Redesmere & Capesthorne Hall

(S/E) From the Redesmere car park, walk back up Redesmere Lane to the A34. Cross carefully and turn right along the pavement, passing the village hall on the right and a thatched cottage (Roadside Cottage) on the left.

(1) Opposite the entrance to Redesmere Farm, turn left into a track which passes between wooded ponds and then between open fields. Pass thatched Nursery Cottage on the right then, at a fork in the path, turn right. This path leads pleasantly along the top of a wood with a stream below and to the left. After leaving the wood, pass another thatched cottage (Blake House Cottage) and continue to the metalled drive at Blake House Farm.

(2) Ignoring an entrance on the right, turn right along the metalled lane and pass the farmhouse and through the farmyard. At a junction of farm tracks, go over the stile ahead and slightly to the left. Walk diagonally across the field to the far left-hand corner, where you briefly join another farm track before turning right over another stile. Bear left to a further stile, then cross the field diagonally to another. Cross the next field to the far hedge, ignoring a stile and footbridge in the right-hand corner. Turn left along the hedge, then follow it round to the right. Turn right in the corner and follow the fence to a gate into a farm track. Climb the stile opposite and head diagonally left across the field (via a stile over a fence in the middle) to the far corner. Another stile leads out to the road.

(3) Follow the drive to the right of the bungalow opposite. When the drive turns left into another property, go through a gate ahead, into the field. Follow the track across the grass to Capesthorne Lake, with views of the Hall. At the near end of the bridge, turn right through a kissing gate and follow the path with the lake on your immediate left. Keep left with views over a second lake, then follow the woodland edge to a kissing gate onto the A34.

(4) Cross the main road and take a footpath into the woods opposite. This swings left over a footbridge and along the reedy foot of Redesmere. Cross another footbridge and follow the obvious gravel track beyond to the right towards the sailing club. At the sailing club entrance, turn left to a gate into woodland. Follow the path to the right over a footbridge, then exit the wood at a stile. Follow the woodland edge, with the lake on your right and crossing a couple of stiles, until you reach Redesmere Lane.

(5) Turn right to return to the car parks at the top of Redesmere.(S/E)

Several stiles. Field paths may be muddy after rain and stiles slightly overgrown in summer.