The parish of Brailes has 25 miles of footpaths and bridleways.
This leaflet describes 10 circular walks using public footpaths across the fields.
Each walk starts and finishes at the George Hotel, Lower Brailes where food is served lunchtimes and evenings, 7 days a week. The bar is open normal pub hours please check for large groups stopping for food.
THE MAP
The large Map opens in Adobe PDF
Symbols:
ARR Warwickshire footpaths near Shipston-on-Stour begin with SS. For instance SS71 links Lower Brailes via Sutton-under-Brailes to the village of Cherington (and the Cherington Arms).
DOGS Many stiles have dog-ways fitted a sort of doggy guillotine gate. This tells you if the route is as easy for 4 legs as for 2.
PUB Shows whether there is a pub stop on the way, Includes postcode, phone number, map reference and distance from start of walk.
THE WALKS
Walk 0:COW LANE0.5m
A very short walk for which, on dry days, you may not need boots!
Left out of George front door, left into School Lane becoming metalled path leading to cart track (Cow Lane), left into Cow Lane which leads to main B4035 road. Across to Rectory Lane and left on to 49a towards church. Through churchyard and back to the George.
DOGSYes. No stiles and just 4 gates.
PUB Yes.
Walk 1:IRON BRIDGE2.6 mile
A figure of eight including the iron footbridge in Upper Brailes.
Go up Butchers Lane opposite the George and go left onto 52e. Take path 52 across the Sutton Brook, up the 99 steps and on to Upper Brailes. Cross the road and take 58b up Gilletts Lane continuing to the top of Gilletts Hill. Double back left on 58 and take 58a to find the Iron Bridge. Continue to road (B4035) and cross over onto 53 then 53a passing a “WATER” trough until Castle Hill Lane is reached, over the road onto 50 then 52f back to the 99 steps and 52e to the George.
DOGSDogways fitted until 52f where you may have to do some lifting.
PUBNo (but the Gate Inn is only 70 yards fromGilletts Lane).
Walk 2:MINE HILL 2.6mile
Can you find what was mined at Mine Hill?
Leave via the paddock at the George and turn left onto Cow Lane (cart track). Continue through the garden of a house before Cow Lane meets the road and take path 65 up to Holloway Lane near a fine oak tree. Right along road for 0.4m and right onto 65a which leads up to Mine Hill, then sharp right to come back to the village (and Cow Lane).
DOGS Yes.
PUBNo.
Walk 3:GOLF COURSE 2.8mile
One of the less hilly walks – but watch out for golfers in case they haven’t seen you!
From the back (paddock) of the George, cross over Cow Lane onto 71 which follows the Sutton Brook all the way to the Golf Course. Right onto 67a at end of course and right onto road heading back to Brailes. In 200 yards left onto 62 to arrive at Henbrook Lane. Left and right onto 60 then over to Jeffs Close and back to the George.
DOGSNo! Path 62 has no dogways.
PUBNo.
Walk 4:UPS and DOWNS TO THE GATE 2.8mile
Work up a thirst first.
Left out of George front door, down the hill and left into Jeffs Close. At the road (Sutton Lane) straight across and onto path 60. At the next road (Henbrook Lane) straight over and on to bridleway 61. Up hill for 200 yards and right onto 61c. This leads back down to Henbrook Lane. Follow the road for 70 yards then left onto 59 to Upper Brailes Green.
Go past the Methodist Church and take 58 which leads up Gilletts Hill. At the top, go hard right onto 58b and down Gilletts Lane. Pub is 70 yards to left on B4035.
Coming out of the pub turn right along the road for 50 yards and right onto 51 through allotments and on to Castle Hill Lane. Then 52g and 52 back to Lower Brailes via the 99 steps.
DOGSYes.
PUB Yes. THE GATE Pub, Upper Brailes, OX15 5AX.01608-685212:SP305399, 1.8m.
