From your parked car, walk back in towards the delightful village of Honington. About 200 yards before you reach the road junction turn right and proceed through a kissing gate by a farm gate and follow the waymarker direction up the field. Keep to the right hand side of the field and soon you will go through a metal hand-gate as you continue up the gently slope to a second wooden gate. Continue along the clear wide farm grass track for about a mile and a half pausing from time to time to enjoy the fine view to the right towards Brailes Hill and behind you towards Shipston on Stour and Honington – you will see the Church at nearby Tredington Village. You will pass by an old barn and after a pleasing stretch of good walking you will reach Upper St Dennis Cottages.

At the cottages turn left, and ascend the wide farm track set to the right of a wire fence pausing at the brow of Idlecote Hill (near Pen Covert) to enjoy the lovely view. Now proceed ahead now descending by the field hedge to reach a farm track and the Centenary Way. Turn right and join the Centenary way track going generally northwest. In about 200 yards the track bends right and here you leave the Centenary way by turning left following the waymarkers for a footpath that passes to the let of trees and a reservoir then arcs right and descends towards the village of Idlecote. At the road turn right and then go left up the lane into the village - spare time to explore the tiny village.

Idlecote House stands proud overlooking the nearby countryside. Built in the early 19th century, this Grange has a fascinating history for Queen Elizabeth I is said to have stayed in an earlier House on the site. The Woman’s Land Army was billeted at the House during World War II. Near to the House is a fine octagonal 18th century Dovecote and the Church of St James the Great. There are a number of attractive village houses and in particular Badger’s Cottage is a picturesque stone thatched cottage

At the road junction in the village turn left towards Idlecote House then take the footpath going to the left and descend over pleasing pastureland to return to the road below the village. Turn right and descend the road passing by the Lodge gates to Idlecote House and then in about a further half a mile, turn right onto a waymarked footpath across farmland. The path crosses a large cultivated field and then passes through a series of hedge gaps/kissing gates descending gently. The path arcs left and soon you will be descending pastureland (do pause from time to time to enjoy the pleasing view ahead that embraces Honington Hall) towards a kissing gate on the edge of Little Honington.

At the road turn left, and stroll down into Honington Village looking out for a stile in the fence to the right. Go over this and walk a hedged footpath through trees. This leads to another stile and soon you will emerge to the left of a cottage before arriving on the road at the road junction. Cross over the road and proceed up Barcheston Road opposite to return to your car. If you have time to spare do stroll into the delightful village to experience its fine green and to see its attractive period buildings.

Honington is an unspoilt Warwickshire village set by the River Stour. You will have passed by the Old Tollbar Cottage and gone over the superb 5-arched 17th century bridge as you entered the village – these were part of the Honington Hall Estate. In the village, the half-timbered Magpie Cottage and the Shoemaker’s Cottage (situated on the Green opposite to the Gates and lodge entrance to Honington Hall) are impressive. The Hall was built in 1682 by Sir Henry Parker. Near to this All Saints church was re-built to resemble London Churches of the 1680’s but retains a 13th century tower.

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