Dry Drayton and Childerley

This five mile walk starts in the village of Dry Drayton, just a few miles out of Cambridge off the A14. Take the first junction on the A14 going north west after the M11 joins it. Park in the middle of the village, near the church, where there is a charming village green with a lay-by.

Take the Madingley Road, to the left of the church, for just a couple of hundred meters and round a bend to your left before finding a bridle path across fields and down the side of a wood, going south. After a while the path takes you over a foot bridge and into the adjacent field on your left, continuing in the same direction. At the end of the field that has been on your right, take the path back over the stream and head towards Scotland Road, going west. As you come near the road, turn left  to follow the edge of the field inside the hedge next to the road until you find a V-style through the hedge. Cross the road and take the path heading across the field going west. You will climb gently to a ridge and then back down to a couple of trees in the middle of the field. Here you join the Pathfinder Long distance Walk. Follow this going west up to the top of the hill, through to the next field turn left, then to the right  following the edge of the field down to some woods. Going through the woods, still following the marked path, takes you along an ash track to Childerley.

Childerley is a working farm, mostly wheat these days, with a fascinating Elizabethan house, where Charles I was once held under house arrest. As a separate parish, Sunday services are still held in the chapel; adjacent are the gardens with some fine topiary and a lake. On your approach you will have seen one of the longest timber-framed barns in England, sadly now derelict.

In the village, turn right towards the new barn (grain store) and before you get to it and opposite some old chicken houses, take the bridle path through the field where they have their remaining cattle (not so convenient if you have a dog with you). This path used to go through the wood to the left, but that is marked private. At the end of the cattle field, you will start along a glorious avenue going north north east, toward Lolworth. Where the avenue ends turn right down the side of a ditch dipping gently and rising again. Passing through some trees, now turn right (south west) towards the electric pylons. About halfway to reaching them turn left across the field on a marked path towards Rectory Farm nestled below. The path takes you to the right of the farm, where chickens and partridges run free. Just past the farm and on the road, turn left to take a bridge over a stream and then the path through the middle of the field rising to the edge of Dry Drayton. A narrow footpath takes you back to Scotland Road, between the gardens of houses. At the road, turn left back to the centre of Dry Drayton where the black horse awaits you with refreshments.