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Scar Lane circular walk
A circular walk starting from Scar Lane, Staunton-on-wye, Herefordshire
We often visit The Scar, there are beautiful views and woodland but it's one of those walks where you go as far as you want then turn around and walk back again (if you stick to the footpath). So on returning from one of those 'there and back again' strolls I had a quick look at an old OS map we have to see if there was any way of taking a circular route on official footpaths and there was. It doesn't take in The Scar or views of the river, although I've included some photos below but begins by walking down Scar Lane, onto Gypsy Lane and finally bearing right into Brobury Lane.
View in Google Maps
I saw one person and one car whilst walking down these lanes on what was a grey, blustery Saturday afternoon and so was able to let Bandit have a long leash. The lanes are single track, gentle and pretty even in January. Brobury Lane widens out and a short distance along there is a footpath to your right. Careful as you climb the stile as it is extremely rotten and wobbly. From my quick glance at the map I had assumed that it was a fairly straight forward stroll across the fields back to Scar Lane and although the first three fields were easy to negotiate, put to grass and no stock about, the signage was sparse and I nearly missed a small bridge which was partially obscured by the hedge.
However after crossing the road which runs down to Bredwardine it became a lot more difficult to identify the route the footpath was to take and as you can see by my excursion down to Wetmore Wood, I took a few wrong turns.
Finally after working my way around the edge of three turnip fields, I made it back to Scar Lane. What probably should have been a three mile walk ended up closer to four. Perhaps if more people walked this way it would encourage land owners and the local council to make it more accessible. So give it a try!
Scar Lane circular walk slideshow
01 of 19 : Off down the lane
02 of 19 : Blue sky
03 of 19 : Nearly missed this
04 of 19 : Even grey days have beauty
05 of 19 : Bridge but no footpath signs
06 of 19 : Rickety but functional
07 of 19 : General quality of signage
08 of 19 : Looked like the right way but wasn't
09 of 19 : Turnips
10 of 19 : More turnips
11 of 19 : Who eats all the turnips?
12 of 19 : Final sign at Scar Lane
13 of 19 : Scar in the summer
14 of 19 : Looking down to the Wye
15 of 19 : Another view of the river
16 of 19 : Beautiful sweet chestnut trees
17 of 19 : View from the top
18 of 19 : Beginnings of a horseshoe lake?
19 of 19 : Looking up at The Scar