851.  Mary Elizabeth Lucy had the old Norman church knocked down and rebuilt in honour of her dead husband – George. The church contains the tombs of many of the Lucy family.
• Tumbledown stile:  look out for this unusual design.  It is to be found at the entrance to the footpath north of the two garden centres.