A circular walk over the hill to Bincknoll Castle and back by a lower path.

 

 

Distance:-  3.5miles          Allow:-  2hrs     (app.).

 

1.Take the track heading E. from Preachers' Point; (the junction of Chapel Lane and Horns Lane). At the cattle grid look for a Waymark on a gatepost, and bear right across the field, heading a little to the left of the largest tree in the woodland. This brings you to a stile. Turn left, and walk along the path, passing Snowhill (cottage) and Little-town Farmhouse. Following the Waymarks, bear left (N.) along the bottom of the hill, and later below the wood, until you reach two bridle gates at right angles to each other.

 

2.Take the right hand gate (into the wood) and climb up the path to another bridle gate at the brow of the hill. Turn left along the top of the hill and follow the waymarked path until you reach a metal bridle gate leading into the Bincknoll Dip. Here the path divides, there being one leading (eventually) to Barbury Castle, while Bincknoll Castle (Ancient British Earthwork) can be seen over to your right, as you bear left to go down the dip. As you go down Bincknoll Dip, keep your eyes on the left hand hedge, so that you do not miss the gate leading to the homeward path.

 

3.Now follow the Waymarked path back below the hill and woods. At one point you are at some distance from the wood, (which is to your left) while another wood (Honey Hill Copse) is to your right. Walking W. follow the Waymarks to the stile, then you need to cut diagonally back towards the hill to reach the bridle gate beside the one you took at the beginning of point 2.

 

4.Retrace your path towards Littletown Farmhouse, then follow the Waymarked path through the garden to regain the Littletown Track and return to Preachers' Point.

 

COTMARSH VARIATION.

 

1.Leave Cotmarsh along the track Southwards, at the end turning left (E.) through the metal gate.Walk along the S. edge of the first field, (hedge on right), turning right just before the far hedge, through a metal gate. With the hedge on your right walk S. and leave the field by the stile in the S.W. corner. You are now near          two metal gates and a cattle trough; go straight ahead (uphill), following the Waymarks through the spinney, at the top (S) edge of which you will see the two bridle gates at right angles to each other.

 

NOW FOLLOW 2 & 3 ABOVE, THEN RETURN BY SAME ROUTE.