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Walk 1376 - printer friendly version

Balsall Common Circular Walk

Author - Millennium Way

Length - 5.0 miles / 8.1 km

Ascent - 150 feet / 45 metres

Grade - easy

Start - OS grid reference SP223770
Lat 52.390574 + Long -1.6737413
Postcode CV7 7AS (approx. location only)

This gentle 5 mile circular walk in Solihull starts from Ye Old Saracens Head pub, on the B4101 near Balsall Common and meanders across mostly flat farmland & open countryside. Park at Ye Old Saracens Head (grid ref. SP223770) where refreshment might be welcome after the walk. For the first part of the walk, you will enjoy the delights of The Millennium Way where you will be guided by the distinctive black Millennium Way waymarkers.

A - We begin our walk from Ye Old Saracens Head. Turn L out of the pub car park then cross road at driveway of last house and go over stile. Here you see the first distinctive black Millennium Way waymarker. Go with hedge L to take stile and continue with hedge L. Cross stile to field with bridge over stream in middle, then over stile. Stay ahead to next field with hedge on R side of field and through gap in hedge at end of field to continue along with hedge L and then over stile into small coppice to cross footbridge. Stay up next field with fence L to reach top L corner. Ignore kissing gate and turn R following Millennium Way sign to stay along edge of field with wood L. Go L over next stile then turn R on driveway which passes through brick gate posts and joins local road. Continue down road to junction and turn R then after short distance turn L onto main road (dual-carriageway).

B - Note - there is disruption to this section of walk due to ongoing HS2 construction. Walk along path then cross dual-carriageway into road signposted Berkswell. Just after bungalow on R take kissing gate on L and go on path with small wood R then along L edge of field. When you reach the end of the field, by the lake, we leave The Millennium Way and take the wooden kissing gate directly ahead and after a short distance cross a footbridge to join boardwalk when you will see Berkswell Hall on your far L. At the end of the boardwalk, go through two kissing gates to enter churchyard. Go past St John Baptist Church then turn R just past the school to cross road and find public footpath between houses.

C - Go along the footpath, between fences, to take wooden kissing gate into field and stay ahead with hedge R. Take the stile into next field and then a kissing gate into next field. Continue with hedge R to take a further kissing gate R, then go with hedge L. At corner follow field edge around R, then go through kissing gate to continue up field with hedge and fence L towards farm buildings. At the top take kissing gate and go L through a second kissing gate to the L of farm buildings (permissive route) and take stile R onto farm track. At the end of the farm track join lane. Turn R on lane and continue round L hand bend and after a further 100 yards take footpath R over stile to field. Stay with hedge L to take footbridge (ignoring footpath directly ahead) and then cross diagonally R to reach hedge opposite. Continue along edge of field keeping hedge L. Take stile in corner and stay ahead on narrow grassy path between hedges passing buildings L to reach steps to road.

D - Go L on road crossing railway bridge then cross over roundabout to take waymarked footpath through metal gate R. Go up steps into sports field through kissing gate, then go diagonally 1/4 R across sports field to find waymarker post by corner of coppice, approx 100yards to R of field corner. Take footpath keeping coppice L then go through gates the reach the main road, exiting opposite The George in the Tree pub.

E - Go L along main road to reach petrol station and at this point cross over main road into driveway of Premier Inn, and take waymarked footpath almost immediately L. Continue along narrow grassy path between houses then turn R on reaching road and go for 150 yards to take footpath L. Stay ahead across centre of field to take footbridge and kissing gate to next field then go 1/2 R to stay on footpath keeping hedge R. Follow hedge to corner of field then go L keeping hedge R and take stile R by lone tree and go R into field to continue along R edge of field keeping hedge R, then take corner stile into next field and over footbridge and a stile just ahead. Stay gently up field with wire fence R to take kissing gate in corner and proceed up the field with hedge and fence R keeping ahead towards houses. Take stile to main road and cross over to arrive back at Ye Old Saracens Head.

Walk 1376 Route Map

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