walk 4
a walk of 4 miles, 6.4 Km, about 1.25 to 2 hours.
Getting started
Again, this walk starts in Inkpen’s Lower Green. This is a
straightforward, fairly level, low-level walk through farmland and
woodland. It includes an optional detour to Inkpen's St.
Michael's Church.
From ‘The Swan’ car park, turn RIGHT and walk along Craven Road
for 1km, passing The Old Craven Arms on your right, one of
Inkpen’s four original public houses after about 650m. After a
further 350m, take the footpath on the LEFT between ’Woodmans’ and
‘Birnam’ a short distance after the Royal Mail postbox. Follow the
avenue of tall beech trees to emerge in Sadlers Road.
Turn RIGHT and after 100m, turn LEFT into the
rhododendron-bordered drive of Totterdown House. Just before
reaching the gateway into the garden, bear RIGHT to follow a track
through poplar trees towards a stable block.
Near the house to your right, was once the Totterdown Brick
and Tile Works.
Go through the kissing-gate and pass in front of the stable block.
Go through the next kissing-gate and bear slightly RIGHT to a gap
in the hedge in front and another kissing gate. Follow the edge of
the woodland on your RIGHT to another kissing gate.
Go through the gate and follow the rightmost field boundary to the
lowest point of the field and a field gate. Go through the gate
and bear slightly RIGHT to a fingerpost at the end of the farm
track from Anvilles Farm. With the farm buildings to your right,
follow the obvious wide track across the field towards a field
gate with woods beyond.
In the woods in front are the remains of a moat, probably
from the original manor of Anvilles.
Pass through the gateway and bear immediately LEFT into Anvilles
Copse. Follow the path through the copse (it will likely be soft
underfoot) to a stile on the far side where it exits to a field.
Go straight across the field, as you reach the highest point you
will see a hand-gate in front of you. Pass through the gate and go
straight ahead through bushes to a fingerpost.
You are now standing where a farm/cottage, ‘Popinjays’, once
stood (19th C). To your right are the lands of Prosperous Home
Farm, once home to Jethro Tull (the inventor of the
horse-harrow, not the folk-rock group of the 1970’s!).
Bear LEFT at the fingerpost and aim for the hand and field gates
at the lowest part of the field. On passing through the hand-gate,
turn RIGHT and follow the hedge round the field and up the rise
where it becomes enclosed on both sides to emerge on the wide
grass byway known as Bitham Lane.
Turn LEFT and follow Bitham Lane for 2km keeping straight ahead
when passing first a turning to the left and then one to the
right. Follow the lane as it descends to a point just before
Bitham Farmhouse.
A short detour straight ahead (300m) will take you first to
the road which should be crossed and the lane ahead followed
to Inkpen’s church, dating from the 13th century, but largely
restored over a 100 years ago. The Old Rectory (or Inkpen
House) which stands above the church is a William and Mary
house, with interesting gardens laid out in the style of
Versailles. Return to the byway junction on Bitham Lane by
Bitham Farmhouse.
Take the byway on the LEFT (RIGHT if you are returning from the
detour to the church), called Sands Drove. Follow this for 600m
until you see a white and brick cottage on your right, on the far
side of a small paddock. Turn RIGHT through the hand-gate and pass
through the paddock (Ada’s Paddock) to emerge onto Craven Road.
Turn RIGHT and follow the road for 200m back to The Swan.
other walks
Not sure if this is for you ? Then choose another walk -
Downloads
Start and end point - the car park of ‘The Swan’ public
house at Lower Green, Inkpen.
Terrain - This walk is fairly level and includes one stile.
The section through Anvilles Copse is soft underfoot throughout
the year and will be quite wet and muddy in the winter months.
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