Bredon to the Avon and through Kinsham and Kemerton

A flat walk from Bredon down to the Avon and through villages/hamlets south and east of Bredon.

  • Start Point:
  • SO 9214 3702. Fox & Hounds Car Park, Bredon.

  • Length:
  • 7.96 miles
  • Ascent/Descent:
  • 364 feet
  • Description:
  • A nearly flat walk using a mixture of tarmac roads, farm tracks and paths. Some of the paths across open fields are not clearly marked but the targets on the far sides of the fields are easily visible. Some of the paths can be a bit slippery underfoot after rain. Some of the gates across the path were locked necessitating climbing over them.
  • Date Walked:
  • 20th January 2012

The Fox & Hounds at Bredon.

Start from the car park at the Fox & Hounds, grid reference SO 9214 3702. PDF of the walk and/or Google Earth Track of the walk.

Map No Grid Reference Distance Instructions
1 SO 9214 3702 250 yards

The car park is at the rear of the pub opposite the village primary school. Follow the footpath just west of the pub south for about 250 yards to the B4080 Tewkesbury Road.

  • Leave the car park and walk south to Church Street at the front of the pub. Turn right to head west down Church Street.
  • After about 30 yards turn left and head south along Malthouse Lane.
  • As the lane ends to the right, take the narrow footpath directly ahead continuing south to the B4080.
2 SO 9213 3686 370 yards

Follow the B4080 (a fairly busy road), west for about 370 yards to where it turns left at a sharp bend and a footpath is signposted going off to the right over a stile. About 250 yards along you pass the entrance to Bredon Tithe Barn on the right.

3 SO 9181 3678 425 yards

Continue west across the field then south alongside the M5 to the River Avon and going under the motorway.

  • Climb over the stile (there is usually a sign on the fence warning of a bull, but the field is frequently unoccupied) and continue west along the field edge towards the M5.
  • Turn right alongside the M5 and head south and go down the incline to where the River Avon passes under the M5. The photograph on the right shows the Avon going under the M5.
4 SO 9152 3689 250 yards

Go under the M5 then turn left to head north for 250 yards to a gate in a hedge/fence.

  • Pass under the M5, and then turn left to head north to a metal bar gate at SO 9148 3682. The path goes through the gate, but it may be difficult to open and you may have to climb over the gate.
  • Continue north uphill to reach a hedge/fence with another metal bar gate.
5 SO 9151 3667 1,050 yards

Turn right before the gate to head west for about 1050 yards across fields and stiles to the River Avon opposite the Fleet Inn at Twyning.

  • Turn right before the gate and head west alongside the hedge to SO 9138 3670 to turn left through a gap over a concrete bridge, then immediately right over a wooden bridge via two gates to continue west.
  • Head diagonally across the field to cross a stile in a fence at SO 9105 3666.
  • Continue west across the field to cross a stile in a fence at SO 9085 3663.
  • Continue west to SO 9055 3657 to go through a gate and over the wooden footbridge into Fleet Lane where it runs down to the River Avon opposite the Fleet Inn (see photograph above) on the far bank.
6 SO 9055 3657 1,500 yards

Head southeast along Fleet Lane then south and southeast across fields passing the Croft Farm Water Park Lakes to the B4080 at Bredon's Hardwick a distance of about 1,500 yards.

  • Head southeast along Fleet Lane to SO 9069 3648 to turn right (there is an inaccessible stile because of a ditch) through a metal bar gate and through a gap in the hedge.
  • Head south diagonally across the field for 350 yards to SO 9077 3617 to the stile or the metal bar gate which may be open.
  • Go over the stile or through the gate and continue south across the field for about 200 yards to SO 9082 3597 to another stile.
  • Go over the stile which may be unstable (the wood was rotten when I used it) and bear slightly right to head southeast with the Croft Farm Leisure Park Lake on the right (see photograph above) for about 250 yards to SO 9098 3583 to a stile in the corner of the field.
  • Continue southeast for about 370 yards to SO 9126 3565 to climb over a stile onto a narrow path.
  • Go along the path and onto the tarmac lane for about 100 yards to the B4080 Tewkesbury to Bredon Road at Bredon's Hardwick.
7 SO 9133 3560/span> 500 yards

Turn right onto the B4080 and follow the road southwest for about 500 yards to the junction with Hardwick Bank Road passing the Cross Keys Inn on the left.

