Walk One

This description is started from the bus station in New Street. I recommend walking it in a clockwise direction to give a clear view when crossing the A45. The walk is fairly clean, even in the worst weather.

From the entrance to the bus station walk right, past Tescos and down Little lane. Cross the road, walk round the back of the Holy Cross Georgian (1752) church and follow the path down, through the War Memorial onto the road. Cross the road and take the cycle-way under the main road (which follows the route of the old railway line).

Emerge on the end of the old Norton road, pass the sub-station and fork right onto a footpath. Follow this up the hill, pass the "Fishponds" path on your right (which runs alongside the site of the old abbey fishponds), pass the "Spar" stores on your left and cross over Admirals Way on the zebra crossing. The path continues up the hill a few yards to your left, fork right (up the hill), cross The Fairway and follow the path up, through the hawthorn bushes (this is the muddiest part of the walk), to the style at the top.

At this point you are entering the enclosed area of the iron-age fort and of the former site of the BBC world service transmitter. Go ahead some 20 yards and turn left on the track which goes right round the top of the hill.

Pass the golf course, on your left, and bear right on the grassy path, avoiding the old air-raid shelters. Follow the path along the edge of the woods, leave the first gate on your left and follow the path to the second gate. Go over this gate and head for the distant trees to your right (one is a Scots pine) This will bring you to another gate. Go over this and head down the hill to the by-road at the bottom. Borough Hill farm and some new fishponds can be seen to your left.

Turn right on the road and follow it over the old railway-bridge and up to the A45, cross the A45 and continue up the by-road to the top of the hill. Here there is a large house to your left and a gate to your right. You can go through this and follow the grass path along the ridge of the hill to the road over from Newnham, where there is a somewhat nettly concrete style, but this is NOT a public right of way. Alternatively continue over the hill and start descending, there is a path off on your right. Take this and follow it downhill for 50 yards, another path crosses, turn right on this and walk across the side of the hill to a style in the bottom corner of the next field. Walk diagonally across this field to a gate in the top right hand corner. Go up to the ridge and rejoin the "short-cut" to the concrete style.

Turn right along the road to a lay-by on the left, go over the style here and head for the windmill. Beyond the mill is a gate, pass through this, go straight down the hill and out onto the side road to your right at the bottom. Follow the road down, over the by-pass and turn left at the bottom. Take the first right, opposite the garage, then first left opposite a second hand car lot. Turn right at the end, then right again. Opposite the under-pass take the footpath on the left, follow this past the end of a close, up hill across the next road, across the next and then turn left into Tesco's car park at the rear of the bus station.

Map of the route.

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