The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 6.5 miles (10.5 km)
Time to walk: Roughly 2 hours 30 minutes at a steady pace
Difficulty: Mostly flat, with a few minor inclines
Parking: At The Bear in Bilton Lane, on the edge of Long Lawford, just over te railway bridge. The postcode is CV23 9DU
Public toilets: At The Bear at the start & end of this walk
Map of the route:
Our walk today starts at The Bear pub on the outskirts of Long Lawford. The village itself lies a couple of miles to the west of Rugby & is situated on a ridge overlooking the valley of the River Avon to the north. It’s one of four Lawfords in the area, & is named ‘Long’ because, historically, the village ran along the road between Rugby & Coventry. The other three Lawfords are Church Lawford, to the west, Little Lawford to the north, & Lawford Heath to the south
There’s been a settlement here for over 2000 years & the name probably means “ford of a man called Lealla”
Shall we go?
Let’s Walk!
1. Facing The Bear, turn left & cross over the bridge towards Long Lawford…
On arriving at the traffic lights, cross the road & join the bridleway, at the sign in the picture below. Continue still in the direction of Long Lawford…
2. As the road bends right, follow the bridleway straight ahead…
…passing through the metal gate
3. As the track swings left, keep going forward down the narrow path on the right, under the trees in the picture below…
Pass through another metal gate in the same direction. There’s some impressive views on both sides
4. Keep going & then there’s one more gate to go through to arrive at a road…
Turn right along the road towards the village. The grass verge is good along here so be prepared to hop on it if there’s any traffic coming
5. Finally we arrive at Long Lawford! Walk straight over the crossroads & continue in the same direction…
As you’re walking on hard footpaths, this stage of the walk is quite easy. Cross the bridge over the railway line & the road then becomes Chapel Street
6. Look out for No.29. Just before reaching it, pass through the gate in the picture below to join Shakespeare’s Avon Way…
The beauty about this 88 mile long distance footpath is that it starts at the source of the River Avon, right here in Northamptonshire in beautiful Naseby, just by the battlefield. It then follows, as far as possible, the course of the river as it meanders through Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & Gloucestershire to reach its passing into the River Severn at Tewksbury
7. On reaching the stile, carefully cross it & continue with the hedge on your right…
You’ll now come to the gate in the picture below…
Pass through it & head in the direction of the marker post down towards the big tree
8. On reaching the hedge there’s a double gate. Go through this & turn immediately right along the field edge down to the bottom …
At the bottom of the field, cross the bridge & continue in the direction of the arrows…
9. At this time of year (June) the path is obvious. In winter it would be slightly diagonally right towards the trees below…
The path heads towards the right side of the field & follows the hedge…
10. Shortly the river comes into view, but we head away from it & continue straight through the field towards the stables in the distance…
Cross over the bridge & follow the directional arrow to the right, which is leading us towards a church peeping out above the top of the trees…
11. At the end of this field cross another bridge…
…& then turn slightly right towards the corner of the tree line. When I crossed these last two fields they were lined with maize / sweetcorn
12. At the end of the field, pass through the gate into the church yard…
…& follow the path to the Church of St Peter. You are now in Church Lawford. The original church was built in the 13th century, but the one you see here today dates back to 1874.
The population pf the village numbers around 500. There was a RAF training station situated just over one mile south of the village from 1941 until 1955 called RAF Church Lawford
13. Sadly, when we did this walk, the church was locked. Leave the church yard though the gate & cross the car park…
Go through the next gate & then turn immediately right through another…
14. Walk through the gap & continue straight ahead through more fields…
Pass though a series of gates & follow the direction arrows on the marker posts…
15. The path crosses the River Avon which is quite small at this stage in its journey…
The River Avon, also known as the Warwickshire Avon or Shakespeare’s Avon begins in Northamptonshire, from a spring near the village of Naseby in Northamptonshire. For the first few miles of its length, from the village of Welford, it forms the border between Northamptonshire & Leicestershire.
The river flows through or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & Gloucestershire, near the Cotswold Hills area. Notable towns it flows through include Rugby, Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Evesham, Pershore & Tewkesbury, where it joins the Severn
16. The village of King’s Newnham lies ahead of you, although you won’t actually visit it on this walk
Also known as Newnham Regis, the village lost most of its population as a result of enclosures of the former Royal Manor. Its parish church, St Lawrence’s, was built in the 12th century & partially demolished 1795–97. This left the mostly 16th century tower & the church disused
Instead, after the second gate, head up the hill. passing a way marker & continuing right…
17. Pass the farm on the left & arrive at the gate in the corner, under the tree…
Pass over the track & then head diagonally right up the hill towards the furthest telegraph pole. The path is clear in the picture below, but in winter, the telegraph pole, or the right edge of the bushes, is a good line…
18. On reaching the top, hidden in the bush, is a marker post. Behind it’s a gate …. Go through the gate & walk diagonally left to the metal gate at the top of the field…
Go through the gate, & cross over the road into the field…
Now head diagonally right across the field to the hedgerows. Once at the hedgerows follow them keeping them on your right-hand side
19. Eventually you arrive at another marker post…
Cross the bridge & walk diagonally left down towards the green barn beside the farmhouse
20. Go through the next gate & turn immediately right along the field edge…
…to arrive at yet another gate. Pass through this one & continue down the field edge. The directional marker signs are really good…
21. Continue through the gap & then the double gate directly opposite
Now head to the right of the pond, where you’ll find a stile. Cross it
22. Cross the double stile opposite & head towards the large tree in the picture below…
Once you’ve past the tree, the path heads right towards the red & white gas marker post. Just past the gas post is a stile which leads you onto a lane…
23. Turn left along the lane, past Park House…
On reaching the junction in the picture below, turn right towards King’s Newnham…
This is Little Lawford. Pass a stunning property on your right & follow the road into the farm…
24. Walk left through the farm houses & over the bridge, just pass the house…
Follow the track, but it’s worth stopping to see the ford. We have no idea where the end is though!!
25. Now follow the bridleway back towards Long Lawford…
Continue along the path, ignoring any that go off to the left & right
26. The bridleway emerges onto a road as in the picture below…
Continue along the road, passing the church on your left. Turn left into Cross Street
27. On arriving at the crossroads, walk straight over to continue along Cross Street…
Cross Street bends right & becomes School Street. Pass the Co-op & then the Methodist Church on your left
28. Walk over the railway line & follow the road around. Take the footpath on the right in the picture below…
…& on reaching the road, follow it to the left to rejoin the path beside No. 31. The marker posts are still here!
29. Cross the stile & then the next one directly opposite. Cross the road & enter the cricket field, walking around the pitch to the left
Leave the field through the metal kissing gate behind the nets. Shortly afterwards cross the stile on the left
30. Turn right along road. Shortly after the last house cross the road. Just beside Lawford Field is our footpath….
Walk through the dog training field & through the gate in the top left corner…
31. Now continue ahead, keeping the hedgerow on your left…
Go through the gate below…
…& walk diagonally right towards the opposite side of the field to leave by another gate.
32. Go down the steps, & carefully cross the road to enter the next small field…
Walk through the gate opposite
33. DO NOT go straight up the bank opposite. Instead turn right up the old railway line…
On reaching the bridge DO NOT pass under it. Walk carefully up the steep steps on the left
And here we are back at The Bear!
Well…what a walk…really varied & great to work up an appetite. Now it’s time for some great hospitality & a cold drink
Go Walk!