(S/E) Enter the Estate at the entrance leading from the triangle of grass across the road, just north of the Cameron Centre. Keep the group of five fir trees to your right as you bear left. Walk towards the marker post on the left of the gap at the entrance into the open area at the top of the Estate. Bear right a few paces to meet the medieval cart track that is slightly raised in places and then bear left towards the woodlands. When you reach the edge of both Hermitage and Barn Wood, look for a marker post on your right next to a disused stile.
(1) Enter Barn Wood here. Bear left, passing the first post on your right. Continue downhill. On your right you will come across the flat, circular site of the rotunda – formerly an enclosed performance space and garden feature. Continue along the main winding path, initially downhill. Soon you will reach a concentration of historic features.
First you will see the site and ruins of some old cottage buildings. Just beyond (right) is an ornamental bridge with a tunnel beneath which carried a stream from the ‘Horse’ Pond that is a few paces ahead of you (left). The Dower House is on your right through the trees. Note the mature trees in this part of the Estate.
At the marker on your left, cross the path and continue straight on. Very soon you will come to the Beaufort monument on its pedestal. You can make a short detour from the path to see it. It dates from 1755 – a memorial to the 4th Duke of Beaufort.
(2) The path soon joins the Parnell Road entrance through a kissing gate at the end. Bear right down the surfaced zig-zag path into Barn Wood Valley. The Dower House is on your left. Continue until you reach a marker post on your left. Bear right, leaving the tarmac surfaced cycle path. Initially, the Telecommunications Tower is ahead of you. Veer to the right hand of two informally marked paths keeping Barn Wood on your right. Continue past the marker post on your right at the edge of Barn Wood. You will see the base of the obelisk ahead of you at the top of Star Hill.
(3) Enjoy the sweeping view over the Duchess Pond, the M32 and a panorama of Bristol beyond. At the top of the hill, enter the woods by the marker. After a few paces uphill, you will see another marker. Continue left along path. When you see logs and a gate leading to open land between the two woodlands, you have reached the final marker post and your original start point.(S/E)
