Pete's Walks - Stoke Row and Exlade Street (page 3 of 4)
After some distance the bridleway through Bensgrove Wood turned left, descending very slightly, then turned right along the bottom of a shallow valley. On reaching a bridleway crossroads, I turned right and headed through what was now College Wood or Abbott's Wood (that's not me being indecisive, that's how it's named on the OS map!). I crossed a forestry track (the path had moved slightly from the original right of way, and I had to go a few yards left to pick up the path on the other side) and carried on further through the wood.
The bridleway in Bensgrove Wood
The bridleway in College Wood or Abbott's Wood (that's how its named on the OS map!)
The bridleway in College Wood or Abbott's Wood
The bridleway in College Wood or Abbott's Wood
The bridleway in College Wood or Abbott's Wood
At the end of the bridleway I re-crossed the A4074 and passed through a small wooded area to reach a minor road, which I followed left to reach the village of Exlade Street. Just past The Highwayman pub, a footpath went right, initially between garden boundaries and then along the right edge of a field. Beyond this the path turned left, and entered a very large sheep pasture. I followed the fence along the left edge to reach a stile in the field corner - here I stopped to eat my lunch.
The bridleway back across the A4074
The road into Exlade Street
Exlade Street (I turned right just after the driveway on the right)
The path going northeast from Exlade Street
The path continuing northwards from Exlade Street
Carrying on, I turned left along a hedge-lined path called Corkers Lane. At the end I turned right along a minor road towards Checkendon, but after a hundred yards or so I took a path on the left. This ran between a very high hedge and a metal fence on my left. After a few hundred yards, the path turned right and crossed a large meadow to a corner of the gardens around Checkendon Court. I continued alongside the wooden fence of the garden to reach a gate and the drive to the big house. Across the drive, I took a quick detour right to see Checkendon church.
Corker's Lane
Path near Checkendon
The path past Checkendon Court
The path past Checkendon Court
Checkendon church