Bihorel Circular, Darnétal from Saint-Léger-du-Bourg-Denis

Parking is available in the space in front of the former Saint-Léger Chapel, now a private residence, or in the space directly opposite on Rue de la Picauderie in Saint-Léger-du-Bourg-Denis. Access is available via the Astuce bus network, lines 14 and 20, Picauderie stop.

(S/E) With your back to the old chapel, turn right and head for the main road, Route de Lyons (D42). Turn right onto it, walk for about 270 m until you reach the first turn-off on the right.

(1) Take Rue Eugène Lavoisier on the right. Ignore a turning on the left, go past the barriers and take the second turning on the left, Rue Eugène Lavoisier. At the T-junction, turn right and then immediately left onto Rue aux Juifs. Go under the railway viaduct.

(2) Turn left onto Rue Charles Benner. At the first small bridge on your right, cross it to go over the Robec and Aubette rivers. Take the path on the left and follow it to the road. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and turn right until you reach the traffic lights.

(3) Cross Boulevard de la Paix at the pedestrian crossing. Continue straight ahead to see Saint-Pierre de Carville Church and the Carville Tower opposite the church. Retrace your steps and turn right onto Rue Lucien Fromagé. Walk past the École Nationale d’Architecture de Normandie on your left. At the end of the street, turn right, passing two pedestrian crossings, then turn left, crossing Route de Rouen at the pedestrian crossing.

(4) Walk up Rue de la Côte, directly opposite. At the top, at the T-junction, turn left then immediately right onto Rue Édouard Branly. Ignore the first three turnings on the right and continue uphill until the fourth turning on the right.
(5) Turn right, go past the building and take the path leading left into the woods, with the sports ground on your right. Continue to the town’s water reservoir and turn left immediately. On the fairly steep path, ignore the turnings to the right and left and climb until you reach a track wide enough for a lorry.

(6) Turn right and continue for about 1 km until you reach a Y-junction.

(7) Take the left-hand fork and continue to the T-junction. Turn right, walk for about 90 m and turn right again onto a descending path. Keep going straight ahead. The path leads out of the woods. Walk along the edge of the lawn on the right at the edge of the woods.

(8) Continue straight ahead on the tarmac path for about 150 m, keep going downhill and pass through a forest gate between the allotments and the boiler house. At the next junction, ignore the road branching off to the right; take the dirt track going uphill to the left and follow it to the D43.

(9) Cross it carefully and take the pavement on the left, a fast road leading to the A28 below. At the next bend, climb the steps, turn right and cross over the fast road. At the roundabout, cross the road at the pedestrian crossing on the right. Immediately turn onto the path on the right leading into the woods. Take the first left and rejoin the road, Rue de la Sente aux Bœufs.

(10) Continue straight ahead and to the right along Rue de la Sente aux Bœufs. Take the second turning on the right, Sentier des Blatiers. At the end, at the T-junction, continue straight ahead along the path past the wooden barriers. Walk for about 400 m until you reach a metal barrier on your right.

(11) Go through the gate to enter the Petite Bouverie sports ground. Turn left, pass the sports centre on your right, and at the end, keep right, passing a gate, then turn left immediately. Continue past the right-hand side of the building directly opposite, until you reach the Club de Tir à l’Arc sign.

(12) Go through the gate, turn left immediately and go straight on, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left. Follow this path through the woods, downhill, until you reach the tarmac road, Sente des Brosses, and continue to the T-junction.

(13) Turn left and, at the pharmacy, take the path on the right, Sente de l'Aulnay. Ignore the paths branching off to the left, and go behind the Church of Saint-Ouen de Longpaon. At the end, ignore the steps on the left, join the tarmac road opposite (Sente de l'Aulnay) and continue to the T-junction.

(14) Cross the road, Rue de Verdun, enter the small park opposite and go down the steps. At the bottom, continue to the T-junction, with a view of the town hall. Cross Rue Sadi Carnot, turn left and then immediately right onto Place Foch. Walk past the post office and continue to the first turning on the left.

(15) Turn left onto Rue Albert Fauquet, cross over the Robec stream, and turn right to reach the traffic lights at the bottom of the viaduct. Cross Boulevard de la Paix at the pedestrian crossing and continue straight ahead.

(2) Turn left onto Rue aux Juifs and, following the route in reverse, head back to the car park on Rue de la Picauderie (S/E).

Caution: point (5), the path on the left, just after the town’s water reservoir, is steep. In wet weather, I’m not sure it’s possible to climb it, so check the weather forecast before setting off, as there is no alternative route.