Sarratt Walk 06

Gate carved by Revd Ryley

A circular walk of just 4.0 miles (although it felt longer) starting and ending at Sarratt village hall.
It's a gentle, relatively flat walk that is suitable for families, although of course any accompanying dogs must be kept under control at all times, and meanders through the fields and woods, passing, generally, many horses around the Valley Farm area, and also goes by the Watercress beds along Holloway Lane.
This walk took me about a little over 1hr 30mins. on an overcast day in mid July 2012.
A map of the walk is attached HERE

Footpath from Sarratt Green signposted to Church End

Start with your back to the village hall, turn left and walk up towards The Green, passing "The Cricketers" public house and the village pond.
Continue on past the school but before reaching the shop, take the tarmac driveway/footpath on your left signposted to Church End, leading down between the houses.

Through this kissing gate into the open fields

Follow this driveway down to the end where you pass through a kissing gate into an open field.
These fields are often shared with cows and can on occasions be a little "messy"!!
Keeping to the left hand side, by the hedge continue on through/over two more stiles until you reach the entrance to Sandfield Wood

Through this kissing gate into Sandfield Wood

Entrance to Sandfield Wood via a kissing gate.
This is a fairly narrow, although perfectly passable path but be warned after any heavy rain it can get a trifle wet and muddy.
Proceed along this path through to the end of the wood

Rev Ryley sculpted gate

Exit from Sandfield Wood onto a narrow road.
Here you will see this strikingly bizarre gate which was actually sculpted by the Revd Edward Ryley who was Rector of the Holy Cross Church between 1859 and 1912
To me it looks like he'd had too much sherry, but that's just my opinion.

Old Rectory Drive

Upon exiting Sandfield Wood turn right along Old Rectory Drive and continue on past The Old Rectory on your left, and through another kissing gate back into Sandfield Wood
Follow the path through the wood until it splits into two

Sandfield Wood - keep right at this fork

Keep to the right hand path at this point and proceed on to Dawes Lane

Dawes Common car park - the footpath you need is immediately behind the car!

When you exit Sandfield Wood look left and the Dawes Common car park should be opposite.
There is a detailed plan of the common on the left hand side as you enter the car park.
Proceed across the car park - aiming in this picture for the boot of the car - and proceed along the footpath in a relatively straight line.
You should be heading in a north westerly direction

Northern exit from Dawes Common to Moor Lane

The northern exit is through these gates at the right of this track and on down this avenue of trees (see picture below)
At the end go through the kissing gate, notice the commemorative seat (see picture below) on your right. and then proceed through the fields to Moor Lane

Avenue of trees to the northern exit from Dawes Common

Memorial seat to Les Dolamore

Lovely grassed footpath through the fileds from Dawes Common to Moor Lane

Proceed forward passing through two further kissing gates through the fields to Moor Lane.
Cross Moor Lane and walk diagonally across to the top right corner of the next field and at the corner cross another stile onto a farm drive cross a further stile and then go diagonally right to yet another stile which will bring you into Rosehall Farm Drive.
This patch may sound a little complicated but you basically are walking in a straight line in a north to north westerly direction and all the paths are quite obvious.

On exit from the fields turn left on Rosehall Farm Drive

Upon reaching Rosehall Farm Drive turn left and follow the road/ track to the farm - about 500yards

Keep left upon approaching Rosehall Farm

As you approach Rosehall Farm keep to your left as the track forks.
Proceed on about 30yds then turn sharp left down a broad farm track and through the fields, often full of horses.

AT the farm turn left down this long track and admire some of the residents

Proceed to the end of this broad farm track, about 500yds

At the end where the track forks keep to the right - virtually straight ahead

At the end of the farm track keep to the right and proceed straight ahead, do not go left into the fields.
This path then takes you forward through Hanginglane Wood. When you emerge from the wood cross two stiles and follow ahead on a narrow path to Valley Farm.

Follow this lovely peaceful path through copses and between hedgerows until you emerge here at Valley Farm

Footpath exit is shown on the extreme right of this picture with Valley Farm buildings on your left.
Follow the path and road down towards The Splash where you turn left and proceed along Holloway Lane walking beside the Watercress beds.

View from Holloway Lane towards the cottages at the corner of Moor Lane and Sarratt Bottom

Follow Holloway Lane forward until you reach the junction with Moor Lane and stop a moment to admire these beautiful cottages.
At this junction turn right along Sarratt Bottom.
Continue along Sarratt Bottom until you reach Cakebread Cottage at the corner of Dawes Lane.
Turn left into Dawes Lane and proceed up the hill to Dawes Common

Dawes Lane

Follow Dawes Lane uphill until you reach the entry to Dawes Common on your left

Entrance from Dawes Lane onto Dawes Common

When you reach the footpath entrance to Dawes Common you can either:
Turn left and follow the footpath as it meanders through the common, always keeping roughly parallel with Dawes Lane until you emerge back at the car park
OR you can just stay on the road and go forward up Dawes Lane passing the car park 300yds on.

Exit from Dawes Lane onto Sarratt Green opposite The Boot PH

Proceeed to the end of Dawes Lane where you will emerge onto The Green, opposite The Boot PH.
Turn right and go straight ahead to return back at the village hall.

I hope you enjoyed your walk, and that the weather was kind.

If you found any errors, spelling or otherwise, or difficulty with my directions then do please let me know, I'm always looking to improve my information.

Suggestions are also always welcome.

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