This led across several muddy fields; however, it was very scenic and away from the noise of main road (See photo 3). This is a main road with a proper footpath on both sides. After walking along the main road, we came to a War Memorial (See photo 4) which is next to the Wharf Tavern pub. After crossing the canal via a footbridge, we then followed the route by the public footpath signage and stiles which led into fields. After walking a short distance, we came to a gate, however there were cows blocking the entrance to the public footpath (See photo 6). The next public footpath sign was quite difficult to find as its out of sight, down a driveway past some very nice houses (See photo 9). We almost felt like we were trespassing onto private property as the route took us down what looked like a private road (See photo 10). Once on the other side of the motorway, the route took us across several fields using public footpath signposts, turnstiles, and gates....

Judy Light

Overall it is a good route, but due to the large amount of hard surface under foot (over half the route) as well as a couple of sections which require GPS assistance, this route unfortunately only gets three stars from me. The route passes a number of shops in Redditch town centre if any supplies are needed, otherwise the route takes you through some underpasses (photos 1 & 2) and pavements to reach the pleasant Arrow Valley Country Park (photos 3 & 4). Leaving the park, the route takes you through one final suburb (Matchborough) before arriving into Mappleborough Green. The route leaves Mappleborough Green via Haye Lane (photo 6), from which just past the half way point the route finally enters open countryside....

Steve Litchfield

I'd read some of the previous reviews about the section through Clowes Wood being unclear, so i was careful to plot a new route through this section to avoid the difficulties mentioned by others. On leaving Wythall you have a 10 minute section on pavements next to the busy Station Road. After leaving Station Road the quietness is a relief as you descend down a track towards the River Cole and railway. After crossing the railway for the first of many times, the path takes you to a very brief section along a road near Earlswood station before heading down a path towards Clowes Wood. After clearing the woods, you head up for another section of road walking which takes you over the railway again past The Lakes station, and towards the M42....

Steve Litchfield

Walked this route on a hot sunny day and had received advice from a fellow walker before setting out which helped....

Agnes Carroll

I completed this walk today traveling southwest from Henley in Arden....

Steve Litchfield

The section through Little Clowes Wood bore no relation to the reality of what I walked. If the plotting was tidied and the section in Little Clowes Wood was sorted out, this would have the making of a 5 star route....

David Sanderson

The were considerable amounts of road walking, with one section on a small verge along a busy road with no footpath, leading me to give this route just three stars. The route then takes you towards another footbridge (photo 9) before arriving at the large footbridge which takes you over the M40 (photo 10). ½ mile of walking along the busy Stratford Road via a footpath which takes you to Box Trees Road. Eventually the route takes you onto a footpath which heads to a footbridge over the M42 (photo 13), and then to another footbridge over the River Blythe (photo 14). The route eventually takes you to the Widney Manor Road, where you walk mainly along roads with the odd alleyway towards Solihull rail station. There are a good amount of steps, footbridges, stiles and gates to negotiate on this route, but I would say by far the riskiest section is the Box Trees Road verge walking mentioned above....

Steve Litchfield

Reasonable public transport links both at Henley in Arden and Stratford upon Avon (bus and train)Good direct route with no access issues,mainly canal towpath features some interesting viaducts bridges etc(walked on 10th dec 2022)Small sections of towpath muddy generally a good walk taking one almost to the centre of Stratford upon Avon...

J w ollid

This pleasant and tranquil walk involved walking a small section of the route through fields, followed by the rest of it along a canal....

Sumaiya

It cuts across fields and follows the canal for the most part before ending in Stratford upon Avon....

Saira

The route is easy to follow and goes through fields and mostly along a canal....

Ingrina

It was mostly a very rural route, picturesque through the fields at the start as well as the canal, and there were lovely bridges and aqueducts along the canal....

Mary Oz

A really direct and easy route to follow....

David Sanderson

My walk differed from the one given here in that I used the route given in Henstr one to get to the river Alne and the canal. I did however join the route given here at photo 2 next to the river Alne, and then stuck to the route of the canal into Stratford as is given here....