Walk 5:CASTLE HILL and WINDERTON 3.6mile
Walk up Butchers Lane opposite the George and left onto 52e to the Sutton Brook. Then 52 up the 99 steps towards Upper Brailes. Branch right onto 52g across Castle Hill Lane and walk clockwise round the mound to find path 50. This path runs directly to Winderton 1.4 miles away. Go left on village roads to find Winderton Church where opposite, path 49 leads back to Lower Brailes and the George.
DOGS Path 50 has two stiles without dogways.
PUBNo.
Walk 6:CHELMSCOTE and COMPTON WYNYATES 5.2 mile
Walk up Butchers Lane opposite the George and left onto 52e to the Sutton Brook. Bear right onto 52f to Castle Hill Lane and right onto this road to crossroads in 200 yards. Right at crossroads for 50 yards and left onto 47a. This path leads past Upper Chelmscote and Lower Chelmscote to a road. Turn right onto this road (the parish boundary) and take the direction to Compton Wynyates 0.6m. At the cottages on the right turn right onto path 44 which leads back to Butchers Lane and the George. An excursion at Compton Wynyates onto path 44 in the opposite direction leads to the windmill on top of the hill.
DOGS A stile on 52f has no dogway. Otherwise good.
PUBNo.
Walk 7:CHERINGTON5.2mile
Left out of George front door, down the road and left into Jeffs Close. At the road (Sutton Lane) straight across and onto path 60. At the next road (Henbrook Lane) straight across onto bridleway 61 which leads around Brailes Hill towards Cherington Butts. Left onto path 61a takes you down Cherington Hill to a road. Follow this road into the village to find the Cherington Arms in 0.4m. When leaving the pub, turn left onto the village road and in 300 yards bear left onto path 71 which leads through Stourton and across the golf course back to Lower Brailes and the George.
Walk 8: TELEGRAPH 5.8mile
Described more fully by Christopher Somerville in the Daily Telegraph of 6 Jan 1996 – walk up Butchers Lane opposite the George and left onto 52e to the Sutton Brook. Then 52 up the 99 steps and onto Upper Brailes. Up Gilletts Lane on 58b to join 58 at the top of Gilletts Hill. Follow 58 down the steps at Ashen Coppice and left onto bridleway 57a then 57 towards North Farm. Left onto 68 takes you over the shoulder of Brailes Hill and into Sutton under Brailes. At the church left onto village road and right at Green signposted Stourton. In 50 yards left onto 71b then 71 across the Golf Course and back to Lower Brailes and the George.
DOGS Path 68 has two stiles without dogways – otherwise good.
PUBNo.
Walk 9:WHICHFORD7.0mile
Leave from the paddock at the back of the George and take path 67 which runs above the Golf Course towards Whichford Mill. Cross the road onto bridleway 66 through the Mill and on to North Leasow. At the road turn right and walk .6m into Whichford to find the Norman Knight opposite the Green. When leaving the pub turn right and walk 0.25m past the Pottery and down the hill. Right onto 73 towards Stourton and right onto 74 towards Stourton Mill. Right onto village road for 0.3m then right onto 71 which leads across the Golf Course and back to Lower Brailes and the George.
DOGS No dogways at stiles between Whichford and Stourton.
PUB - Norman Knight, WHICHFORD CV36 5PE. 01608-684621:SP315347, 3.0m.
Walk 10:EPWELL 8.0mile
Opposite the George keep right through St. George’s churchyard and take path 49 from the Catholic Church car park to arrive at Winderton church. Right onto village road and follow signpost for Brailes for 0.4m then left onto 54a to climb up to The Warren and the crossroads at Epwell White House. Half right onto path E3 leads to E5 and the Chandlers Arms. Leaving the pub, go back 2 fields then left onto the MacMillan Way which leads to Ditch edge Lane (63). On the way to Traitor’s Ford, turn right onto bridleway 63a to a road (Holloway Lane). Right onto this road for 0.4m then left, steeply uphill to return to Lower Brailes on 65a via Mine Hill.
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