Exit to Exhall

One of my favourite morning walks, this meanders for about 5.5 miles through beautiful South Warwickshire countryside. It winds through farmland, woodland and villages. Not too taxing, the path undulates gently. Most of the walk is reasonably dry though there can be the odd muddy bit especially after rain. Ideal for a Sunday Morning with lunch in the slow cooker.

St Nicholas’ Church which is the starting point, easily found at the top of the High St with plentiful free car parking is available in the town in either The Bulls Head Yard car park (careful! part of this car park belongs to Waitrose and parking time is strictly limited) or in Bleachfield St Car Park behind The Swan Hotel.

1. Walk down High St towards Lloyds Bank, keeping to the left hand side, noting the fine hostelries waiting you on your return. When you pass The Royal Oak there is a footpath (We call it a Tuery) on the left. Follow it. When you reach the lane go straight on. This is Gas House Lane, home of the old gas works. As you proceed you will see a park on the right. Walk across the park, emerging at the main road exit. Cross the road and turn left then immediately right. This is Old Stratford Rd, the original road to Stratford from Alcester. Cross the 17th century bridge and turn right into Mill Lane.
2. Follow Mill Lane for a brief period, noting the Oversley Green Library in he old phone box. The turn left into Primrose Lane. Follow the lane to the very end. You will see a footpath to the right. Follow this over the A46 and keep going to a metal gate next to a seat. Go through the gate, turn right and continue past a farm with two huge silos. Follow the track down a bank and up again to a point where the main path goes right. Do left here past a farm gate onto a rough track.
3. Walk between the hedges until reaching a point where Oversley Wood is diagonally in front of you. A footpath crosses but go straight on into the field. Follow the field margin, keeping the wood immediately to your left until you reach a metalled bridleway going to your right. Follow it through a gateway and down a gentle hill. Carry on until reaching a narrow lane at the bottom of the hill.
4. Go left and almost immediately, left again. The track goes past some farm buildings on your right, gently uphill. Basically follow this path for about a mile until reaching a stile. You will go through two or three gates, passing a number of fields. Oversley Wood joint you on your left. Keep going keeping the wood to your left until you reach the stile.
5. Climb the stile and into a small car park. Keep going left past a farm gate into Oversley Wood. Walk along the wide track for about three quarters of a mile to a point where the track takes a definite swing to he left. Go right and follow the track to the exit. Turn right again. Continue to a metal gate. Go through and down a steepish hill. Almost at the bottom there is a yellow way marker. Follow the footpath (can be muddy) and then cross the lane to the metal gate. Go through and turn left. Follow the path to the seat (recognise it?).
6. You can now re-trace your steps back to St Nicholas’ Church. If you are hungry or thirsty, please feel free to avail yourself of the many pubs and coffee shops in town.