Blean's Ancient Woodlands

1 Start at the Clowes Wood car park at Gypsy Corner. Walk back along Hackington Road for about for about ¼ mile (400m). Do take care as it's a busy road and there is no footpath. Take the second path on the right - a public bridleway. Pass through some woodland and then go on, beside arable fields and under pylons, to Well Court. As you approach the farm, turn left at the poly tunnels and then turn right at the static caravan. Continue to follow the track through the farm, past a willow tree and on past new greenhouses on your right. Your way now takes you between arable fields, through a high hedge and on to a junction of paths. Turn left here between high hedges. Your path eventually joins a metalled cycle track. Follow the smartly fenced paddock on the left, round to the road. Cross Tyler Hill Road and make your way round right and left to pass Blean church.

2 Continue on the cycle track to a bridge across a stream. Turn right here into a field and follow the trees beside the stream to the corner of the field. Cross the stile and the wooden footbridge. Continue through woodland with the stream on your left. The path soon veers right and slightly uphill into a paddock. Go left through a kissing gate and on into the car park of the Hare and Hounds pub on the A290. Cross the main road and turn left over the stream, then right where a metal farm gate is set back from the road. Pass through the white gate and then follow the path round the woodland to the left. After 300yds (274m), at the end of the open paddock, turn right and, with the high hedge to your left, walk down to the corner. Cross a small wooden bridge, nip over a stile and through a small paddock.

3 Cross another stream and go along the edge of a field, crossing three more stiles before you come on to a concrete farm road. Turn right and immediately go through the wrought iron gates to follow the road back to the A290. Cross the road and turn left up the footpath, pass Tyler Hill Road and eventually turn right into Chapel Lane. Go left immediately after the converted chapel. The narrow path passes between gardens, then goes left at Badgers' Farm House into a field. At the end of the field turn right on to a concrete lane, then continue through the gate marked Butler's Court Farm. When you come to two stiles, cross the one on the right-hand side eventually to go over a stiled footbridge.

4 Cross the field ahead, pass to the right of the cottage garden, go over a stile and left into the tarmac lane. Walk along the lane, then fork left opposite Arbele Farm into the field. Your way now takes you across two fields and two stiles, before you turn left, back into the lane. Where the lane forks continue on the narrow path between high hedges and towards Clowes Wood. The path continues into the wood, with low branches overhead. At a crossing of tracks continue ahead and walk back to the car park.