Start: Our walk starts at the "The Throckmorton" pub north of Alcester on the very busy A435. Coughton B49 5HX
(S/E) With your back to "The Throckmorton" pub , cross the road to the pavement and go right, down (South) the main A435 past Coughton Lodge. You have now joined the Millennium Way. From here you have a smashing view of Coughton Court over to your left.
(1) Cross over the pedestrian crossing then turn right down Coughton Lane just past the post box. Stay along Coughton Lane for just under a mile and at the T junction turn right on the B4090. Cross road and go for 30 paces, then go left through the hedge gap and bear slightly right for a few yards to go with the hedge left down the wide grass bridleway. Where the hedge finishes (ignore the hidden footbridge to the right) go 1/4 left to reach the gap.
(2) Go through the gap and turn left into the next field and continue along with the hedge left, where we have now left the Millennium Way. At the field corner you will eventually cross a very small ford (footwear!) into a large field.
Go immediately 1/2 right for 20 paces, then bear left to stay along the field edge, keeping a very wide ditch on your right (Spittle Brook runs in this ditch if it's wet). Continue with the ditch right crossing a dip in corner of the field into the next field, again to continue with a wide ditch on your right and Coldcomfort Wood 200 yards on the far right. Pass through the hedge gap and stay on the same line with the ditch right to pass under power lines.
(3) At the end of the field, where you arrive at a hedge gap ahead, turn right on a track over a ditch for 70 paces to find the corner waypost under the oak tree. Here we turn left to join The Monarch's Way and stay along with the hedge and trees left. The ditch and small brook are now on your left.
Stay along the partly surfaced track to reach a T - junction. Here you will see Coldcomfort Farm far right. Go left at this T - junction walking away from the farm past the bench on the left and continue along the lane.
(4) Go past Allimore House on your left and, just before meeting the main road, take the incline on right to reach and cross the bridge over the main A435 road. Stay ahead into Allimore Lane past The Field House and crossing the bridge over the disused railway line to enter the outskirts of Alcester.
Go over the crossroads into Seggs Lane and continue ahead to pass the Alcester Fire-Fighters Memorial Garden (worth a short visit) and the Fire Station on left to cross over a roundabout. Go into Swan Street in the direction of the town centre and just past the pedestrian traffic lights, turn left into High Street.
(5) Continue along the busy High Street, with several tea shops and pubs, to pass to the left of St. Nicholas Parish Church down the adjacent alleyway, passing Church House, to arrive at the ancient Alcester War Memorial Town Hall (there is a plaque on the wall of historical interest).
Continue past the Town Hall into Henley Street with the road soon bearing right to become Kinwarton Road. Cross the bridge over River Arrow and 20 yards before Gunnings Road turn left along the surfaced path passing an outdoor sports pitch.
(6) Continue along as it narrows between hedges and keep River Arrow on your left. Stay along the riverside path with the river left for some distance eventually passing the children's play area and sports pitch. At the end of the sports field bear slightly left passing three yellow bollards staying along the path with the river left.
When you reach picnic tables you go right up a short incline to join surfaced track. Go right for 40 paces then take a hidden gap left through two yellow metal posts to bear slightly right through the area of woodland. Stay ahead on a narrow sometimes overgrown path through the woodland keeping close to the metal fence right, ignoring any side tracks, to eventually emerge at a service road. Go left on the grass following the waymarker, passing an office building right and keeping the river left.
(7) On reaching the main road (with metal barriers), cross over and take the footpath just to the left of SWL in Arden Court, which continues along the riverside. Cross a footbridge to emerge into the field and stay along the path with the river left.
Pass through a gap to a field planted with saplings, then another gap into a very large field also with saplings. You pass a small weir in front of an industrial estate on the opposite bank. Continue through the way marked gap and stay with river left to bear right with the river.
(8) Pass under two power lines then reach a gas pipeline marker on your left. 10 paces further on go across concrete footbridge & through a metal gate into a field. Head diagonally across the field to take the metal gate and continue along the same line to find and take the kissing gate in the corner, well to the left of the farmhouse, onto the lane.
(9) Go left on lane first to pass Millford Cottage. Continue on past Millford House and, after 40 paces, take the hidden narrow footpath left (easy to miss). Here we take a metal bridge across the River Arrow and through a metal gate into a large field.
Continue ahead across the field towards the farm buildings in the far distance and take a metal kissing gate to the next field. Go 1/2 right to exit this field via a kissing gate.
(10) Turn left on the lane to reach the main A435, then turn right up the road to return to the "The Throckmorton" for some well earned refreshments. (S/E)
