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Quatt Walk

A walk around a stately estate

Map illustrated by Amy Walford from Oldbury Wells School

Start: National Trust car park at Hampton Loade south east of Bridgnorth off A442. Grade: Moderate. Distance: Five and a half miles. Terrain: Undulating on field and woodland paths. Quiet lanes and roadside pavements. Refreshments: Pub at Hampton Loade. Recommended map: OS Explorer 218 Wyre Forest and Kidderminster. Parking: National Trust car park. Dudmaston Hall: Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday April to September.

This walk takes in part of the National Trust-run Dudmaston Estate with a view of the hall and passing through splendid woodland with picturesque peaceful lakes. The route also takes the walker through the estate village of Quatt before field paths return to the river bank.

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The Route

(1) Go through the kissing gate at the rear of the car park and go forward on the riverside path to follow the Severn upstream. Cross a stile and footbridge and go ahead to pass under a bridge and immediately to the right of the water treatment works, continuing ahead on the river bank ignoring a stile into the wood over to your right.

(2) Cross a facing stile and go ahead on a clear path which, initially, passes through woodland and then continues forward through an overgrown area. The footpath eventually goes sharp right at marker post, crosses a footbridge and goes ahead - with woodland immediately on the right - to make a gentle ascent emerging into open country. Follow the path as it bends right and goes ahead on field boundary.

(3) Cross a stile, right, and go ahead with Rookery Cottage, left. Cross a stile and go left and ahead to follow a brick-dust track. From here there is a view of Big Pool and Dudmaston Hall. Keep the track to arrive at Lodge Farm. With the farmhouse, left, go forward at a junction to join metalled driveway. Go right on the drive away from the farm. Just before exiting on to the A442 go right over a stile. Go forward 15 yards then left to cross the road.

(4) Go ahead on woodland path to quickly join a grassy forestry track. Go left and forward for about 125 yards then, at marker post, go right. The track soon bends left and then right to make gentle descent. When the ground levels out at a T-junction go right and after 30 yards, at another junction, go left on a track which rises slightly.

(5) Keep forward to pass pools, on the right. Ignoring paths off and keep the track, then a footpath, forward for over half a mile. When the path goes sharp left at a fence and gate bear slightly right to pass through a carved squeeze stile. Go right and ahead on a track to exit on to a lane. Go right for a quarter of a mile, passing Little Holt Farm.

(6) Immediately before a high hedge go left on a signed bridleway which goes ahead down and then ascends field right-hand boundaries. In field corner cross a stile, immediately veer left to pass through a small gate and ahead on enclosed path passing a cottage to your right and forward out on the driveway. At the road go right into Quatt. At the A442 go left on the pavement. Cross the road to the garage and immediately at the far end of the premises cross a stile.

(7) Go half left diagonally over the field. Cross corner stile and go forward on field left-hand edge to cross stile, left. Go forward on right-hand boundary to cross plank bridge and stile. Go right and forward to join left-hand hedge at a corner. Go ahead, with hedge on the left, round two sides of the field to a stile adjacent a gate and water trough. Go forward on short enclosed path at end of which go left and ahead, bearing slightly right, to pass through a wide gap in facing hedge. Go right down the field to stile. Go left and ahead, with fence left.

(8) Within a short distance when the path passes a narrow section between fence and woodland, veer right to keep the woodland immediately on your right. Soon, at marker post, go right down to a footbridge and up steps. Go half left over field to hedge corner and then ahead on right-hand boundary to cross corner stile. Go left and cross the road of the water works to a stile. Go left to follow two sides of the field to a stile to exit on to the road. Go right on the lane back to Hampton Loade.