Description: An undemanding 5 mile walk around the village of Cratfield, taking in local farms and lanes. Muddy in places, especially the yard at Lower Hall Farm.
Note that many footpaths marked on the OS map of the area do not actually exist, and/or are unsigned.
Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 150 feet
Time to complete: 1.5 hours
Refreshments: No cafés or pubs on the route
Directions
At the end of the Holly Tree Farm Barns drive take the signed footpath directly across the road (Bell Green.) Although the OS map shows the footpath going straight across the first two fields, it is judicious to walk around the edges – to the right of the first field, and to the left of the second. There is a ditch with a footbridge between the two. After the second field there is another footbridge.
Cross straight over 2 more fields. Cross another field with a hedge to your right, then enter a large open field. There is a pond in front of you. Head to the right of the pond and telegraph pole and continue straight on (Magna Farm is to your right) until you reach a substantial ditch.
Turn right at the ditch and follow it round for half a mile until you reach pylons. Just past the pylons turn right uphill, up a track in the middle of the field towards Lower Hall Farm.
At the farm gate go through the yard, which is muddy. Bear left and join a track past paddocks. The track bears right and emerges onto Mary’s Lane.
Turn right and walk past the driveway to Linstead Hall on your right. Take the next track on the right signed Byway.
Where the pylons cross the track, at a kink in the road, turn left through a gateway. Walk down the field with the hedge on your left, then pass through the gap at the marker post and continue with the hedge now on your right, downhill to the gateway. Continue uphill with the hedge still on your right.
At the junction of paths turn left, with a hedge on your right. Walk across a couple of fields towards the white cottages. Join the short residential road which takes you back to the main road through Cratfield. Turn right and head back to Holly Tree Farm Barns.