Benger Trails

Walking Trail No 1; River Avon and Sutton Lane Meadows

Go south out of Queens Close through a gap in the hedge into the Big Field, then east to Sutton Lane.

Head south down Sutton Lane then go east and south east along the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) until you reach the bridleway near Avon Weir.

Turn right and follow the bridleway west until you reach Sutton Lane; if you go left here and follow the bridleway around the corner you will come to the River Avon and Avon Weir. This is a great place to sit down for a while, look out for wildlife, recharge your batteries and maybe eat your packed lunch!

Retrace your steps back around the bridle way then walk west along it until you reach Sutton Lane. Cross Sutton Lane and continue west along the bridleway to Sutton Lane Meadows.

Sutton Lane Meadows May 2023 No 23

Take a scenic walk clockwise around Sutton Lane Meadows then head north to re-enter the Big Field. Continue north and follow the boundary of the Big Field; turn right at the far north west corner and head east until you find the gap in the hedge on your left.

Return to the Village Hall via Queens Close.

Trail Length 2.4 miles

Duration 45 - 60 minutes

Stiles There are a couple of stiles and small bridges along the route; it is not suitable for pushchairs or mobility scooters

Rainy season This route can be quite damp underfoot; you are advised to wear suitable footwear.

Nettles. There are a couple of places that might be overgrown with nettles, so long trousers are advisable.

Flora and fauna This is a great walk, especially in May and June when you can see the flowers in Sutton Lane Meadows and maybe catch a glimpse of deer and other wildlife in and around the River Avon

Benger Trails

7. Bridleway near Avon Weir

The wooden and corrugated metal footbridge leads you onto the bridleway, which was created in 1778 as a more convenient way to get from Sutton Benger to Avon Mill. At the bridleway you could go left and around the corner to see the River Avon and the Avon Weir.

Left on the bridleway to the River Avon

This would be a good place to sit down on the river bank, take a breather, eat your lunch, or just sit back and watch the world go by.

River Avon by the weir

Alternatively, you could just turn right onto the bridleway and head west along until you reach Sutton Lane again.

Right on the bridleway to Sutton Lane

It seems strange to find a Planning Application dating from 1778; it is interesting to note that there actually was a legal process in place to divert a public right of way and create a new bridleway in the 'olden days'.

Documents and sketch maps from 1778 show that the original route from the Avon Mill to Sutton Lane took a zig-zag route across the fields and the old allotments. The straight-line bridleway was only created in that year, as a '17ft wide new road'.

The 'old' route still exists today as a Public Right of Way / footpath.

Follow the bridleway, roughly straight west all the way, for about 500 yards until you come to the metal gate ahead of the Sutton Lane / bridleway crossroads. Stop and look both ways before stepping into the road!

Metal gate on bridleway

To your left is the road to Kellaways and Langley Burrell, passing Sutton Lane Farm.

To your right, Sutton Lane leads back to the village.

Straight ahead, on the other side of the road is a wooden gate, leading to the the bridleway which takes you to the National Trust's Sutton Lane Meadows.

Wooden gate on bridleway to Sutton Lane Meadows

Bridleway - Sutton Lane crossroads

Benger Trails

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