the times Saturday January 1 2022
We e ke n d 9
20
Stratton End, Gloucestershire
How hard is it? 5 miles; easy
Follow lanes through the Norfolk fields,
then ancient Peddars Way to the hamlet
of Fring, returning via Bircham Windmill.
Map OS Explorer 250
Start Great Bircham Social Club, Great
Bircham PE31 6XS (OS ref TF 769325).
Walk Right along Church Lane to
St Mary’s Church. Return past car park
to B1153; left past Kings Head hotel.
Opposite village sign right (767321)
along lane. In 1¼ miles, right along
Peddars Way (748309). In 2½ miles, at
third road crossing (733345), right into
Fring. Ahead across bridge (“Docking”).
In 350m, right up track (739350,
“Ringstead Rides”). In 1¼ miles, right
(756342) on footpath to road (754337).
Left; at fork, right (760330) past Bircham
Windmill. Cross road (761324);
along Mill Lane to junction
(765320); left to Kings Head
on B1153; left to car park.
Getting there Great
Bircham is signed from
Snettisham, off A149,
between King’s Lynn
and Hunstanton.
Lunch Kings Head, Great
Bircham (01485 578265).
Information Hunstanton TIC
(01485 532610)
Road, then Oldtown Road.
Lunch Carrick Cottage Café, Head Road,
Annalong BT34 4RJ (open Fri, Sat, Sun,
9am-5pm; 07595 929307;
carrickcottagecafe.co.uk).
Information mourne-mountains.comto lake shore. Right along shared access
trail, clockwise round peninsula. In
4½ miles, pass driveway to Old Hall
(899071); in another 500m, right over
stile (895075, yellow arrow). Up field to
top corner (898076); cross successive
stiles; narrow fenced path to
Upper Hambleton.
Getting there From A6003
roundabout just east of
Oakham, follow A606
(“North Rutland
Water”). In ½ mile, right
to Upper Hambleton.
Lunch Finch’s Arms,
Upper Hambleton
(01572 756575;
finchsarms.co.uk).
Information Rutland
Water Visitor Centre
(01780 686800),
discover-rutland.co.ukClimb up beside the Mourne Wall to
reach the jagged granite tors of Slieve
Binnian’s summit. A pause to take in a
spectacular view over Silent Valley’s
reservoir, the Mourne tops and Dublin
Bay backed by the Wicklow Mountains.
Then a ridge walk to a viewpoint above
dark Ben Crom reservoir, and back
down the stony track in the Annalong
Valley to warm up in the cosy Carrick
Cottage Café.
Map OSNI 1:25,000 Activity Map “The
Mournes”
Start Carrick Little car park, Head Road,
near Annalong BT34 4RW, approx
(OS ref J 345259).
Walk Left up stony lane. In 900m,
through gate (345228); in 300m, fork
left; climb path with Mourne Wall on left.
Near top, aim half-right between two
tors to reach ridge (321235) and Slieve
Binnian summit. Right on ridge path
past Back Castles for ¾ mile, passing left
of North Tor (319246). Path descends for
⅔ mile to path crossing on saddle
(321256). Right on rubbly path for 3¼
miles, passing Blue Lough, then right of
Annalong Wood, to car park.
Getting there From Annalong (A2
Newcastle-Kilkeel), Moneydarragh
(011038; house name). Fenced path
opposite (fingerpost/FP). In ¼ mile
dogleg right-left across road (013034);
down Donside to squeeze stile; field
path to A435 (017031). Right; in 350m,
fork right past garage; in 100m, right
through wall gap (019027); along stream
for 350m; cross Barton Lane (018024).
On past swimming pool; in 150m, left
(Thomas Street). Right (Coxwell Street);
left (Gosditch Street) to Market Place
and car park.
Getting there Bus 51 (Cheltenham).
Road: A433 (Tetbury), A419 (Swindon),
A429 (Stow-on-the-Wold).
Lunch The Fleece, Cirencester (01285
658507; thefleececirencester.co.uk).
Information cirencesterramblers.org.ukThe lucky townsfolk of Cirencester have
the green expanse of Cirencester Park
for winter rambles. Step out along the
tree-lined Broad Ride as far as Pope’s
Seat, where poet Alexander Pope might
indeed have scribbled a verse or two.
Map OS Explorer 179, OL45
Start Forum car park, North Way,
Cirencester GL7 1FN (OS ref SP 025019).
Walk Along North Way; left to Market
Place (023021). Ahead (Castle Street);
right (Silver Street); left (Park Street) to
Cirencester Park gate (018021). Follow
Broad Ride for 1¼ miles. At Pope’s Seat,
fork right (SO 999024); in 600m,
beyond polo scoreboard, right to gate
into field (995029). Right; follow field
edge track for 1¼ miles to Stratton End18
Great Bircham, Norfolk
How hard is it? 8¾ miles, easy
17
Slieve Binnian, Co Down
How hard is it? 7 miles; strenuous
The track that circumnavigates the
shores of Rutland Water offers a lovely
winter’s afternoon stroll from the
ridge-top village of Upper Hambleton.
When the Gwash Valley was flooded in
the 1970s to create the giant reservoir
of Rutland Water it made a
wintering haven for wild
birds. Bring binoculars to
spot tufted ducks,
goldeneyes and
pochards with
chestnut heads.
Map OS Explorer 234
Start Finch’s Arms,
Upper Hambleton,
Rutland, LE15 8TL
(OS ref SK 900076).
Walk From the Finch’s
Arms, left along village
street. In 150m, opposite pillar
box, left down drive (fingerpost)19
Upper Hambleton, Rutland
How hard is it? 5 miles; easy
500 metresB1153start
NORFOLKGREAT
BIRCHAMFringRingstead RidesBircham
WindmillSt Mary’s Church
and war gravesPeddars Way & Norfolk Coast Pathto GrimstonKings
HeadWisbech NorwichUPPER
HAMBLETONstartOld HallThe
Finch’s
Arms500 metresRutland Water ReservoirArmley WoodRUTLANDNottinghamPeterboroughNorthamptonSLIEVE
BINNIANSlievelamaganChimney Rock
MountainSpence's
MountainBen CromstartHead RoadMourne
WallCarrick
Cottage
CaféCO DOWNBlue
LoughBinnian
LoughSilent
Valley
ReservoirBen Crom
ReservoirAnnalong
RiverAnnalong
Annalong Valley
WoodWee
BinnianThe Back
Castles500 metresBelfastCirencesterBroad Ride
Market
PlaceThe
Fleece
Park gateA435startGLOUCESTERSHIRE500 metresCirencester
ParkSwimming
poolBarton
LaneGarageSTRATTON
ENDStrattonDonsideScoreboardPope’s SeatPolo
groundsSwindonGloucesterOxfordGranite tors of Slieve BinnianCommon pochardBircham
WindmillALAMY