The Cherry Tree Inn - Route 2

Description

(D/A) With your back to the car park of the Cherry Tree pub turn left out of the car park and cross Newlands Lane on to the small green. Walk diagonally across the green to the far left hand corner and where the small side road bends to the right, turn left on to a footpath which passes between two houses and then some tennis courts. The footpath emerges on to the access to the recreation ground car park; bear slightly right and walk downhill across the recreation ground keeping fairly close the left hand perimeter. Enter the woods through a gap in the hedge line.

(1) Turn left on a clearly defined path through the woods which soon joins Newland Lane. Continue along the lane in the same direction past the Crooked Billet, a well known gastro pub, and a few metres further on go through what looks like a garden gate on the right, indicated by a green footpath finger post (Note this turn might be easily missed as the finger post is almost hidden with undergrowth). The footpath passes a couple of houses and then goes through a small field before reaching an interesting brick-built gateway. Note the plaque in memory of Michael Fotherby built into the inner face of one wall. Go through the gateway, turn left and walk along the left-hand edge of the field to a high stile (see Note below). Cross the stile and walk uphill, keeping to the edge of the field, to a kissing gate. Go through the gate, then turn left and after a few metres go through a double gate keeping the farm buildings on your right. Continue along the drive in the same direction and slightly uphill, through a wooden gate.

(2) After a short distance turn right on to a broad track (Cox’s Lane). After about 50 metres leave the track, bearing left on to a narrow bridle path. Follow the same path, with some muddy and overgrown stretches, for about 1.6km (1 mile). Near the end of this stretch you will pass some rubbish skips before reaching the road that links Stoke Row with Nuffield (Kit Lane).

(3) Turn left and walk, with care, along the road for about 300m before turning right on to a broad track. After about 400m, at a bend in the track by a waymark post on the right marking the intersection with a footpath, turn left on to the footpath. Follow the path indicated by white arrows through the woods. The path joins with an unmarked track, and then passes through a grove of Yew trees before leading you back to Kit Lane.

(4) Turn right and very soon afterwards take the right fork on to a very quiet road. At the next cross roads go straight across and continue along this quiet road for a further 850m, until you reach Scots Farm.

(5) Turn left and walk past the entrance to the farm marked by a very impressive ancient oak tree. Continue straight ahead along a track, ignoring two paths off to the left, past a quaint little cottage looking like something straight out of a fairy tale. Then go past a metal kissing gate on the right. Go through a gate on to a fairly uneven stretch of path which is usually muddy and then keep to the right, going through an electric fence, and continue downhill, with a fence on your right to the Uxmore Road. Go through the kissing gate, cross the road with care, to Judges Road opposite. Continue straight ahead on this bridleway, after passing a house on the right, at the intersection with a footpath marked by a waymark post.

(6) Turn left onto a footpath. Walk up the hill until a split of paths is reached. Take the left-hand path and at an intersection of paths bear right and follow the path round past a couple of dilapidated structures on the right until you meet another path. Take the enclosed path to the right and continue straight ahead until you reach a track at the end of the path where you turn left.

(7) Continue along this track which eventually leads into School Lane. Walk along the lane past the school until you reach a T junction. Turn right and walk along the road back past the Maharaja’s Well on the left hand side to arrive back at the Cherry Tree Inn. (D/A)