Pete's Walks - Stoke Row and Exlade Street (page 2 of 4)
Across the drive, the bridleway continued for a few yards more between trees, then ran for a considerable distance between hedges, with the large grounds of Wyfold Court on my right. There were gaps in the hedges occasionally, and I got one or two glimpses of the enormous house itself.
The bridleway immediately west of the drive to Wyfold Court
The bridleway southeast of Wyfold Court
Wyfold Court, from the bridleway
Wyfold Court was built between 1872 and 1878 for Edward Hermon, a Lancashire cotton baron and MP. The architect, George Somers Clarke, was a pupil of Sir Charles Barry (most famous for the Houses of Parliament). It was later used as an asylum, and has recently been converted into a number of private residences, the developer working closely with English Heritage and the Victorian Society to maintain the character of this impressive edifice.
The bridleway southeast of Wyfold Court
The bridleway southeast of Wyfold Court
The bridleway approaching Wyfold Lane
The bridleway eventually reached Wyfold Lane, where I had to go a few yards to my right before picking up the bridleway again on the other side. It was now back in the woods once more. I soon reached another lane, beyond which the bridleway ran along the edge of yet another wood, Nipper Grove, on the right.
The bridleway just west of Wyfold Lane
The bridleway just west of the next lane
The bridleway running along the southern edge of Nippers Grove
The bridleway running along the southern edge of Nippers Grove
The bridleway running along the southern edge of Nippers Grove
The bridleway running along the southern edge of Nippers Grove
After half a mile or so, I crossed Park Lane. The bridleway now ran between a high hedge and a rail fence on my right. After a while I reached a cottage (Whitewood Heath is shown on the map, I'm not sure if that's the name of the cottage or more likely the area, though it is agricultural fields rather than a heath), and followed its drive to a road junction. I carefully crossed over the A4074 and went down Deadman's Lane opposite. I seemed to have to walk further along this road than I remembered, but eventually I reached a bridleway sign just before the road turned right. I turned right onto the bridleway and entered Bensgrove Wood.
The bridleway approaching Whitewood Heath
The drive from Whitewood Heath
Deadman's Lane
The bridleway in Bensgrove Wood