Winsley Hill & Avoncliff

We recommend you use a map with this description, either on the OS Maps smartphone app or an OS map such as the Bradford on Avon Walking Wheel map.

Take the D1 bus from the Town Bridge (stone bus shelter) towards Bath. Alight at the bus stop the other side of Winsley, half way down Winsley Hill at the junction with Murhill Lane.

From the main road turn into Murhill Lane and follow it for about half a mile. Turn right down some steps to join a tarmac track that drops steeply eventually becoming a footpath. This leads down to the canal at Murhill Wharf (once used for loading stone onto barges from the quarries above).

Turn left to follow the canal to the stone bridge. Don't cross the bridge but turn left to climb gently up a stony track. Just before the second gate turn sharp right to drop downhill on a fenced path; go through a gate down some steps and bear left to a small car park. Go through this to cross the aqueduct.

At the end turn left to drop down and pass back under the aqueduct. Follow the tarmac track up the other side (ignore steps on left) and bear right to pass in front of Ancliff Square, a former workhouse. 

At the end of the buildings turn sharp left on a stone track, go through the wooden gate ahead into the new tree planting by The Woodland Trust. Follow up the left hand side of the field and turn right at the top to cross the wooden causeway.

Cross the stile on your left onto a wooded path & follow this round to the left then right to join the road at the top. Turn left to follow the road for about 300m. 

Opposite the red brick, single storey children's nursery turn left downhill then right at a large wooden gate onto a stoney path.  Follow this path between several houses until you emerge onto the road at a bend.

Turn left downhill for 50m then right to enter Becky Addy Wood (ignore the track on the right). Drop down through the woods on the clearly trodden path eventually emerging into a field through a metal gate. 

Drop down diagonally left across the field towards the canal and through the metal gate in the corner. Follow the hedge on your left to reach a wooden footbridge across the canal overspill channel. 

Follow the path, cross the next footbridge over the canal then drop down the tarmac slope on your left onto the access road. This bends round to the right, follow it for about 600m keeping the River Avon on your left. 

When you reach the open grassy area, aim for the gap in the stone wall over to your right, between the two barns. It's worth stopping here awhile to explore the Tithe Barn, West Barn, shops & cafe. 

Continue past the front of the Tithe Barn and through a small orchard to a playing field. Turn sharp left to walk along the field edge onto the road.

Turn left then immediately right onto another playing field, Culver Close and walk in front of the stone building (on the field side), pass the Bowls club and take the right hand path to pass under the railway bridge. You now follow this riverside path all the way back to BoA, passing in front of Timbrells Yard inn, crossing the car park diagonally right up to the road, then left to reach the bus stop where your walk started.

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In The Footsteps of William Smith

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Holt & Great Chalfield