Frog Lane, Fields and Woods
A beautiful rural walk from Coalpit Heath towards Westerleigh. Signs of Coalpit Heath's industrial heritage can be seen in the disused railway track/Dramway which used to serve the Frog Lane colliery. Optional diversion to visit the site of Ram Hill Colliery, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and sole relic of Coalpit Heath's mining heritage.
Start Badminton Arms Pub, approx 3.5 miles
Cross main road at traffic island, go up Woodside Road and continue past the houses.
Go straight through a gated farmyard (dog sometimes loose here) to climb the metal stile/fence at the end.
Go straight across Frog Lane and over a stile with a footpath sign.
Continue through fields, passing the bluebell wood on left (or go through wood, following path round edge of wood in clockwise direction to exit further up same field), towards a pylon.
Go under the pylon & over the stile which is almost in front of you.
Go right to follow the field edge beside the railway embankment and head for the far right corner of the field, going over a stile and eventually exiting into a lane.
Turn Right under the railway bridge. Almost immediately, go Left over a stile into a field.
Keeping to the right of the field, go toward the mast and through the gap across another field to the stile at top right.
Over this stile (taking care to avoid barbed wire and rusty nails) and turn right onto the cycle path, going straight across at immediate ‘cross roads’ (to Coalpit Heath).
Continue up this lane (Broad Lane), passing on your right a metal fence with a "Keep Out" sign, until you reach a large metal barrier with a gap on its left.
If you want to visit the site of Ram Hill Colliery, continue up Broad Lane and then return to this point after your visit.
Turn right through the gap beside the metal barrier to follow the former railway line under a rail bridge.
Follow the lane, looking for gaps into field on left. Take the second, well-worn gap with a trodden footpath that goes slightly uphill alongside a hedge – with a large tree in distance.
(If you miss this path, continue till you reach a gate across the lane, climb this and turn left to re-trace your footsteps over metal stile/fence to return to pub via gated farmyard & Woodside Road.)
Go up through the field, following the trodden path and Bear Right at large tree. Continue onto the gap in corner of field. and go left up the hill. Turn immediately left (don't go on ahead through the second gap), and go up the hill
(don't go ahead through second gap), following path as it bends round to right and meets hedge at top.
Continue to right, following this path along the edge of the field, round corner and exit left through gap into lane (Woodside Rd).
Turn Left into lane that leads back the way you came to starting point.
Using the map. The map shows the main walk in yellow and alternative routes in red. The Start/End point is marked with a yellow diamond and points of interest on the route are marked with a red pin. Click on a red pin to see descriptions and photos.
Use the +/- buttons at the bottom of the map to zoom in or out. Use the icon at the top right of the map to get a full screen image.