Sept 12 09 - Westerleigh

Source:  Geoff Mullett Walk West 3 - Walk 7

A sunday morning choice, neither of us feeling particulary energetic.  Billed as 'fairly easy 4.5 miles allow 2.5 hours' we did this in 1hour 50 mins.  This mostly signifies that we didn't get lost.  Here's the walk directions, with comments and photos interspersed...

An easy, almost level walk (just one climb), of field paths and tracks, with a short stretch of road. The route follows in part, the Avon & Gloucestershire Railway known locally as the Dramway, and there is much historical interest en-route. Allow about 2.5 hours.

Park at the village green by St James Church, opposite the New Inn, then walk along the road with the pub right and the church behind you. Go left at the signed track (opposite ‘Wot Not’) (this started to feel a bit strange as I felt sure that we had been at this point before.  This feeling surfaced occasionally during the walk, but remained an itch unscratched - for the time being...) and follow this surfaced route for some distance, crossing a little-used railway line (pictured)

 and eventually reaching a lane (A). Cross, and continue in the same direction until your route climbs to meet a surfaced road.

Continue ahead along the road signed ‘Dramway Footpath’, and ahead again at a road junction. On reaching a gated track on the left (B) take this, (between A and B was a stretch of the walk that was perhaps the most enjoyable.  It was on an excellent surface, very level, and mostly under trees, but not in the enclosed, gloomy way that this may sound.  Instead, it was quiet, pretty, and with occasional pleasant rural views.  Margie described it as 'rather magical' which is exactly right.  It was also reasonably well-used (horses were a big theme of this walk in several ways) but not in an overcrowed way. )  The picture below may give an impression:

but not before looking back into the field on the right, over the gate. Here, you can make out the line of the tramway, which crossed the road here and is the track you now follow.

In a short distance, where the track bears right to a house, continue ahead on a path and through a kissing gate. (Along this stretch we passed some strangely dead-looking greenhouses...)

As you pass by the cricket clubhouse, notice the limestone blocks set into the ground. (Sorry Geoff, didn't notice the cricket clubhouse or any blocks.  We have, however, seen plenty of this type of evidence on other parts of the Dramway so it's OK!)  The holes held the iron ‘chairs’ that in turn secured the railway tracks. When you reach a road, site of another coal pit, cross, and climb the stile ahead, then walk down the field, boundary left.

Further on in this field we met a few horses - it was noticeable for much of the walk what 'horsey' country this is, not only because we met several on the way, but also because we frequently passed either stable blocks, fields with gymkhana type jumps set up, or horseboxes parked by the way.  Anyway, these two were rather lovely, and still in their pyjamas...

Climb another stile and continue to a metal gate with stables beyond, pass these to reach a road. The Dramway continued ahead; you turn right.  On your left now is Bitterwell Lake, (once used to soak pit props). You can usually walk alongside the lake parallel to the road, (we did. Lots of fishermen, Margie was struck by their thick long poles and generally impressive equipment) returning to the road via a metal gate. Follow the road for a short distance, passing a cross-track – another branch of the Dramway from Henfield Colliery – to the signed path on the left. Go through the gate and follow the path rather more horse interaction than welcome here.  A small horsey (foal?) followed us very closely, on two occasions actually grabbing Margie's fleece in it's teeth.  General shouting and shoo-ing left it totally unmoved, and we hurried down to the gate into the next field.  Here's the little bastard:

and here's it's bastard parents:

through two further gates to exit at a road. Turn right and walk to the main road. Go left here and walk with care along the verge, this was the unpleasant part of  the walk, trogging along a busy road with no proper verges.  However, this only took about ten minutes, so it would not deter us from doing eh walk again. eventually going right into Oakleigh Green Farm Lane. Follow this road, turning left before the entrance to the slaughterhouse I know we've been here before, but we're both absolutely sure we have not done this walk, and can't remember what other walk this might have been part of and walking round the perimeter fence to a gated railway crossing on the left.

Beyond the railway, pass through a kissing gate then go ahead up the hill, keeping roughly left to reach a metal gate at the top. This was a good climb, with great views (unimpressive as they might be in a photo...

Go through, then head left towards the farmhouse. Climb the stile by the gate, cross a stretch of waste ground with the house to your right, then continue over the field to a stile hidden in the far side of this irregularly-shaped field. Climb this, and in a short distance another, then cross the field to a third. In the next field, keep in the same direction with a house up to your right. Rather scrubby fields these. At the far side, climb a stile and take the steps down to a road. Cross over and take the track ahead, climbing a stile by a field gate, with Westerleigh church in view. Follow the obvious path towards the church, climb a stile and walk ahead through a kissing gate to enter a playing field. Exit this left of the church and follow the path to the road, with ‘Ye Olde Inne’ to your left. The village green is to your right.

In summary we really enjoyed this walk, and were grateful to take advantage of a sudden late-summer surge of decent weather.  Conditions were pretty well perfect, with lots of blue sky and sunshine.  Margie found the traffic noise intrusive in the second half of the walk, but I'm sure we'll do this one again, it's quick to get to and doesn't take all day.