Ilmington to Ilmington Hill and Foxcote House with Cathole Valley Circular

Start: Red Lion Pub, Illmington, CV26 4LX.

(S/E) Standing with your back to the pub proceed to the right up the main road, take the right-hand fork into Front Street, and after about 100 m take the left fork along higher road (Grump Street) with the café on your left. Keep straight along this road and into track the footpath sign show along and up, but take the one to the right and down into a field.

(1) Turn left and with the field boundary on your left climb up Ilmington Hill to the Pig Track. Stop here for rest and to turn around and take in the splendid views. When rested continue straight on a descend down to road/driveway to Foxcote House turn right and walk to Foxcote House.

(2) At Foxcote House turn left and after crossing cattle grid walk up the incline look for footpath on your right just before a Private sign. Take footpath to right though wood exiting into open field continue on with the wood on your right. If you look behind you you see another view of Foxcote House across the lake.

(3) When you reach a fence coming down from the left, take the track to your left and climbing up keeping yourself to the left of the wood. Continue to climb the wood on your right ends enter a new field with hedgerow on your right. Follow the hedgerow on your right and exit onto road. Turn left and continue down the road.

(4) When you reach a house/barn on your left go through the gate into field on your right. There is a very steep path straight on, the official and recommended footpath is to the left diagonally dropping down to the valley bottom. Then turning sharp right follow the wide track down the other side of valley. Keeping straight on where you can see a waymark post by the wood opposite. Enter the wood and follow the many waymark posts until you exit from wood. As you exit wood the waymark post show two routes follow the direction of the right one, eventually passing the building on your right across the field gate. At field gate cross over road and proceed down track straight on.
This eventually drops down and crosses stream with Langdon Manor house the other side follow the path diagonally to the right passing around Manor onto gravel driveway turn right and continue to road.

(5) Turn left and follow road down to junction and turn left along road then left down another quieter road.

(6) At the T-junction turn right, follow until road meets major road turn left up the T junction and The Red Lion Pub (S/E).

Boots required.

• There are splendid views on this walk especially when higher up, up to 30 miles in some places.
• In September, in the Foxcote House Estate, you will see hundreds of pheasants. You can also see deer of different types.
• Great food and drinks at the Red Lion Pub, Ilmington, CV36 4LX (https://redlionilmington.co.uk/)