Howe Green to Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Reserve (Fisherman's Lodge)
via Galleywood and Stock

24th May 2023

Distance	Time		Elevation in meters
Km	Elapsed Hrs-Mins	Moving Hrs-Mins	Gain	Loss	Min	Max
17.50	4H19	3H40	139	125	23	98

Leaving Howe Green

Down Gingerbread Hill to Junction 17 on the A12

Up the slip road and over the stile. The vegetation has been cut back but the stile is very wobbly!

Heading towards Great Mascalls Farm. How everything has grown!

Great Mascalls Farm

Through the farm and onto the West Hanningfield Road

The path is on the opposite side of the road, down the side of the house.

The heavy scent of the Hawthorne in full blossom

Right turn over the bridge into the adjacent field

Down to the brook. Rape Seed blossom in full bloom

Heavy growth around the footbridge over the stream

A clear path over the next field to Vicarage Road

Down The Chase towards the vineyards

The Vineyard

Right turn towards Galleywood

Left turn towards the bridge over the A12

Shady seat at Jubilee Copse; time for a drink and a snack.
( 5.45 km in 1H15 to this point)

Bridge over A12

A12

Right towards Bakers Lane

From Bakers Lane, looking back along the route I had taken

Turning right along Bakers Lane

It seems odd initially, but the path goes left through Berkeley Park's "Temple Grove Park".

The path skirts the Jehovah Witness's campus on the right

From this point, you skirt the edge of the field, and then head straight across the
field (path difficult to see) towards Ship Road.

Turning slightly right there is a finger board in 20 yards pointing across the field towards
lower Stock Road. Normally this footpath is visible, but it was completely hidden by tall rape
seed plants. (7.64 km 1h51 to this point)

The rape was above my head and the pollen was quite strong! All I could do was to fight my way
through in a general heading towards the trees.

There is a "cross road of paths" where you go straight on towards Lower Stock Road

Over the footbridge as you approach Lower Stock Road

Lower Stock Road. Turn left here for a couple of hundred yards before taking a path to the right.
(8.29km 2H07 to this point)

Footpath to the right towards Steel's Farm

(See revised notes for this section, Lower Stock Road to Steels Farm (Leatherbottle Hill, Downham Road), following the correct path and avoiding the section of the field where the access to the road has been blocked by barbed wire)

About 300 meters along Leatherbottle Hill, Downham Road, taking great care of
oncoming traffic, before turning right down a narrow snicket.

Snicket to Mill Road and The Plantation

Bench on the outskirts of Stock, my next resting place for a drink and a snack.
(11.06 km 2H48 to thid point)

Down Furze Lane

Left down Broomwood Lane

Right down the Bridleway

Half way down the bridleway turn left towards Dowsett Lane

Turn right on Dowsett Lane and after 100 meters take a path to the left on the opposite side of
the road towards Crowsheath Community Woodland.

The path emerges by Hanningfield Reservoir on Hawkswood Road

Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Reserve Lodge.
15.63km 3H54

Walking through the nature reserve to the Fisherman's Lodge.

Revised notes for this section, Lower Stock Road to Steels Farm
(Leatherbottle Hill, Downham Road), following the correct path and avoiding the section of
the field where the access to the road has been blocked by barbed wire)

To check the correct route on this section, I parked in Lower Stock Road next
to the footbridge, shown as "1" on the above map.

Parked on Lower Stock Road

The footbridge leading off Lower Stock Road on the section to Steels Farm

The section immediately after the footbridge

Dogleg at Point 2....... make sure you keep to the left of these trees
which leads to the left hand side of the small lake ahead.

If you go to the right of these trees the path eventually links up with the path on
the left, but this is not a right of way and I understand the farmer gets stroppy.

There is a marker post at this dogleg

The path continues until it enters a small wooded area next to the small lake

Small lake

At the marker post the path swings slightly to the right into the open field

Turn to the left in the open field

This is Point 3, the dogleg to the right leading to Steel's Farm. If you miss this dogleg
and carry straight on, you reach Leatherbottle Hill, Downham Road, but the gap in the
fence has been sealed off with barbed wire!

Left towards Steels Farm

Steels Farm in the distance

Stile on to Downham Road, next to Steels Farm

At the stile, left goes down the Downham Road, past the point where I encountered
the barbed wire. This road is a bit dangerous due to speeding traffic and there being no
space at the side of the road.

Left of the stile along the Downham Road is Lavender Cottage. There is a path to the left of
Lavender Cottage, part of St Peter's Way, which leads to Stock Tower Mill.
This is a better way to go as there is less exposure to speeding traffic.

Lavender Cottage to Stock Tower Mill

Lavender Cottage. There is a marker post by the telegraph pole.

Across the field to Mill Lane

Mill Lane

Mill Lane, heading towards Stock Tower Windmill

Meadowgate

Stock Tower Windmill

Open to the public 2pm to 5pm on the second Sunday each month April to September