Pete's Walks - Christmas Common, Cookley Green, Ibstone (page 2 of 6)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
The bridleway led slowly uphill, at first between hedges either side and then through woodland - it was obviously an old route, as in places it had worn a groove into the earth so that there were banks either side. After about half a mile it joined the drive from Woods Farm, which it followed left to reach a lane. I crossed over and continued down Coates Lane. After passing Coates Farm, the 'lane' ran through a small wood (I had to make a detour round a fallen tree that completely blocked the lane) and then soon reached the village of Cookley Green.
The bridleway from Dame Alice Farm
The bridleway from Dame Alice Farm
The bridleway from Dame Alice Farm
The bridleway continuing along the drive from Woods Farm
Coates Lane
View from Coates Lane
Coates Lane, after passing Coates Farm
Coates Lane in Cookley Green
I turned left along the left edge of the green at Cookley Green, carefully crosing the road when I reached the far end and going a few yards left before taking a bridleway on the right. This soon left the village and continued between hedgerows, following the bottom of a valley. After about half a mile I continued along the valley bottom where another bridleway went left to Russell's Water, and a few hundred yards later another bridleway went off to the right. I carried on along the valley bottom for another third of a mile until a footpath crossed the bridleway.
The green at Cookley Green
Start of the bridleway from Cookley Green
The bridleway from Cookley Green
The bridleway from Cookley Green
The bridleway from Cookley Green
The bridleway from Cookley Green (approaching the junction where a bridleway goes left to Russell's Water)
The bridleway from Cookley Green
The bridleway from Cookley Green
I turned left through a kissing-gate and followed the path up a steep scrub-covered slope. Near the top the path turned right for a few yards, before turning left up a short flight of steps. The path now soon levelled off, as it ran between hedges and fences to reach the lane between Maidensgrove and Russell's Water.
The path going up to Maidensgrove Common
Looking right from the path going up to Maidensgrove Common
The path going up to Maidensgrove Common
The path going up to Maidensgrove Common