Walk 6, Parley Cross - Brecon Close - Throop Mill - Parley Court Fm - Church Lane - Parley Cross (approx 8 miles)

local walk 6
A larger map (jpg))

NB. There is a Car Park at Brecon Close (New Road opp Avebury Ave - the left "P" on the map)

Walk along New Road to Brecon Close (opp Avebury Ave), or take No 13 Bus from Parley Cross (every 14 min and 44 mins past the hour) to Avebury Ave. Turn left into Brecon Close and walk to the Car Park at the end of Brecon Close. Take the Footpath to the River Stour and follow the riverside gravel path to Redhill and Muscliffe and continue to the end of the riverside path about half a mile further on. Turn right away from the river along a narrow footpath until you reach the road at the Wessex Water Sewerage Treatment plant. Continue along this narrow lane until you reach the main road through Throop and follow this road until you reach Throop Mill

Immediately past the Mill take the footpath to the left which goes round the Mill building. Continue across the footbridge over the Mill stream and on to the larger bridge which crosses the main river Stour at a weir. Turn left after crossing the bridge across a field which runs parallel to the river and then bends left away from the river, joining a lane which leads left to the rear of Merritown Farm (Alice in Wonderland). (If you wish to make a longer walk, you could turn right after crossing the Stour by Throop Mill, follow the river and then the footpath as it bends left away from the river. This meets a road which bends left to take you to Merritown Farm.)

Pass through Merritown Farm and continue for 100 yards to a right angled bend in the lane. Cross the stile on the left and walk across the field to the edge of Parley Golf Course. Cross another stile on to the footpath which runs left behind the Driving Range and in front of the Golf Clubhouse. Contine along the lane for 200 yards to the crossroads. Walk straight on along the road to approach Parley Court Farm. Just before the cottage, at the "No entry to Parley Court Farm" sign, turn right to a stile which stands back from the lane. Take the footpath which goes round the back of the cottage and the Farm buildings and on to a gravel farm track.

Follow the track 150 yards to a stile on the right which leads across 3 fields to Church Lane (Stile on to road). Turn right along Church Lane to the Footpath just before the MS Day Centre which leads to New Rd. At New Road turn right for Parley Cross, or turn left to return to the car by (a) taking a No 13 Bus to Avebury Ave (every 14 min and 44 mins past the hour) or (b) walking along New Road to Brecon Close Car Park.