White Horse Walk 3 - Farndon River Walk

Approx. 4.34 miles (6.99 km)

This route takes the walker up to the next village, Farndon, through the fields, and returns to Churton along the river. It can be completed in less than 2 hours.

Starting at The White Horse Churton, proceed east up Hob Lane until you get to a cross roads, go straight ahead down the non-tarmacked road.

Follow this lane until the second 'chicane'. At this point you will see a gate which will allow you to go left. Take this left turn and follow the path until it bears left. At this point the footpath technically goes directly through the middle of a field. We usually go left, around the field on the obvious path rather than walking through the farmers field, especially if the field has crops growing in it. The path leads you right round the field until you get to two barns, turn right here so that you walk on the path that runs in between the two barns.

The path goes straight for a while before coming to a T-junction. On a warm day you are likely to see a number of Common Buzards circling around this area. Turn left here and follow the track along. It will go downhill, over a small stream and then continue uphill through 'Bowling Alley Plantation'. As you start to go uphill you will notice a mobile phone mast in the woods on your left. There is a family of foxes living close to this mast at the moment (July '07) and if you are lucky, they can occasionally be seen during the day playing by the base of the mast.

After a short while you will see a footpath signpost, which points both straight on and to the right. Take the right hand path. This path leads you around the perimeter of a field before coming to a stile. Once over the stile turn left up the tarmac lane. This is Townfield lane.

Follow this lane along, and you will start to see some modern housing and a pavement. Once you come to the pavement, take the first right. Follow the road until you come to a T-junction, at which point turn left. Follow that road until you come out onto the main road through farndon, about 50 yards from the famous farndon bridge.

Walk down to the bridge (don't cross the bridge though). Here there is a nice picnic area aswell as some toilets, in case you need to stop. Next the route follows the river along towards Churton (so the river is on your left as you walk). The footpath leads alongside the river for about 1.5 miles, it is an obvious path all the way until you come out into a large open field near the fishery. There are no sign posts, however you will see a lone tree in the field ahead of you, we think that the footpath follows the river up until that tree, at which point turn ninety degrees right and walk in a straight line until you meet back up with the river.

Once you meet back up with the river, turn right over the stile. This leads you through a fishery, they are strict about keeping dogs on leads here, but they have clearly marked the route of the footpath for you. After you leave the fishery you come into a small field, there are no clear signs but you need to turn right here, keeping close to the hedge on your right, there is a concealed gate at the end of the field which you cannot see until you are very close to it. Go through the gate, accross the track and follow the footpath signs that lead you along the river again.

The footpath follows the river through two fields, and into a wood which is not marked on Ordnance Survey maps. After a short while you will see a foot path leading off to your right, there is a sign post saying Churton 1km here, take this turning on your right. The path starts to go uphill and over a stile, on the left is a field that is no longer farmed, as a result a Kestrel regularly hunts this field, resting in the large tree on the far side of the field. Keep following this path and you will eventually end up back on Hob Lane. Walk to the end of Hob Lane and you will be back at the White Horse.

The Farndon River Walk Route:

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