This route runs from the car parking spot and barrier at
Tucker's Plants (not really a car park), up into the woods
and beyond, then out onto the road and back up the hill near
Sir Walter Raleigh's birthplace.
NB - The stretch where you dive left off the path
down the gully (unmarked path) can be a bit tricky, with roots
and tree stumps - so watch out!
UPDATE (15 Jan 2006)
Please Note
- This route has now been
altered to remove the section through Hayes Wood and down
past Hayeswood Cottage (after waypoint 6) because,
although a public footpath, this is not a permitted
cycle path. Thanks for not biking through here.
Route Details
1. Park up at the barrier by Fryingpans
and then cross the road and head down the path the other side
(down the hill) until you reach the bottom of the dip at Tucker's
Plants.
2. Head up and out of the dip to your right,
over the road (up the left hand fork) and past the barrier,
up the track. Follow it round the corner to the right at the
top. Go past the logs and follow the track through the trees
(and round to the left).
3. You have 2 choices here:
a) Just after another path comes in from the left (about
150m past the logs) you will see an opening in the trees off
to the left and a small path diving down to the left and out
into the open. Take this path and follow it downhill through
the shalllow gully. Watch out for tree stumps!
b) Follow the path you are on. When you get to the end turn
left and go down the hill. When a main path joins from the
left, this is where waypoint 5 comes out.
4. When you get to the bottom of the hill
and come out through the gap in the hedge, turn right down
the sandy slope for 30m. Go straight on here and up the sandy
hill in front of you.
5. At the top of the hill turn right and
go down into the dip then up the other side. When you reach
the top of this hill, turn left (this is where option 3b joins).
Head down the hill, staying to the right (there is another
path heading off to the left).
6. When you reach the bottom you have two
choices:
a) Turn right out along the road for around
500m until you reach Shortwood Common on your left hand side.
There are a few paths cutting through here that will take
you to waypoint 8. The first is right at the near corner
of the common (waypoint 7) and the second is another
200m further along on the left. Once you have reached waypoint
8 carry straight on until you meet the next path and
then turn left, heading back towards waypoint 6.
b) Bear left and head along between the
wood (on your left) and the field (on your right) until you
meet a junction with a right turning. (UPDATE
- Please do not take the left-hand turning up through
the woods just previous to this junction - this is not
a cylce route - Thanks!) Take this right turn and this
will lead you to waypoint 8. Here you can either go
straight on and then right when you reach the road (at waypoint
7) to get back to waypoint 6 or bear right,
follow the path to waypoint 7, and then right to reach
the same point.
When you come back along the road here you
will re-join the route at waypoint 6. Here you should
track back through waypoints 5 and 4 until you pop out onto
the road at waypoint 9
9. Bear left here, then bear left at the
next road. Follow this road back up the hill, past Tucker's
Plants and back to your car.
If you want to extend this route, you could
always add in the Blue Route at waypoint
2.
