Mappleton (2½ Hours approx)

Park in the village near the church.

Walk West along the road out of Mappleton for a short distance until you see to the river bridge, past the church on your right. Turn left at the tee juncton and walk towards the bridge. On your right there is a footpath sign that takes you them into a meadow alongside the river, follow this path. The way is quite obvious as it is well marked, with several small bridges to cross the rivulets that border some of the fields. Eventually you will pass by the small cottage and its out - buildings (often with chickens and ducks wandering in the fields, so Dogs must be on a leads). After the cottage you will come to a large stone bridge at Coldwall, the route over the bridge has been an old Toll-road. This old road runs between Thorpe and the farm at Coldwall. Having crossed the bridge you have alternatives. You can follow the West Bank of the river (turn left once you have crossed the brifge, back towards Mappleton or follow the Toll-road up the hill.

1) Following the river.
At the end of the bridge is a sign that points left. Follow the path up towards the visible gate and through the wood. You will emerge into a meadow where you follow the path along the bank of the river until you enter another small wood. Here the footpath bears right until it emerges into another field from which you can see Littlepark Farm. The route passes above the farm and down to the farm road which you follow (to the right) for 75 metres, until you see a stile and path across a meadow heading towards the river again. On the other side of the meadow is a small bridge which you cross and continue in the same direction, ignoring the paths to the river, until you walk alongside the Mill-stream up to the Mill building. The route takes you through the Mill Yard and out on to the road where you turn left and head back in to Mappleton.

2) Going over the hill.
 Follow the Toll road up the hill, past tall trees until you can see the Farm at Calledwall. Here you can pass through the farm yard, although there is a route to the right through a field. Once on the road by the farm, or by returning along the road until you are next to the farm, take the footpath that crosses the field and up the hill towards Woodhouses. Here you will join an old track which takes you past the building. Once past you follow a track to your left which passes a barn and continues over fields until you reach Morten Hill where bearing slightly left puts you on line for the parkland of Okeover Hall. Following an old track which has gnarled trees you will eventually go through a gate and descend, passing an old building, until you see the Hall and its Church on your left. Keep well to the right until you meet the un-hedged road that joins up with the Mappleton Road, just beyond the Hall gates. From here, by turning right, you will be on your way back to Mappleton.

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