(A) The village was originally known as Bishops Hampton, but became known as Hampton Lucy after the Lucy family, who lived at nearby Charlecote House, were granted much of the land in the area by Queen Mary in 1557.
The church was rebuilt in 1826 and is a fine example of the Gothic revival style. The chancel at the east end was added in 1856 by the architect Sir Gilbert Scott, who also built the Albert Memorial and St Pancras station in London.
(B) The elegant cast iron bridge over the river was built in 1829. It was paid for by the Lucy family to replace a ford and wooden causeway. It was made by the famous Horseley Ironworks in the Black Country,who made many canal and railway bridges in that era.
[1] From the telephone box turn right to the road junction and then right towards Charlecote and Warwick. Immediately before the cast iron bridge over the Avon, turn left down the tarmacked drive, which is a bridleway and follow it to a gate across the drive.
The path ahead follows the river bank. It is not yet a right of way and is not shown on the OS Maps. It is open as part of the countryside stewardship scheme. A map on a post immediately before the gate shows its exact route and legal status.A claim has been submitted to the council to make it a right of way, so hopefully it will be one in the near future.
[2] If the gate is shut, press the red button on the gate post and it will open automatically. Head half right and through a kissing gate right of a large gate into a big meadow. Go over to the river bank. Keep the river on your right as it meanders to a weir and continues north across pastures.
(C) The River Avon was once navigable along this stretch up to Warwick. Some boating groups would like to restore the navigation, but others fear that doing so may destroy the tranquility of this stretch of the river.
Eventually the river comes close to a steep wooded bank on the left. When you see the trees ahead coming down to the river, look for a wide gap in the trees on top of the bank. Climb up the bank to a gate on the left side of the gap leading back onto the bridleway we left earlier.
[3] Go through the gate and turn right along the field edge.
A handy bench just to the right of the gate at the top of the bank has a lovely view and makes for a great rest stop!
If the river has been in flood or there has been sustained heavy rain recently, it may be better to avoid the river bank and follow the bridleway between [2] and [3]. Instead of going through the gate, turn left up the bridleway between fences and follow to the right along the top of the steep wooded bank to your right. The route goes in and out of trees and along a large field edge. Look for the gate with the bench where the permissive path comes up.
In the next field above Scar Bank, the hedge angles off downhill to the right. Ignore it and follow the bridleway straight ahead following a line of trees.
(D) There are great views north to the tower of St Mary's church in Warwick from here.
[4] Approaching a hedge corner, look for a yellow marker post at a gap just downhill to the right. Go through the gap and follow the hedge on your left, and a young plantation on your right to pass a barn and reach a road. Follow the road downhill to the right.
[5] On reaching Home Close House. Take the left-most gate in the brick wall and continue ahead to the second small stable. Turn left through two gates up to the hedge. Cross the next field to the right edge of a clump of fir trees. It is difficult to find the exit to the next field as there is no way marking. Aim beyond the telegraph pole ahead, into the woods about 100 yards right of the cottage in the far left corner. At the right edge of an old fence a path goes through a hedge gap and out into a field with a wood on the right. Good way marks pointing back the way you came confirm you are on track. Go ahead with the wood on your right to a road.
(E) Hampton Wood and Meadow is a 12.3 ha nature reserve, managed by the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. There is a small car park on Fulbrook Road, NW corner of the reserve. See the Trust website for further information.
Turn right on the road for 50 yards and take the path on the left. Go up hill with the hedge on your right.
[6] Once over the brow of the hill, cross over to the left side of the field to a large silver gate with a stile next to it.
Follow the left edge of the next field to the next corner, turn right and follow the wire fence up hill to a gate in the fence. Go through and go half right across the field to another gate leading onto the drive to Daisy Hill Farm. Cross straight over and follow the path opposite straight ahead.
(F) There are fantastic expansive views to the south from here. The Obelisk to the right is on top of the Welcombe Hills, above Stratford.
The path crosses from the left to the right side of the hedge and goes downhill to a stile. Cross and continue in the same direction up hill to a field corner where the path ends on reaching a junction with a bridleway.
[7] Turn left and follow the bridleway, keeping the hedge on your left, to a road.
[8] Turn left on the road for about 500 yards then turn right down the drive to Mount Pleasant.
[9] Continue ahead on the path with the hedge on your left ,passing a disused stile. Where the hedge turns slightly right, look for a stile in the corner, left. Cross it and the ditch then turn right along the field edge to find a stile in the corner leading to a road. Turn left back to Hampton Lucy.