Maesbury Walks
These
are all circular (or figure 8) walks starting at the Maesbury Broadplace
@ Canal Central. You could start at any other point on the walks and use
the tea room to take a break, do the walks the other way round, or just
make your own combination of the routes suggested.
If you're not feeling too energetic you can even take a virtual stroll by just following the links below for your chosen walk.
The maps used throughout are from the 1890 Ordnance Survey as this gives an interesting historical perspective (and it's copyright free...), but it is recommended that you acquire a modern OS map to take with you!
Most walks just have the maps and basic instructions so far, but the first few have some notes and photos about history, wildlife etc., more will be added in due course. The times given obviously depend how fast you walk and how often you stop to look at the scenery and wildlife . . .
All weather walks - All the walks on this page are entirely on compacted gravel and tarmac, up to 1 hour, making them suitable for wheelchairs/pushchairs etc., but also for the times when prolonged heavy rain makes Maesbury marsh live up to its name, and the fields can become too boggy to walk comfortably.
Walk 5 - circular - a slightly longer walk along the canal towpath under the Navigation Bridge, to Park Mill Bridge (no.78) and back across the fields, Waen Lane and Coed y Rae Lane. Requires climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock. 40-50 minutes
Walk 6 - figure 8 - a combination of Walk 1 and Walk 5 - includes the canal from the Lift Bridge to Park Mill Bridge in one stretch. Requires climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock.50-60 minutes
Walk 7 - circular - Coed y Rae Lane and the towpath to Redwith Bridge, back along the lane past Morton Farm to Maesbury Hall, across to Coed y Rae Lane and back along the towpath. Flat but possibly muddy after heavy rain 50-60 minutes
Walk 8 - a combination of Walks 5 and 7 Requires climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock. 90 minutes - 2 hours
Walk 9 - circular - towpath to Park Mill Bridge, past Bromwich Park and back along Chain Lane to Maesbury School; Morton Lane to Newbridge; Coed y Rae Lane to the Lift Bridge, back along the canal. Requires climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock. 80-90 minutes
Walk 10 - circular - along the towpath to Redwith Bridge, along the lane to Morton cross roads, Morton Lane to Newbridge, Coed y Rae Lane and back along the towpath. Flat but possibly muddy after heavy rain about 1 hour
Walk 11 - circular - along the canal to the Queens Head Pub, and back across the fields. Requires climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock.
Walk 12 - circular - along the canal to Redwith Bridge, then through Morton and Rhydairy to Ball Lane, back on Wat's Dyke Walk. Flat, mostly gravel & tarmac but possibly muddy on this section of towpath after heavy rain (optional section with stiles)
Walk
13 -
circular -
canal to Park Mill Bridge, then the lanes to Fox Hall, across to Chain
Lane, field path to The Ball, return down Ball Lane, Newbridge and Coed
y Rae Lane.
Requires
climbing stiles and crossing fields with livestock.
Cycle/Walk 14 - circular - 7.5 miles, - to Woolston, West Felton (Punch Bowl Pub), Queen's Head (pub), Aston & back to Maesbury. This entirely on tarmac and gravel, suitable for cycling.
Cycle/Walk 15 - circular - 4 miles, - to Woolston, Osbaston, Redwith & back to Maesbury. This entirely on tarmac and gravel, suitable for cycling.
Walk 16 - circular to Redwith, Morton, Sweeney Mountain - with spectacular views - & back to Maesbury. Possibly muddy after heavy rain steep climb up Sweeney Mountain.