Walk 1 Walk 2 Walk 3 Footpath map

A Circular walk of about 2 miles easy walking. Mainly to the north of the railway, giving a view of the industrial activity that contributes so much to the village. The agriculture which remains a significant part of the landscape and some hint of the history behind the railway and the airfield that did so much to shape the development of Elmswell.

Start from the Railway Station and cross to the Flower Station car park where a finger post directs you down footpath 10 which follows an old railway access road serving the cattle pens that once stood here back in the days when shunting was done with horses. The path takes you the lenth of the housing estate on the left hand side and then turns sharp left, as directed by the marker post, to follow th field edge along the hedge. Alomst at the end of the houses the path meets a track - footpath 9. Turn right keeping the hedge on our right hand side to meet another track taking you left along the edge og Blackbourne Meadow. This is not yet officially the footpath but negosiations are taking place to make it the officail route of footpath 6. It takes you to the far field edge where you turn right along the hedge to a bridge over a ditch on the left.

In the next field, keep the hedge on your left until it finishes and then stride out straight ahead across a the field, a well defined path to the marker at another bridge. Again, in the next field, keep the hedge to the left as you follow the field edge. This is a part of the old Ashfield Airfield: you can see the war time concrete remains and the industrial buildings in the distance which form part of the Grove Lane Idustrial Estate. As the concrete roadway curves to the right, keep straight on as indicated by the marker, across the field and a broad grass verge to join the concrete road again leading straight ahead to Grove Lane. Turn left on to Grove Lane, pass the playing field and on to Ashfield Road.

Turn right on to the Ashfield Road for some 30 yards, past "Halvasso" to meet footpath 3. The marker directs you left along the broad field edge path and straight across the field to another marker. Some may prefer to follow the field edge all the way around to the next marker. Keeping the ditch to your left walk until you meet a broad grassy ride taking you sharp left, with the Bacon Factory on your right in the distance and Thurlow Nunn Standen radio mast directly ahead.

At the metal gates cross the stile and follow the marker arrow taking you across the small paddock some 25 yards to another stile. Over this and straight across the field, joining the ditch line with the Bacon Factory straight ahead. Over the bridge turn sharp left along the field boundry, keeping close to the ditch until directed by the marker to head diagonally across the field to join the factory drive. From here you can head back to the Station down Ashfield Road or follow the path as marked over the grass below the car park and left into the fenced section which follows the perimeter of the factory through the industrial estate to emerge at the railway line. Some 20 yards along the railway, see the level crossing which, crossed with due care will take you to a path on the other side. Turn left and follow the path in Hawk End Lane, on of the origonal settlements in Elmswell. Walk left along the lane to School Road and left at the Co-op back to the Station.