LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

We parked in Wolston on St Margarets Avenue, opposite the bus stop for No. 86 to Coventry. We rushed to catch the bus because passengers waiting at the bus stop said the 11 o'clock bus was due. We queued for less than one minute to catch the bus to Binley, Coventry. We walked a short distance along Clifford Bridge Road, past the Toby Inn, to Brinklow Road, where we stopped at the bus stop for less than a minute before the bus arrived. We alighted from bus 585 at 'The Bull's Head' Brinklow, on the Coventry Road, B4027. We walked along the alleyway from the main road, almost opposite 'The Bull's Head' to Heath Lane at Marston House, passing a pond on the left. We turned left, that's south along Heath Lane. As the lane turned right we continued ahead along the gated, hedged bridleway, almost straight and directly south. The track was very muddy in places, mainly due to numerous horses using the bridleway, so we walked around mud at times by walking a few yards in the fields. We headed towards a radio pylon at Hill Farm, but as we approached and passed the crossing track, our track swung slightly to the east and away from the farm. Just before Brentford House we came across numerous badger setts, all obviously in full use with signs of recent excavation. It was a short distance to the main road A428 with the entrance to Bretford House surrounded by bunting to advertise the wedding cars parked just off the main road. It was a busy main road so care was required on a very narrow footpath. Even greater care was required crossing the narrow stone bridge over the River Avon, watching the lights carefully to predict the direction of the traffic. There was a welcome elevated walkway on the south side of the bridge, to segregate the pedestrians from the traffic and to keep the feet of the foot traffic dry during flood periods. There were lots of horses in the fields south of the river. Was there a specific reason? Still more care was taken at the junction of the A428 and B4455, which is very busy all day. There was a new footpath off road on the east side of the B4455 which we missed, so watch for the kissing gate near the junction. At the end of the path we crossed the road with care to the drive opposite. It was a short distance down the drive to another metal kissing gate with a sign attached 'Bull, cow and calves may be in field'. Luckily we saw no cattle, but we kept our eyes skinned. We did see cattle at Marston Mill Farm, after the poultry farm waste heaps, but they were all penned in the cattle sheds, which didn't stop the curiosity factor, the highlight of their day, watching us pass along the farm track. We passed Marston Hall Farm, then under the railway arch to pass the many sheds of the poultry farm on the left. We stopped for a photo of the monkey tree in the front garden of a three storey old farmhouse. We took more photos further down Priory Road of 'The Priory' as we approached the residential area of Wolston village. We turned a quick right, then left to Meadow Road, then ahead to Larchfields, the alley and Main Street. The Way continued ahead, but that is for the next time, so we turned right on Main Street to St Margarets Avenue and the parked car. It had been another enjoyable walk with Ann, especially as the threat of rain held off. Two more sections of the Way remain for, hopefully, a sunny day.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Finish at Brinklow, Finish at Wolston

Hazards: None.