Lakes, a hall, a mill and good views of Stansfield and Hawkedon churches

Route of the Stansfield walk (Image: Archant)

This is a walk with a varied landscape, taking in five lakes adjoining each other, Cordell Hall and good views of Stansfield and Hawkedon churches as well as Stansfield Mill.

Start the walk with your back to the pub, turn right walking on the road, then a quick left down Cresslands Corner and when the road ceases carry on in the same direction, walking on a track. Just before you come to the cattle grid over the track turn left and through a gate into a meadow and carry on in the same direction having fence to your right. When the fence turns right, carry straight on across a meadow aiming for a gate. Go through the gate and carry on in the same direction keeping a hedge to your left.

Turn left at a bridleway sign, across a stream and go straight ahead in a meadow, keeping a field to your left. When you are faced by a footpath sign just carry on in the same direction through trees. The path will swing right and you will be faced by a field. Go across, aiming for a telegraph pole in the middle. Once across go through a gap in the hedge and turn left on a concrete drive. When the drive swings to the left ignore it and carry on in the same direction, walking on a semi-hard track. The track will swing left and right. When a small wood to your left ceases carry on in the same direction, now walking on a grass track.

Coming to a footpath sign walk straight ahead and across a stile, then after about 50 yards turn left on a path with a lake to your right. The path will then swing right still having the same lake to your right. When you come to a shed to your left turn right by a footpath sign walking on a path keeping a lake to your right. The path will then swing right at a footpath sign, carry on through trees.

Emerging from the trees turn left on a track. When the track goes into a meadow turn right on a green path with trees to your right. At the meadow boundary carry on through a gap in the hedge and turn left on a semi-hard track. At a footpath sign to your right turn left on a concrete drive. Just after passing Cordell Hall to your left turn right by a footpath sign on a track. After 10 yards or so turn right across a meadow, aiming for the left hand side of a wood. Once there turn left across the meadow, aiming for the right hand corner of the meadow and then cross a sleeper bridge and turn left on a track.

Go straight across a small meadow and then cross a track into some trees for a short distance before going straight across a field, aiming just left from the second telegraph pole from a house. Go through a gap in the hedge and turn left. This will take you out onto a hard drive. Carry on in the same direction and cross a ford (there is a bridge to your left if you prefer). Carry on in the same direction up a hill.

At a road turn left, at a T-junction of roads turn left, then a quick right on a pebble drive. Walk to the left of a gate, having a fence to your right. When the fence goes to the right carry straight on, along a green path with a hedge to your left. At a field boundary carry straight on through a gap in the hedge and follow a green path through another gap in a hedge. Continue in the same direction, having a field to your left.

When the path swings to the right leave it and carry straight ahead across a field aiming for a footpath sign. When you come out onto a road turn left and when you come to some crossroads just carry on (signposted Rede) and this will take you back to your starting point.