WW1 Centenary Walks – Walk 1 – Around Trefonen, Treflach & Nantmawr

Walk directions

1. Step 1

   This walk may be shortened by using paths and lanes back to Trefonen. The views from Summerhill are well worth the effort, however.

   From the playing field car park, face away from the Oswestry Road and exit the field through the village hall car park, on to School Lane.

2. Step 2

   Turn right up School Lane, passing the school on your right, then turn left into Rectory Close. The numbering has changed but this is where 1, School Lane (5 Richard Davies) used to be.

3. Step 3

   Return to School Lane, turn right and immediately left through the gate into the cemetery (war graves).

4. Step 4

   Exit through the gate opposite the bus stop. You may wish to visit the war memorial cross; then return to the gate and continue past the white cottage, formerly Church House (7 George Dyke) to Trefonen church and yard.

5. Step 5

   At the church gates, cross the main road taking great care to follow Chapel Lane opposite as it bears right, past the converted chapel, to 1, Chapel Lane (currently abandoned, 8 and 9 Thomas and William Dyke).

6. Step 6

   Retrace your steps past the converted chapel and chapel graveyard (note the memorial on the wall nearest the chapel). Pass the Barley Mow Inn turning right up Bellan Lane past the shop and Malthouse Lane.

7. Step 7

   Turn right up Old Post Office Lane.

8. Step 8

   Continue past ‘Bryn Celyn’ (1 and 3 John Burrows, Thomas Carsley) on your left and on past Silverdale Drive and Hollies Lane, eventually turning left up Sandrock Lane. Sandrock (26 Richard Richards) is the last house on the left.

9. Step 9

   The public right of way goes through the property’s gate and immediately through the small wrought iron gate to the left of the garage. There are no waymarks or other indications of a path at this point.

10. Step 10

    Pass the garage and the oil tank and follow the fence to the stile.

11. Step 11

    After another stile the path crosses a field, then enters a wood through a kissing gate, eventually turning left and right over stiles, to a track and on to Little London Lane.

12. Step 12

    Turn right and follow the lane as it becomes an unmetalled track. Eventually, the path continues straight ahead through a metal gate at a junction with a bridleway which also is the access to ‘Fieldway’ (formerly Brook House, 25 Humphrey Reynolds).

13. Step 13

    Having passed through the gate, follow the path through the field as it rises slightly, through a wooden gate onto a tarmac lane.

14. Step 14

    Follow the lane as it goes downhill, then take the first lane on the right which makes its way sharply uphill past Woodhouse (18 Edward Jones) on the right.

15. Step 15

    On the right after another 80 metres, just after a farm gate, cross the stile. The path bears right to join the farm track which leads past New Barns Farm.

16. Step 16

    Turn left on reaching the lane. In about 400 metres, the lane bends left, but a footpath continues straight ahead through a gate on a track which can be muddy.

17. Step 17

    Continue straight on through a gate and follow the wooded winding path, over a stile, until it opens into a field by a waymark post. Savour the views as you walk to the double stiles in the bottom left corner of the field.

18. Step 18

    Having crossed the stiles aim diagonally left to then follow the hedge on the far side to arrive at a field gate, then a kissing gate and steps at a T junction.

19. Step 19

    Turn right to follow the more major road downhill for about 150 metres, past the farm, then take the Offa’s Dyke footpath signed over a stile on the right.

20. Step 20

    After about 60 metres, leave Offa’s Dyke to bear left and downhill over two stiles in quick succession (though it can be easier to use the farm gate) and to the stile in the bottom corner of the field hedge.

21. Step 21

    The path is waymarked over stiles to join the Oswestry-Trefonen road near the new cemetery. The row of cottages on your right, just before reaching the road, is Pottery Cottages.

22. Step 22

    Turn right along the pavement in the direction of Trefonen. To visit 2, Pottery Cottages (11 Alfred Francis) take the first lane on the right and fork right to the row of cottages.

23. Step 23

    Return to the road and continue on pavement, crossing carefully when necessary and enter the playing field through a gate on your left. Here you may visit the pit memorial and return to your car.