The Rising Sun - Route 2

(S/E) From the pub, walk to the path which runs just adjacent to the car park and follow this path as far as the Stoke Row road. Cross the road with great care to a footpath almost directly opposite and follow this path up an incline, pass through a kissing gate, across a meadow, from which there good views, to another kissing gate. Pass through this and proceed until the path splits. Take the path on the right, passing through another kissing gate, and cross another meadow where there is usually a profusion of wild flowers in the summer to a further kissing gate. Pass through this and walk diagonally right across the Highmoor cricket ground, staying well clear of the actual cricket pitch, until a kissing gate is reached in the right hand corner adjacent to the Nettlebed Road (B481).

(1) Cross this busy road with care to the footpath opposite and proceed through woodland, ignoring a path to the left until a path to the right is reached. Take this path and continue to the edge of the woodland and take the left-hand path which runs diagonally left across the arable field and continue until a lane is reached (Rocky Lane).

(2) Turn left and then virtually immediately turn left again onto a tarmac bridleway through cattle grid and follow track. Opposite Tartary Wood, before another cattle grid is reached, turn left onto a grass path to a wooden kissing gate in a wood called Scotland. Proceed along this path bordered with rhododendrons until the junction with way mark post.

(3) Turn right onto a bridleway and proceed along the bridleway past a house until a junction of paths is reached. Follow the bridleway (tarmac) almost straight ahead for some way until reaching the B481. Close to this point is the Highmoor Trench.

(4) Cross the road into Deadman’s Lane. This is a bridleway which eventually reaches Swans Wood. The bridleway continues in the wood and then onto a tarmac road. Continue uphill to the corner: Howberrywood Farm is to the right. Look back and admire the view towards Nettlebed.

(5) Turn left at the waymark post and continue through the wood on a bridleway. After a short distance, where the bridleway bends to the right, turn left onto a footpath (look for yellow arrow on a way mark post) and follow this well way marked path as it meanders through the wood (watch out for trip hazards of loose and protruding flints). Continue past several fallen trees, cross a stile into a meadow from which there are fine views to the south. Proceed directly ahead up a slight incline, to climb over another stile into a short section of wood, keeping straight ahead until nearly at the end of the wood a V junction is reached.

(6) Bear slightly left here (look for a white arrow on a post a little way in the distance). Proceed straight ahead into a field with fencing on the left of the footpath; follow the path through rhododendron and holly bushes arriving at a road. Cross the road in a diagonally left direction, following the footpath. Walk across an access road noting yellow arrow disc on telegraph pole. Continue straight ahead (ignoring the path to the left) following a flint wall to the right of the path past the ‘Old Barn’ and Highmoor Farm until a kissing gate is reached situated adjacent to a farm gate.

(7) Go through the kissing gate and bear right walking by the side of a horse paddock until a wooden kissing gate is reached. Go through the gate and walk slightly diagonally right through an arable field. Walk straight ahead, through a metal kissing gate, across a track, through another metal kissing gate, along the left side of a field, through another metal kissing gate and keeping straight ahead on the path between houses until a track is reached. Turn right and follow the track down a slight incline and with a bungalow to the right, take the track to the left and follow this for about 100 yards until a road is reached. Turn left and walk up the hill and the approach road to the pub is second on the right. (S/E)

Tartary Wood and much of the surrounding area are all part of the Nettlebed estate owned by the Fleming family. It is rumoured that Ian Fleming came up with idea of James Bond while living on the estate.

The Highmoor Trench is an ancient earthwork where the remains of many stone age tools and artefacts have been found.