Long Lane - Walk 4

This is a circular walk starting and finishing in Clare Castle Country Park.1 From the car park, cross the railway bridge and take the riverside path west to the end of thePark. Cross the road and turn left taking a rough path following the road. After the road bendsright, and before reaching the houses, take the signed path on the left at the edge of a field. Follow this path through two fields and turn left at a T-junction onto a metalled path. Wet weather alternative start (dotted line): From the car park walk directly east on the broad path past Clare Park Centre and the Railway Station. Cross a wooden bridge over part of the old moat and a second bridge over the Chilton Stream. Immediately after the second bridge take a climbing path to your left to reach a housing estate. Turn right onto a lane and cross thebridge over the railway walk, passing Mill House to your right and on to a footbridge by the old mill. Go half left across the field and cross a footbridge over The Stour. Keep straight ahead to reach the road. Turn right on the road for approx. 200m to reach a broad, gated, track on yourleft (Long Lane). Take this track (1.5km) to reach a road at Cutbush Farm. See 3.2 After passing through some yellow bollards you join Long Lane where you turn right. Takethis track (800m) to reach a road.3 At Cutbush Farm turn left on the road for 400m.4 After a clump of trees on your right (Butlers Farm), turn left onto a signed but rough path, keeping the hedge on the left. Follow the field edge for about 400m to the corner, turn briefly right and then left over a footbridge. Head straight for the nearest electricity pylon in the middle of the field.Alternative route (dotted line): Instead of turning left at 4, to extend the walk continue for 400m on the road to reach a wide, grassy signposted track on the left. Take this track for approx. 400m to a yellow marked signpost. Pass to the right of this and immediately turn left through the hedge. Go half right for 30m to next signpost. Then head half left straight across the field towards the left hand (and nearest) pylon in the middle of the field. At the pylon (PIB 26) turn half right and follow the instructions in 5 below.5 At the pylon (PIB 26) turn half left and head towards the corner of the hedge where the field makes a 90° turn away from you. 6 Continue on the path to a concrete road. Follow the sign on the left to continue straight for 30m. Turn left (not quite 90°) at the waymark and head straight across the field towards the right hand of the two larger bushy trees. At the tree turn right along the waymarked path. 7 Pass through the hedge over a small bridge, turn left and almost immediately right down a grassy track leaving the hedge on the left. Follow the track and 200m after passing the black barn turn left over a footbridge onto a farm track. Turn right down the track to the road. 8 Turn left on the road. After 150m turn right onto the path. Cross the field and river and thenhead diagonally left and cross the weir at the corner of the field. Continue on the footpath beside the river until you reach the railway bridge which you cross to return to the car park. Trail Source - https://clarewalks.co.uk/