Ropley loop

Key

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  • Route
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  • Temporarily closed
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  • Restricted use

Directions

Start at Ropley Parish Hall on Vicarage Lane. It’s recommended that you park here rather than on the narrow village roads.

Walk east along the path on Vicarage Lane, past the Ropley Courtyard Shop. Keep an eye out for St Peter’s Church, which has recently been restored.

Shortly after the junction with Dunsell’s Lane to the north and Church Lane to the south, take the footpath entrance on your left. Follow this path until you reach a wooden kissing gate leading into a field. There are often sheep and lambs in these fields so be sure to give them plenty of space and keep any dogs on leads.

Keep to the footpath heading north. After about 500 metres, you will come to a stile in the fence line. After the stile, the footpath will start to head downhill towards a metal kissing gate in the treeline. Continue across the field until you come out on to Andrew’s Lane. Cross the road and continue along the footpath uphill, making sure to enjoy the view from the top.

Then, head north-east into Old Down Wood and follow the footpath underneath the beech trees. After 500m, take the right-hand path at the four-way footpath junction to travel southwards downhill. Continue to the metal kissing gate which leads to the front of a cottage on Swelling Hill.

Cross the road to pass through the metal pedestrian gate, following the sign for the route. Then continue southwards along the field edge until you come to a wooden kissing gate. Pass through the gate and continue along the footpath, following the hedgerow. Continue southwards along the footpath for roughly 600m until the path brings you out on to a track.

Take a left and then a right at the junction on to Redbridge Lane until you come out on to Lyeway Lane. Cross the road and go through the kissing gate leading into the crop field. Be careful as, depending on the time of year, there might not be a very clear footpath to follow across the field. Continue south-west across the field towards the trees towards the metal kissing gates.

Once you’ve crossed the field, follow the footpath into the woodland. Go through the gate and take the path to the right of the pond. Pass through the metal kissing gate leading into an open field. There are often sheep and lambs in these fields so be sure to give them plenty of space and keep any dogs on leads.

Continue onto the footpath, cross two stiles, and take the steps down into another crop field. Follow the path across the field. Then, pass through the gate.

You can take either the left or right-hand footpath. Both will bring you back out on to the road just after St Peter’s Church.