  • The walk was originally intended to go straight over at the road junction following a path marked on my maps running east under the M5, but neither this path nor the one100 yards or so further south are evident on the ground and after investigation there does not appear to be any underpasses under the M5 here, so it appears that the footpaths no longer exist. (My maps are 1:25:000 purchased about 2004). The walk goes around the road to cross the M5 by bridge before rejoining the originally planned route.
8 SO 9113 3519 900 yards

Head southeast along Hardwick Bank Road for about 900 yards crossing over the M5 to a footpath on the left running down the bank about 60 yards past the motorway bridge.

9 SO 9185 3476 1,000 yards

Go northeast down the footpath back towards the motorway, then turn right and head northeast to pass under the railway line after about 1,000 yards

  • The footpath heads northeast down a steep bank to a track at the bottom. Turn left on to the track heading directly back towards the motorway to a gate and stile on the right at SO 9182 3483.
  • Turn right over the stile and head northeast with the field boundary on the right, passing an old farm building on th eright (see photograph), for about 600 yards to a stile followed by a metal gate at SO 9236 3502.
  • Go over the stile and through the gate heading east then northeast towards the middle of three railway underpasses visible ahead which will be reached after about 300 yards.
10 SO 9261 3509 1,000 yards

Go under the railway bridge then follow footpaths east, northeast and east again to reach a footpath junction just east of Wells Farm with a very sharp left hand turn after about 1,000 yards.

  • Go through a metal gate and under the railway bridge (see photograph) then over a stile at SO 9265 3510.
  • Head northeast across the field then bear east to SO 9281 3513 to turn left across a footbridge.
  • Head northeast with field boundary on the right hand side to SO 9291 3529 to a metal farm gate with a farm track beyond.
  • Go through the gate and continue northeast to SO 9295 3536 to another gate after which bear right through another gate to head more east diagonally across the field to SO 9310 3541 and a gate in the hedge.
  • Go through the gate and continue east across the next field and through a gate in the line of trees. Follow the footpath markers east through a lightly wooded field to a wooden gate at SO 9330 3543.
  • Go through the gate and over a low stone wall into the rear gardens of houses heading east over a stile then another stile at SO9336 3541.
11 SO 9336 3541 400 yards

Turn sharp left to head north and northeast through the village of Kinsham to the B4079 after about 400 yards.

  • Turn sharp left and head north to go over a stile in the corner of the field into a narrow alleyway between a brick wall and trees/hedge.
  • The path widens to tarmac and at SO 9336 3548 turn left onto a tarmac road.
  • Follow the road round to the right to the junction with Watery Lane at SO 9336 3555.
  • Head northeast up Chapel Lane through the village of Kinsham to the junction with the B4079.
12 SO 9344 3575 600 yards

Head northwest up the B4079 then north east along the footpath signposted Kemerton Lake and Lower Westmancote to a wooded path and junction at the entrance to the reserve after about 600 yards.

  • Head northwest along the B4079 to SO 9340 3586 to turn right on along the footpath signposted to Kemerton Lake and Lower Westmancote.
  • Head northeast with the field boundary on the right hand side entering a wooded area at SO 9359 3610 leading to a woodland junction at SO 9361 3614.
  • Turn left to head northwest to the path leading into the reserve at SO 9356 3617.
13 SO 9356 3617 950 yards

Head northeast through the nature reserve for about 950 yards to a path crossroads south of the farmyard at Green Acres.

