Mount Bures: From Mount to airfield

Map of the Mount Bures walk (Image: Archant)

This week’s journey takes you across a single railway line and over to the high ground of an airfield. The OS map describes it as ‘disused’, but judging by the large number of small aircraft seen parked near the club premises, it is very much used.

This ramble only takes you along a short section of the airfield – most of the walk is along quiet lanes, field edges and across arable fields. It’s best to avoid the ploughing and sowing season.

Start in Mount Bures by walking through the churchyard and exit by the back gate into a meadow, turn right downhill and pass through three kissing gates and down a few steps to the road. Proceed to your left on this minor road, ignore the footpaths leading off until you are past Spentpenny and Valley Green Farm. Follow the marked footpath through a gate, down some steps, over a stile and down to Cambridge Brook. You will pass a duck pond, negotiate several gates and gentle gradients before exiting on Hall Road. Cross straight over and follow the sign to Fordham, a quiet road bringing traffic over a hump rail bridge onto another country road.

Search ahead for the concrete drive leading off this road towards Norton Farm. Look for the way markers guiding walkers around the property, continue in a westerly direction for less than half a kilometre with a hedge to the left.

When arriving at the corner of the field, take the cross-field footpath running diagonally right, which ends at a perimeter track of the airfield.

Turn left and walk along here as far as the second path leading off on the left, just within sight of the parked aircraft and buildings.

If you should feel so inclined, you can walk there to have a look around and return to this juncture to continue on your journey back to the Mount.

Failing that, leave the boundary track to go north to Wormingford Hall; first at the side of fields, then just inside a wood past a pond on the left and lastly through a series of gates and meadows having the farm complex to your right.

You need to walk through a small garden to get to the access road. Turn sharp left, use the gate to walk left again over a plank bridge, more gates and another bridge slightly hidden in a hedge and off you go heading west across fields to emerge on Peartree Hill.

Proceed right uphill, signed to Fordham, to get to the next footpath leading off from the left side. The path hugs the field edges and hedges, takes in a few steps and a plank bridge to get walkers from one level to a higher field.

Another few hundred metres and you will arrive by the rail track. Cross with caution and continue in the same direction to exit onto Hall Road. Walk to your right and you come within sight of the church and the start and end of your journey.

Take the opportunity to walk to the Mount and use the steps to get to the top for a good view over the surrounding countryside.