Start: The March Hare Inn, Broughton Hackett WR7 4BE. Start Grid Ref: SO924 543
(S/E) Emerging from The March Hare Inn car park turn right onto the main road (A422), then almost immediately right (South-East) down the surfaced lane passing the leisure centre.
(1) Cross over a cattle grid to go gently uphill across the field ahead. Pass under power lines and take the large metal gate ahead continuing with the fence and hedge right to pass a waymark post in the wire fence right to reach the large metal gate in the corner of the field. Here you have joined The Millennium Way and will see the distinctive green Millennium Way waymarker.
Go through the gate and after a few paces take the next large gate left into the field. Follow around the edge of the field with a hedge right to find the far right corner metal gate. Take the gate then go over the bridge and ahead to take the gated hedge gap then 1/4 left to find the metal gate into the copse. Ahead through the copse to find the track (which can often be quite muddy). Go right on track which becomes a road passing houses left to arrive at a junction of roads.
(2) At the junction, take the gap immediately left (South) by the power pole, and go with the hedge left to take the hedge gap leading to the road. Cross the road to take the footpath through the churchyard. (You may wish to make a short visit to the church.)
Exit the churchyard by wide gravel path and take the gate to the road. Go left along the road, pass the wall right and round the right-hand bend in the road.
(3) After about 50 paces, at end of the red-bricked barn, take the finger post right to go up the track with wall and hedge right. Leave the path when it swings left, and continue ahead with the hedge right to find and cross an often overgrown wooden bridge to the field.
Go left 40 paces to the field corner and go right with the hedge left. Here we leave The Millennium Way. Continue up the field with the hedge left. Continue ahead into the next field keeping hedge left walking towards the narrow copse.
(4) On reaching the copse turn right ( do not enter the copse ) and go up the field with the hedge and copse left. Pass under power lines and take the gap ahead into the next field. After a few paces take the waymarked path left through the hedge gap into the next field continuing with the hedge left.
At the next gap enter the field left and go ahead keeping the hedge right. After 100yds take the waymarked gap right over a wooden footbridge and through the kissing gate into a field and continue up the field with hedge right to take the large metal gate next to a broken stile ahead. Follow the waymarker right around the edge of the next field to reach the road.
(5) Go left on the road and immediately past Spring Cottage take the footpath right through a wooden gate. Then please keep close to the right boundary, and follow around the boundary of this grassy area to take the corner fence stile into the next field and then go ahead with the hedge right.
Stay on the same heading through the field corner gap ahead and continue along the edge of four fields with hedge and wooded area right, to reach the main road.
(6) Cross over the main road (A422) taking great care as this is a very busy road. Follow the footpath (North) opposite keeping Churchill Wood on your right. (The route does not enter the wood but you may find a shady nook to take a break and some refreshment.)
Take the gap ahead and left into the next field. Sometimes, a diagonal path 1/2 right across the field has been marked by the farmer, ( If the footpath has not been reinstated across the diagonal, you may have to walk around the edge of the field keeping the hedge left. ) Soon another way post comes into view, take a gap through a gate and go downhill.
(7) Just before reaching the road take the footpath right through a large metal gate and go ahead keeping the ditch left. (PLEASE NOTE : On occasions, you may encounter a number of electric fences in this section. Please look carefully for the insulated handles with a hook, that enable safe passage through this electric fencing. Please DO NOT attempt to climb over or duck under the fencing. )
Take the gated corner field footbridge, cross over the farm track and take the gate into a field. Go half right across the field under power lines to take stile/bridge some 10 paces in from the field corner. Go up the field keeping the hedge left and over a stile to reach the road.
(8) Turn right on road for 500m and just before the bridge turn right (South-East-South) through the gate and continue along the edge of the field with the stream left. Take gate into next field then through the gap ahead over the stream.
After a few paces take the waymarked gate left then go right up the field keeping the hedge right. Go gently uphill, the under power lines to take the gate at the corner. Go ahead 30 paces to take the next gate right then continue along next field with the hedge left.
Go through a large metal gate and continue ahead towards the hamlet of Broughton Hackett directly ahead. Take stile or adjacent metal gate and pass houses to arrive at T-junction.
(9) Then turn right past the attractive church of St. Leonards. At the next T-junction turn right and follow lane around to left to reach the main road. Turn left and you are now back at The March Hare. (S/E)
