Henley In Arden, Bushwood and Beaudesert. Warwickshire.

The walk starts in the car park in Prince Harry Road, postcode B95 5GD. This is signposted from the A4189 Warwick Road east of the main cross roads at the south end of Henley High Street.

If public transport is preferred the X20 bus provides an hourly service from Stratford or Birmingham. There is a bus stop in Henley High Street by the Three Tuns public house, north of the market cross. There is also an hourly train on the North Warwickshire line from Stratford or Birmingham.

From the train station, walk down the drive and turn left on the road for 20 yards to a path on the right that goes between fences and down to the High Street almost opposite the Guild Hall. Turn left to follow the route, or right if you wish to visit the heritage centre first.

[1] From the car park in Prince Harry Road take the pedestrian access to the High Street through the Henley Court office buildings. To follow the route turn right and walk north along High Street.

(A) Heritage Centre, for more information about Henley in Arden, which is to your left on the opposite side of High Street. 

Continue up the High Street past St John's Church and the Guild Hall ( both dating from the 15th century). At the point where the road widens, the base and lower part of the shaft of the market cross is a rare survival. At the end of the High Street you pass through the abutments of a dismantled railway bridge. Turn off onto a footpath through a belt of trees on the right. Cross a bridge over the River Alne and go through a kissing gate into a small meadow. Follow a clearly marked footpath through this field and then across a second, irregularly shaped meadow. In the second half of this meadow the right of way runs along the left hand edge. At the far end a path beside a fence leads to a gate into a lane. Go through the gate, turn left and walk along the lane. Turn right at a triangular junction and continue along the lane to its junction with Camp Lane.

[2] Turn right and walk uphill along Camp Lane. At the brow of the first hill the lane changes its name to Irelands Lane. Continue into a dip and over a second ridge. Turn right onto the track leading to Ireland's Farm. Disregard a footpath leading off this track to the right and continue along the track towards the farm buildings. Just before the main buildings turn left onto a less used track. Both these tracks are public footpaths and easy to follow, even though there are no waymarks.

Continue gently downhill along the farm track until it ends at a field gate. Go through the gate and walk across a grassy field to another gate in the far hedge. Cross a stream, the Tapster Brook, and go over a stile. In crossing the stream you have entered Bushwood parish. Bushwood was originally Bishop's Wood, part of the Arden woodland belonging to the Bishops of Worcester. Head diagonally right over the next field, following a wire fence up a slope. At the far side of the field cross a stile and turn right onto another farm track. For the remainder of this walk you will be following a long distance route, the Heart of England Way. Cross a bridge over the dismantled railway and follow the farm track to its junction with a minor road.

[3] Turn right and walk down the road. Immediately on the far side of a bridge go through a metal kissing gate on the right. Cross the driveway to Holly Bank Farm and go through a narrow gap in the hedge facing you. Head for a kissing gate in the far left corner of the next field. The route at this point differs from that shown on the Ordnance Survey map. Go through the gate and follow the hedge on your left to the next corner. Walk diagonally to the far left corner of the next field where you enter a copse. Emerging on to an arable field head diagonally left to a projecting corner and then walk along the left hand side of the hedgerow. Cross a farm track and continue diagonally across a second arable field to its far left corner.

[4] You have now reached an overgrown green lane known as Edge Lane. The well waymarked path turns left to run along the lane for 50 metres and then right over a stile. Walk diagonally left across a grassy field to a stile in the far corner. You now walk along the top of an escarpment, with views over the Alne valley to your right. After 500 metres the waymarked path descends the escarpment and you have a view of the Mount ahead. At a footpath junction it is possible to turn left onto a low level path but the most attractive option is to continue straight ahead and climb up over the Mount

(B). The Mount was once topped by a medieval castle, home to the de Montfort family. The site appeared on television in a Time Team programme in 2002. Looking south you can see as far as the northern Cotswolds.

Descending from the Mount you have a good view of Beaudesert Church

(C) and you may wish to make a small detour to examine this building more closely. The church contains some fine 11th century masonry, including the chancel and the south doorway.

To return to the car park, turn left into Alne Close. At the end of this road continue straight ahead on a tarmac path and shortly fork right onto a path leading to a footbridge over the Alne. From here you should see the start point ahead.

Alternatively you could walk straight ahead along Beaudesert Lane, which links the two churches of Beaudesert and Henley in Arden, and return to Henley High Street.

Henley and Beaudesert, one on either side of the River Alne, have been linked together for most of their history. In 1220 Peter de Montfort, lord of Beaudesert, acquired the right to hold a weekly market in Henley. This must have proved successful since in 1296 Henley was described as a borough. Unlike larger towns, Henley never achieved full civic independence and was controlled by its Court Leet, acting on behalf of the lord of the manor. The town's position at a cross roads helped ensure its continued prosperity, especially in the 19th century when stage coaches called on the way from Birmingham to London.

More information can be found at www.henley-in-arden.org

The now dismantled GWR branch railway from Lapworth to Henley opened in 1894, after being 30 years in construction. It had a short life as in 1908 the North Warwickshire line opened between Birmingham and Stratford and this provided a better service. The track on the branch was lifted during World War I and never reinstated. The original station was on the east bank of the Alne, close to the point where you walk through the dismantled railway bridge. This bridge was part of a link line, joining Henley's two railways, which continued in use until 1962 by goods trains which were routed into the old station.

There are toilets in Station Road, Henley. This is the first turning on the left as you walk north from the market cross.

Henley has many pubs and restaurants to offer you refreshments.