An opportunity to combine a stroll round Prestwood Nature Reserve with a lovely local walk.

Distance: 5.8 miles (Allow 3 hours).

Start & finish: Prestwood Nature Reserve car park, Hampden Road HP16 0JD.

Access Information: A moderate walk, with the main climb at the start. Can be muddy in places.

Refreshments: Peterley Manor Farm and The Polecat Inn.

Route

Turn left out of the car park, left up Perks Lane and turn right just after the S-bend into Longfield Wood.

1. Follow the main path and white arrows for 1.5km to a driveway and down to a lane.
2. Turn right, and after 50m, pass through the gate on the left and follow the path directly uphill. Continue in the same direction through a wide gap and two more gates and turn right to a lane. Turn left to a major road junction.
3. Cross and through the gate behind the Cockpit Road sign. Follow the path across the field and through a gap into the next field. Turn right and follow the edge to where the hedgerow turns right. Here, cut across the corner of the field towards the gap ahead. Do not go through, instead turn left and follow the hedgerow for 350m to a pair of gates on the right.
4. Pass through the left-hand one, follow the path down then up and through a further gate to a path junction. Turn left, then immediately right and continue along the narrow path between the fences to a road.
5. Cross, walk along the track towards Copes Farm, pass between the brick pillars and take the path to the right of the gate. Proceed into a field, keep straight ahead past a gate and over a stile down to the bottom. Go round to the left and head straight up and along past Kingshill Baptist Church to a lane.
6. Cross, turn left over Hare Lane to shortly turn right into Shepherds Gate. Keep directly ahead, through the gate, between the fences and turn left onto a bridleway. Turn right for 150m and left through the gate into the field. Stay ahead following the perimeter of the field and, just after the overhead cables, turn left through the gate. At the first path junction turn right to a lane.
7. Bear right into the woods, keep to its left-hand edge for 250m and take the first footpath on the left to a road.
8. Cross, turn right past The Polecat Inn and take the footpath on the left through the car park. Keep straight ahead following the overhead cables, through the gate into a field and continue down to pass through a gate in the bottom left-hand corner. Turn right down to the junction and right again to return to the car park.

This walk was updated in 2024.