The BBC published this walk on it's website a couple of years ago - we hope you enjoy it too.
The walk starts
opposite the church car park, passing by the church and heading straight on
keeping the river to your right. When you reach a field, head towards the far
left gate into another field where you follow the grassy track. Pass by a stile
and keep to the right field edge. Climb over a stile and turn left crossing
over a stream and another stile.
Turn left along the
field edge passing a pond on your right. At the end of the field climb the
stile by the pond and follow the track, crossing a brook and over a stile into
a field of sheep keeping the copse on your left. You will see a stile going
into the copse - at this point you can cut out the next section of the walk if
you wish, and skip to **.
For a longer walk,
pass by the stile and cross the field to a gate. Keeping the brook on your
right follow the right field edge, and near the far corner climb a stile, and
cross a bridge over a stream onto an enclosed track.
When you reach a lane
turn right and a short way on your left follow the footpath sign into Chalkney
Woods. (In spring the wood floor is covered in bluebells). This eventually opens
onto a wide grassy track leading to a lane. Turn right and when you reach a
crossroads take the right lane which will take you to a boarding kennels that
likes its privacy!
Pass through their
gate and after the stables turn right with the river and Chalkney Mill on your
left and vehicle sheds on your right to join a track. Continue through a gate
to a field with horse jumps and cross it to reach a four-bar metal gate.
Continue down the track which ends at Swanscombe Farm. Follow the brick lane
until you see a stile on your left marked Margery Allingham Walk. Take the path
across the middle of the field and over a stile. Keep straight ahead across the
field crossing a small brook via a plank to return to the stile into the copse.
** Enter the copse via
the stile and follow the path. (At certain times of the year this can get
over-grown with nettles so long trousers are advised). Keep heading uphill
through the wood and at some stables continue on the track eventually passing a
house and onto a lane. At a fork in the road bear left and take some steps on
your right up into a field. There is a view down to the viaduct to your left
from here.
Cross the field on the
marked path and cross a bridge and over a stile. Hug the left edge of the field
and over the stile, down some steps cut away in the earth to the road at Swan
Street. Turn right and then left into Bacons Lane. Continue down Bacons Lane passing
Katoomba and Apple Croft to reach a track which takes you over a railway bridge
to reach Bacons Farm.
Walk straight ahead
through the farmyard, turn right around the last building, then after a few
paces more reach a gate on your left to pass into a field. Keeping to the left
field edge proceed downhill. At the bottom of the field go over a stile by a
pillpox. At the end of this field climb over a gate and continue to another
stile. Keep heading to the right and walk along the field edge. You can see Popes
Hall ahead.
As you follow the path
through the field you can see Chappel Viaduct ahead. Go over a plank bridge and
follow the burnt way across the field to a footpath sign where you bear left to
a lane. Pass Holly Cottage then shortly turn right into a field heading towards
a shed.
Cross a bridge and
follow the path by a copse to a stile by the viaduct. Pass under the viaduct
and either head straight on back to the car park, or to reach the Swan Inn for
a well-earned drink turn immediately right passing through the play area to
reach a gate into the pub garden.