Three woods

The walk starts outside Explore BoA (Tourist Information) in the centre of Bradford on Avon.

With your back to Explore BoA turn right and cross the road at the pelican crossing. Turn left to the junction then turn right into Bridge Street. You now follow the orange waymarkers of The Wheel for the first part of the walk.

At the end of the row of houses turn right to climb the 48 steps of St Margaret’s Steps. At the top turn left, pass the Scout Hut and at the end of the low wall bear off left into The Strips. Follow the main path through the centre to reach an open area.

Turn right up the tarmac slope, turn left at the top and follow this path to the end into Mythern Meadow. Follow the road down and round and at the end of the houses on the right, turn right onto a short path to enter a field.

You now follow the blue waymarkers of Spoke 3 of The Wheel for a while. Continue straight ahead through three fields and the River Avon over to your left. After the Sailing Club you enter Widbrook Woods over a wooden footbridge that crosses the Widbrook stream.

Continue straight ahead, through a gap in the hedge and continue ahead, with a willow tree pond over to your left. After about 200 metres turn off right to climb a short slope and steps to the canal towpath. You now leave the blue way markers.

Turn right to follow the canal for nearly a mile, passing the marina and under two road bridges. At Bradford Lock cross the road back onto the canal towpath and continue for a further half mile past the back of the Tithe Barn as far as the swing bridge.

Cross over the canal on the wooden footbridge, follow the short path into a field, keeping the hedge on your right. Go through a gate into the next field and climb diagonally left up to the metal gate and into Becky Addy Woods.

Follow the clear path as it meanders gradually upwards through the woods. Where it joins a road, at a bend, turn left uphill for about 100 metres then turn right along a driveway between houses. This becomes a narrow path.

At the end turn left uphill on the tarmac track, then right at the top onto a road. Follow this for about 200 metres and look for a footpath sign on the right to Freshford.

Turn off right here, downhill, then after a few metres bear left. At the next bend go through the metal gate into a field of newly planted trees (Woodland Trust’s Avoncliff Wood extension). Continue downhill, diagonally left towards the river.

Go through the gap and turn right to climb a few steps onto a tree lined path. At the end continue straight on to Avoncliff, past Ancliff Square (former workhouse, now houses). Go under the aqueduct, turning back up right onto the canal towpath. Turn right to cross the aqueduct, pass the steps to the station and into a small car park.

Turn off right to follow the road slightly downhill at first to reach a junction. Turn right, pass Belcombe Court on your left and soon after the road starts to rise look out for the footpath sign at the end of the wall.

Turn right down this, cross the railway line and turn left to follow the path through the field aiming for the far right corner. Cross Barton Bridge over the river and turn left to follow the riverside path back to St Margaret’s car park. Cross diagonally right to the road and you’ll arrive back at your starting point in Westbury House Gardens.