The Walk - Wootten Wawen
by Ted Barker
Bluebell Walk - Wootton Wawen
Distance: 4 miles Typical time: 120 mins OS Explorer 220
Ted’s Wanders with his mate Dylan.
This flat and easy walk takes in some quiet canalside towpaths and open Warwickshire countryside. But the big bonus at this time of year is the possibility of a tantalising glimpse of some beautiful bluebells.
I was lying by the fire in the snug at the Trousered Ferret the other evening with the old fella and got to chewing the fat with my mate, an unpredictable sheepdog called Fenton, who’s kept on a tight lead these days for some reason. He gets a bit quiet when you ask him but it’s to do with some reindeer or something. Anyway, Fenton was saying that this time of year there’s nothing better than a wander through the woods, especially if the bluebells are out. He mentioned a spot called Austy, which I’d recognised from previous strolls. So when we got back I grabbed the map in my jaws and dropped it on the kitchen table with a big paw mark at Austy. Sure enough the old fella spotted it and suddenly claimed the whole thing was his idea.
“Let’s go for a walk in the woods. This time of year the bluebells will be wonderful,” he said.
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so I let it rest. Next day off we went to beautiful Wootten Wawen, in the middle of Warwickshire’s rolling pastures. The only downside to this picturesque gem of a place is that it’s hard to find a parking space. But that’s the old fella’s problem and so I left that to him and soon enough we were off on our way at the Navigation Inn, a canalside pub sitting next to a famous viaduct over the busy A3400 on the south edge of the village. Getting away from the road as quickly as possible we cross the pub car park and bear right past some moored up canal barges towards the bridge (number 53). Cross over and head right along the towpath, keeping the canal on your right. There’s a tempting field full of sheep on the left. After 300 metres you come to Bridge 52. Don’t cross it but keep the canal on your right, a pleasant amble up the towpath. If you look over on the right you’ll see Austy Wood, where we’re heading.
At Bridge 51 we turn right, over the bridge (this path is called Monarch’s Way) and follow a well-defined bridleway edged on both sides by trees and bushes. There are plenty of sticks in here if the old fella fancies throwing one or two, and on a wet day there’s lots of muddy puddles to roll around in.
As soon as you reach the edge of Austy Wood you’ll start to see those wonderful bluebells stretching out to the right among the trees. A great place for a frolic in here, but the humans have to stick to the bridle path.
The swathe of blue stretches out on the left too as we reach a denser patch of wood. The old fella might be tempted to take a picture or two here.
Then on the left of the track the view opens out into open fields again, while the woods on the right are filled with mixed beech and birch and some conifers further on. The bridleway can get a bit muddy thanks to those four-legged friends who wear saddles; great for us four-legged dogs to splash around in.
We come to a sign which says “horse riders keep to the bridleway” so don’t be tempted to wander off into the woods, which may well be taped off anyway.
Then we come to a yellow-topped way-marker which points the Monarch’s Way to a gate into an open field. Time for the leads to go on again if there are any animals as we bear right into the field, following the well-marked track which then veers left, moving away from the wood. A red brick farmhouse comes into view at the bottom of the field. Follow the track, with a hedge on your right, to Cutler’s Farm, with a large barn, with a light-green roof, and a few houses to left and right. Go through the farmyard and turn left at the signpost which says “public bridleway”. Head to a smart new wooden gate which opens onto a broad shingle path. The leads can come off again and there’s a deep gully to the right with some alluring rabbit holes to explore. My old chum Max managed to flush out a pheasant, but he’s getting on a bit so had to give up the chase.
Stay on the shingle track for about 1km, passing through attractive open fields, until we reach Chestnut Rise Farm on our left. We come to a small hamlet at Kington Grange Farm and reach a T-junction onto a quiet road. Turn left on the road, with a lovely old barn on the left. Opposite the barn’s big green door there’s a footpath sign. Ignore it. We want to stay on the road, which goes past the front entrance to Kington Grange Farm on the left, then bears right. Walk past Cherry Pool Farm and keep your eyes skinned for a footpath sign on the left around 60metres further on. You can’t miss it.
There’s metal kissing gate and a sign saying “put your dog on a lead”, which is all very well, especially as it says there are chickens running free in the field!
The path heads across a field, with fences on both sides, towards a hedge, where we turn left, through another kissing gate, and a few metres further on turn right around a menage, and onto a clearly defined path between two hedges.
Keep following the path and don’t wander off into any fields that might be open. I saw a rabbit here but it outstripped me. Old Max didn’t bother.
We come to a metal gate which opens into a field. Go straight across it, bearing toward the middle of three houses on the horizon. It’s a wide open space and a great place for a gallop if there are no animals about. Fenton would love it.
Go past the telegraph pole in the middle of the field and head to a metal gate where there’s a footpath sign towards a canal bridge, diagonally across the field. But stick close to the hedge on your left to reach the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal and turn left over a broken stile keeping the canal to our right. You could choose to walk down the towpath on the other side if you want to cross the bridge and turn left, but we want to stay on “the wild side”.
So, keeping the canal on your right we head along the edge of a field, come to another stile across a small stream, through a clump of trees and into another field. Pass through a small conifer plantation, cross a wooden bridge into an open field. Keep to the right edge of the field. There’s a red brick house on the top of the rise in front. Keep walking and the canal now opens up directly to the right, a good spot for a quick dip, if you’re feeling a bit hot!
At the corner of the field there’s another stile and a little wooden bridge to cross. Be careful not to miss the next small stile on the right which takes you through a small clump of grass and brush, with a barbed wire fence on your left, towards a canal bridge. Go up over another stile, onto the lane and turn right across the canal (Bridge 50) and left along the towpath on the other side. We’re on the home strait now – around 1.5kms back towards the Navigation Inn. On the way we pass the Monarch’s Way again – if you feel like another look at the bluebells. Otherwise we just retrace our steps for the last 1km or so. I like these canals – lots to see. We spotted ducks and a swan, which didn’t seem too keen on chatting, and in no time at all were back at the start.
There’s a good choice of decent watering holes here too. Back at Bridge 53 there’s a sign towards the Yew Tree “shopping village”, where there’s cafe, farm shop and various craft outlets. There’s the Navigation, or on the other side of Wootton Wawen the famous Bull’s Head.
All in all a really pleasant and easy walk with lots to do and see. And there are no deer so next time I think it will be safe to take Fenton with me.
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