Circular walk, about 3 hours, can be muddy in parts. Just over 7 miles.
There is one stile to climb, and one flight of steps off the High Street (which can be avoided).
There is one stile to climb, and one flight of steps off the High Street (which can be avoided).
Just opposite to the Police Station cross the main road.
Go up the concrete steps just to the left of the Police Station, follow the path behind the houses. (To avoid the steps go to the top right side of Whitlock Drive, and go through the gap on the right).
At the end of the houses ignore the junction with a path along the old railway line on the left and go foreward along a narrow uncultivated strip across a field. This is Smiths Field, Great Yeldham Hall.
At the far side of the field ignore the junction with the path on the left which leads to the Sports Ground, go foreward with the hedge and ditch on your right.
This is Brickyard Field, Great Yeldham Hall.
Continue to the far side of the field ignoring a path joining from the right which leads to the landing strip.
At the far end of the field go right over a plank bridge.
Go left with the hedge and ditch to your left along the side of Kitley Wood Field.
At a gap in the hedge on the left, go left then go right along a green lane which becomes Church Lane, Toppesfield.
Ignore paths joining from Gunce's Farm on the right.
At the main road junction in Toppesfield cross the road and go right. Pass Chapel House on your left.
Take the Park Lane on the left. Follow it to just before the farm yard of Berwick Hall Farm.
Turn right and follow the concrete farm road left round the farm buildings. This is a permissive diversion pending (in Dec 2011) an official change of route.
Join the original route and follow the concrete road right down the the side of the field with the hedge and ditch on your left.
At the bottom of the field with Berwick Hall Wood on the left go foreward up the other side of the valley with the hedge and ditch on your right.
Near the far side, where the hedge bends off to the right, the path goes straight ahead across the field to the road entrance.
Cross the road into a large field. (Note: the OS maps may show field boundaries since removed.)
You can go either 1. straight down the field to a gap in the conifer hedge of a garden at the bottom of the hill, then bare left to the junction of the roads from Finchingfield and Yeldham.
or 2. Diagonally down the hill to the left to a gap in the hedge at a corner on the left hand side, over a wooden bridge
into the next field. Cross that field diagonally to the opposite corner where there is another wooden bridge into the next field.
Go ahead with a paddock fence on your right to emerge on Finchingfield road, Dyers End.
Go right along the road to the junction with the Yeldham Road.
Cross the stile into the meadow opposite the junction. (The stile is in such a poor state that it would be reasonable to use the metal gate to the left).
Follow the hedge on your left past the pill box and sewage works. (The official route goes the other side of the sewage works through a very narrow and apparently unused path). Go through the gate in the far side of the meadow.
In the next meadow bear diagonally to the right to the top far corner of the meadow. Cross the stile.
Go a few yards left along the grassy farm track into the next field. Go right though the gap by the way-marking post. The offical footpath goes across the field from this gap. When it is obstructed by cropping it is sensible to go right and left to follow the used route close to the hedge.
At the far side you rejoin the official public right of way. Cross a footbridge into the next field, then across another one and go sharp left. Go ahead up the hill with the hedge on your left.
Go right along a hard track. At the corner of Pettyfield Wood ignore the by-way joining from the left from the Ridgewell Road and ignore the footpaths joining from the left at the far side of the wood and near Weybridge Farm.
At the bottom of the hill go left along the Stambourne Road towards Great Yeldham.
If you have the consent of the land owner divert off the Stambourne Road along the old railway line. Go left from the old railway line to join the main road near Man's Cross. Go right into Great Yeldham.
3 Apr 2013