Acton Round

Distance: Three miles.
Terrain: Easy walking on lanes, tracks and fieldpaths. Seven stiles. 

1. Start at the double footpath sign on the lane to Monkhopton, one-and-a-half miles east of Bourton.
Walk down the lane towards Monkhopton, and on reaching Monkhall Grange Farm on the left, turn up the track, turning left to pass between the house and the farm buildings before entering a field.

2. Go uphill as indicated, cross a fence stile and continue across the next field to another stile at the edge of a wood.

3. Cross over and follow the right-hand boundary until reaching a break in the trees where a broad track appears on the right.

4. Continue ahead along this winding track, passing what appears to be a replica of a trebuchet on the left, into the hamlet of Acton Round.

5. To see the hall and its surrounding buildings, continue ahead past the church to the lane. Otherwise, turn left into a large field just before the church, and walk down its left-hand boundary to a stile near the bottom leading into a wood.

6. Cross over and turn right on a track through the wood which bears left away from the bird pen and leads into a clearing. Continue ahead parallel with the pen until reaching a stile into a field, cross over and walk towards the cottage.

7. Turn left along the garden hedge, then right at the corner as far as an oak tree.

8. Turn left here and walk the length of the field, parallel to the wood on the right, cross the fence in the gap in the far boundary and continue through the middle of the next field to a double stile in the far hedge boundary.

9. Cross over and walk along the field edge to a gate, pass through and walk straight across the field to the lane by the double footpath sign.

* Shropshire and Mid Wales are perfect for getting out and enjoying a countryside walk, but over time there may be changes to access on some routes. If you follow one of our walks and find a problem, please let us know so that we can amend the details online. Simply e-mail us at internet@shropshirestar.co.uk with the details.