  • Bear right to head northeast through a metal gate unto Kemerton Lake Nature Reserve which is on the site of old gravel pits. On both sides of the path are areas of water and/or wet ground many covered with reeds and rushes with one large lake on the right and threads in and out of wooded areas. By the open part of the lake is this wooden sculpture? (see right)
  • At SO 9365 3648 go through a metal gate and continue northeast to SO 9381 3678 where the path merges onto a hard wide farm track.
  • Continue to a path crossroads at SO 9388 3697.
14 SO 9388 3697 500 yards

Head southeast for about 500 yards to Kinsham Lane.

  • Turn right through a metal gate and head southeast with the field boundary on the left opening out into open parkland looking directly ahead to large house (Lower Court at Kemerton - see photograph).
  • At SO 9408 3688 the path bears gently left through two old stone gate posts and continues east across the lightly wooded parkland to the metal gate into Kinsham Lane.
15 SO 9434 3683 500 yards

Cross Kinsham Lane and go northeast across the orchard and north through Kemerton to the war memorial cross in the centre of the village after about 500 yards.

  • Turn left into Kinsham Lane then after about 30 yards go right through a wooden gate and head east and northeast along a footpath across a small orchard.
  • At SO 9451 3693 go through a wooden gate and turn left into the lane in Kemerton village.
  • Head north along the lane through the village to the war memorial (see photograph) at the junction with the main road in the village.
16 SO 9460 3719 400 yards

Turn right at the war memorial and head north through the village then bear left up Hill Road to the junction with Wing Lane after about 400 yards.

  • Turn right at the war memorial and go north up the main village street to SO 9467 3730 to turn left into Hill Road.
  • Head north up the gentle incline to SO 9474 3753 at the crossroads where Wing Lane meets Hill Road.
17 SO 9474 3753 800 yards

Turn left and head west past houses then along a footpath to join the lane in Westmancote village after about 800 yards.

  • Turn left opposite Wing Lane and head west along a short lane and into a narrow path with fences on either side leading to an open field.
  • Head west across the field along the north (right hand) edge of the field.
  • At SO 9440 3762 pass through a gap in the hedge dividing two fields and continue along the north edge of the field heading west to join the lane in Westmancote village.
18 SO 9409 3779 900 yards

Head southwest down the lane then bear right onto a footpath south west across a field then along a narrow path west to the lane in Lower Westmancote after about 900 yards

  • Turn left onto the lane and follow it southwest down a gentle incline to SO 9381 3759. The photograph right shows the view looking back up the lane
  • Turn right off the lane and head southwest across the field (a rugby pitch may be visible further west across the field) to SO 9355 3752.
  • Go through a wooden gate onto a narrow path heading west running between fences/hedging on either side leading to the lane in Lower Westmancote.
19 SO 9334 3752 700 yards

Cross the lane and continue along a footpath southwest for about 700 yards to the B4080 Bredon to Pershore road.

  • Cross over the road and go through the metal gate to continue southwest along a footpath with the left hand (southern) edge of the field on the left.
  • Go through a wooden gate and down steps to the B4080.
20 SO 9274 3729 900 yards

Cross the main road and go west along the path over the railway bridge, bear southwest downhill over a stream and climb back to Bredon village and the Fox & Hounds pub after about 900 yards.

  • Cross diagonally to the left over the main road into a track heading west which goes over a bridge over the main Bristol to Birmingham railway line (see photograph right looking south down the line).
  • At SO 9254 3727 the path bears right to head southwest and goes quite steeply downhill between two wooded areas, the path can be quite slippery.
  • At SO 9235 3715 bear left over a low stone block crossing a stream then climb up heading south into Penwell Close leading to Back Lane.
  • At the end of Back Lane turn right into Church Street (B4080) and head west through Bredon village back to the Fox and Hounds. Look out for the cat on the thatched roof on the left hand side just before reaching the pub.
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