Steve Litchfield

Leaving the meeting point on Henley's High Street, we walk east down Beaudesert Lane then follow the road right into Alma Close to an area of parkland by the river, which we cross on a bridge and follow the surfaced path onto Prince Henry Road, which leads us to Warwick Road where we go left, following the pavement on the north side. At Pettiford Lane we turn right and cross a bridge, then take the unmarked footpath left along the tree-lined edge of a field to reach the Stratford Canal, where we join the towpath (which is mostly unsurfaced and has some muddy sections) and follow it all the way into Stratford....

Hugh Hudson

The exit from Henley is good alongside the river away from the busy road....

Ken

Sadly both the state of some stiles and in places the lack of waymarking mean that I can't recommend the route wholeheartedly, and shortage of daylight coupled with location problems on my phone forced me to abandon the route and do the last mile or so on the main road....

Hugh Hudson

"Continue on the Henstr one route from Wilmcote for about one mile before rejoining the canal towpath on reaching the second footbridge, and follow the towpath all the way into Stratford Upon Avon" It does not stay on the towpath, it uses the unsafe crossing of the A46....

Ken

The route takes you over an 11th century motte-and-bailey castle, through some lovely little villages, an old tractor graveyard, and an excellent pub in Five Ways. The route then drops down through the attractive village of Lowsonford and onto a section of road walking which crosses the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and eventually takes you over the M40 and Chiltern mainline railway and a small section alongside both. The final section of the route is pleasant enough, through Haseley Green, over more sections of road, and then walking mainly over agricultural land towards Kenilworth....

Steve Litchfield

It's also worth checking that there isn't a meeting on at Warwick racecourse, as I understand the route there gets closed when the races are on....

Steve Litchfield

We walked this route starting in Henley, and found it enjoyable and - if paying attention to the map - relatively easy to follow. As the previous reviewer noted, parts of the route are very overgrown; I should have paid more attention to this comment when deciding to wear shorts, as there was a proliferation of nettles and brambles that I would rather have not had in direct contact with my legs! We lunched at The Warwickshire Lad in Wood End, which was directly on the route and served good food and beer....

swebbews

This wasn’t strictly per either of the Slow Ways routes Henstr 1 or 2, but the towpath was so enjoyable and easy to walk that we really couldn’t see the point of diverting off it....

swebbews

A very nice journey with lots of changes in scenery throughout, from forests to fields, to pleasant towns. The route indicate in Little Clowes Wood is not accurate and requires some deviation to navigate through. Also there are some styles and potentially muddy section, why may put some people off....

Max

After 2.2 miles, the path at the bottom of Clowes Wood to corner of Terry’s Pool is none existent and the general direction fenced off. to join main path round Terry’s pool grid ref SP105738 T.R....

Olton and District u3a

After walking 3.5 miles from Solihull, there is 0.75 miles of dangerous road walking due to narrow, uneven roadside verges and fast traffic....

Olton and District u3a

The walk is from St Nicholas in Alcester to St John’s in Henley in Arden. One picture shows the wonderful Banhams Wood, another the general view over the Warwickshire countryside....

Robin Rumbles

On the Henley side it is mostly open fields with some tracks, sections on country roads and <10m alongside a more major road....

ljp123

The route drops down from the towpath to road level after the Edstone aqueduct and the first 50 metres of a path from the side of Apple Barn was hidden, very overgrown, with dangerous holes due to rainwater run off necessitating a return detour along the canal to pick up the route where it crosses the waterway....

Olton and District u3a

I'm not sure why this road diverts down the Bishopton Road rather than carrying straight underneath it on the canal towpath, but at the moment the foot path this diversion uses is its self diverted as a new housing estate is being built. I'd suggest just sticking to the canal towpath anyway - at least that way you pass under the A46 safely rather than having to take your life in your hands trying to run across it....

Jon Knight