Welcombe Hills Bridle-paths, Stratford-upon- Avon ?

JulesRules

JulesRules

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Put this is West Mids Board with no replies so thought I would try in here....

I was walking my dog over the Welcombe Hills when visiting my parents and thought it looks a nice ride. Its boxable from my yard, but not sure where I could park and unload.

Does anybody use these routes and can offer any guidance?

Thanks :-)
 
Hi i'm from Stratford, used to walk over the Welcombe's all the time! I don't actually think they would be that great on horseback, i can't see that there are a huge number of bridle ways actually on them (have just been looking on bing maps) but I might well be wrong. There is a livery yard off Kings Lane (off A46) which would suggest there is some hacking but it might be private land leading to bridleways.

Have just re-read this and realised how un-helpful it is, sorry!!
 
There are a couple of bridleways. One starts just off the A46 and heads up toward the obelisk bearing right towards the tower before you get as far as the obelisk. The other starts close to the first one and heads past the obelisk dropping down towards ingon.

It was the first one I walked along. It was especially nice where it headed over open hillside towards the tower/ folly.

They are obviously in use as I spotted hoof prints :-)
 
There is a layby on Ingon Lane by a driveway which goes up towards the obelisk. I thought it was a footpath, but have just looked on a map and then have 'street viewed' it on google and I think it is actually a bridleway (blue arrow on yellow circle but too blurry to make out properly). If you want to look on google, then its the lane just south of Welcombe Bank Farm on Ingon Lane. You can see the layby too if you street view!!
 
I used to livery just by there and rode up there often. TBH I am not sure its worth the box up you could however park a small box on the lay by just beyond lower clopton. You then have two options really - take the lower bridle path along a narrow strip above fields (nice views - shame about the narrow path) goes through a little wooded bit then out onto the hills you turn right down hill down the main path to the road out by clopton tower - ride down blue cap road and then turn right up the clopton road and back round a little loop back up the main path and back along the narrow path to your starting point - whole ride takes about 30/40 mins.

second option (this is the path mentioned above) take the top path for which you need to ride very briefly along beside the A46 (don't advise unless horse is good in traffic) ride down the farm track (again quite pretty) it comes out where the obelisk is (you are meant to stay to the left of this field but who can resist a ride to the top!) then out to the left and down the lane to the road Ingon Lane - a quiet enough road. From there you really have to come back - I used to ride a loop back to the livery yard but that crosses their private land. You can also go off to the right from the obelisk field but I never really did as it just winds down to the main road - too busy to ride along and no route back.

annoyingly option A and option B don't connect despite being only 200 or so yards apart but fenced off with impassable gates and only a footpath right if way access.

if you want to do it i can draw it out for you on a map if you PM me, but as I say you probably have much better hacking where you are! I liveried there for years but most people rode on the private land belonging to the yard there were only 3 or so of us who ever hacked out by crossing the A46 to the welcome hills.

Oh and go early on so you miss the walkers the lower path is a bit too narrow to pass people who are nervous of horses or have a scary dog!
 
I hack across both of these on a weekly basis, the first one you you can go down a bridle path just off of the 'old' kings lane which takes you to the field on the right hand side of the trig point, you then continue down quite a steep gravel hill and onto the lane where the nice tower house is, there is a bridle path gate to your right bit this goes no where unfortunately, I usually then go 'round the block' around the estates as they are generally quite quiet.

The other where you can get onto ingon lane can take you all around snitterfield where there are a couple of bridle ways but it is quite a long way. If I'm honest not worth boxing to, especially in winter as the gates aren't the easiest and it gets very muddy, 2 of the gates you have to get off at with no choice, even on a well behaved horse.
 
Klix said:
I hack across both of these on a weekly basis, the first one you you can go down a bridle path just off of the 'old' kings lane which takes you to the field on the right hand side of the trig point, you then continue down quite a steep gravel hill and onto the lane where the nice tower house is, there is a bridle path gate to your right bit this goes no where unfortunately, I usually then go 'round the block' around the estates as they are generally quite quiet.
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Did you know if you go through that bridle way gate on your right that you say goes 'no where' you can ride along the lower track and out onto the clopton road then back through the estate up blue cap road to the nice tower house? it just makes 'round the block' a bit more interesting. I've Probably passed you out hacking a few times - though I must say I rarely saw anyone else out riding.
 
Yes that's the way I come back :) down the road where the tower is turn right at the end, through clopton pillars and the take a right up that bridle way back to the tower. What I meant is it doesn't really take you anywhere else off road :)
 
Klix said:
Yes that's the way I come back :) down the road where the tower is turn right at the end, through clopton pillars and the take a right up that bridle way back to the tower. What I meant is it doesn't really take you anywhere else off road :)
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Oh yes true enough! Wish there was more off road riding round there. There is a fair bit if you ride a good long distance - Langley/Bearley way is nice and there is a nice ride Aston Cantlow way and Also towards Charlecote - but I have only done those one year when I had my father's very fit long distance horse to ride - we used to cover 30 miles a day easily.
 
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