E(200)
Go R on road and where road swings R go ahead on minor road and again where road swings R go ahead to find gateway. Take gate and ahead along side of field, with fence L

E(201)
At field end, take timber gate into the next field, and go with the hedge R. Take gap in field corner field go ahead with hedge R. Go through a further gate and go with hedge L to exit through gate. Go 1/2 R up field to take left hand of two corner gates.

E(202)
Go ahead across centre of field to exit by gate adjacent to double power poles, giving access to grassy corridor. Go on corridor passing through early gate to come eventually to 7 bar gate at corner. Go L through gate. After some 450m come to timber crossing with handrail over ditch R.

E(203)
Cross the ditch and a stile into a field of pasture.  Go 1/2 L to far field boundary with stile some 100 paces in from far L corner. Cut across the left hand corner of the next field to another timber ditch crossing and stile.

E(204)
Cross the stile and go R to cut across the nearest corner of the next field.
In quick succession cross three more stiles, to pass through a couple of pony paddocks.  We have now reached the edge of Priors Marston village.

E(205)
The last of these stiles gives into a larger field of pasture, bordered on the left by houses of recent construction. Follow along the boundary at the bottom of the gardens of houses, and look out for a line of concrete garages backing on to the field. At the right hand end of these garages there is a stile, leading to a tarmac track. 

E(206)
Follow  track to  end, to meet road.  There is a pillar box on the left, but you turn R. The road leads past Vicarage Lane and School Lane, and then reaches a small green at which four roads meet.  The war memorial stands on the green.

Priors Marston to Long Itchington

(W38)
Priors Marston war memorial stands at the junction of a number of roads.  Standing at the end of Hellidon Road, turn right, direction Napton, and then take the right hand fork for Lower Shuckburgh and Napton. Continue on Shuckburgh Road, passing a phone box, and the ends of School Lane and Vicarage Lane on your right.

(W39)
After a further 100m, locate a pillar-box on the left.  Immediately before the pillar-box, turn left and follow the waymark down a made up track, alongside Priors Hall. At the end of the track, cross the stile and bear 1/2 R to pass along the rear boundaries of houses to exit by stile.

(W40)
Pass through two pony paddocks by stiles. On entering a larger field, cut across the near left hand corner, by stile, to reach timber bridge ditch crossing. Cross the ditch and bear 1/4 R.  The next stile is visible beneath a line of trees.

(W41)
Cross this stile, and go 1/2 L to find corner stile.  Take stile and cross ditch / bridge, and go L on turf track bordered by line trees with hedge and ditch L.

(W42)
After around 450m, pass through a steel gate and turn right following the way between lines of trees. The path climbs a shallow incline, and continue ahead.

(W43)
The path descends, passing through two steel gates in quick succession.  The second of these gates gives onto a field of pasture.

(W44)
Maintain previous direction across the field towards the village of Napton just visible through the trees.  On the far side of the field is a full width gate. Go through the gate, and head down to far right corner to find metal gate.

(W45)
Take gate and go with hedge R for some 100 paces to take gate R. Go ahead with hedge L.  You are no longer heading directly for Napton. Exit field by bottom left corner gap.

(W46)
Continue ahead with the hedge L, to reach metal gate.

(W47)
Pass through gate into another large field. Continue along the edge of this field with the fence immediately on your right. Notice a farm appearing, a few hundred metres off to the left.  When you draw level with the farm, you will be at a gate which gives onto a minor road.

(W48)
Take gate to road, go R, which is in effect continuing in the same direction as the path you have just left.

(W49)
After around some 500m come to T junction, go ahead direction signed Napton / Stockton. Pass three cottages L (The Fens) and immediately take driveway Up driveway and go R behind garage with hedge R to come to stile. Take stile and go 1/4 R up centre of field to come to bridge in dip. Take bridge and go 1/2 L up field to exit by far L corner gate to road.

(W50)
Go R on road over canal bridge and immediately L down onto canal. Go L under bridge and ahead with  canal right - ahead is Napton on the Hill with its high set windmill. Follow down a flight of locks, and pass The Folly Inn on your left. Continue on the towpath. Skirt around Napton Hill on the towpath.  At bridge 111 pass under the A425 Southam to Daventry road with the Bridge Inn on the left. Immediately after bridge take gap L to Bridge Inn.

(W51)
Face Bridge Inn go L, exit by pub drive entrance, and go R on road after 20 paces cross stile R. Down  gateway. Down grassy passage way into field and go with hedge L. Take corner stile and go with hedge L to field corner - go R 40 paces and take bridge and stile L. Go 1/4 L across field to hedge gap. Continue ahead pass mid field power pole. Maintain line to come to ditch / bridge gap to R of single tree. Go 1/2 R across field to L of two trees to find stile. Take stile and go with hedge R to end of field. Stay in field and go L for 30 paces to take gap R. 

(W52)
Go with high hedge R. At hedge corner continue same line ahead across field. Take mid fence bridge. Go 1/2 R to find stile some 50 paces in from corner. Take stile and go ahead across field to find metal gate. Take gate to vehicle track. Go ahead on track, pass cemetery to road, pass Stockton Parish Church to Barley Mow Pub. Face Barley Mow Pub go L pass school. At post box take road L, up Mount Pleasant, ignore side roads, come to grassy passageway with houses L, leading through spinney to field. Go L with hedge L to stile and road.

(W53)
Cross (A426) road and take gap to go down steps to go with hedge L. Though corner gap continue with hedge L and fence R. Follow corridor over two bridges then through shrub, maintaining line. Leave woods, go ahead on grassy way with spinney L. Exit spinney and after 50 paces go R to find gap, take gap and go immediately L with hedge L. After some 70 paces take gap into woods to find stile. Take stile and ahead through woods, cross track and exit by metal kissing gate to lake. Go R with lake L to take gap into car park with drive way ahead leading to road. Go L on road pass Blue Lias Inn, over bridge and take gateway L to canal. Go R with canal L, pass Two Boats Inn and go ahead.

(W54)
Pass under the A423 Banbury to Coventry road (Bridge 25), and immediately afterwards look out for a small brick-built cubicle next to the towpath.  Turn R off the towpath at this point, and turn left past the cubicle to reach take kissing gate into paddock. Cross  paddock, and take two further kissing gates on either side of a farm track. Go ahead over field to exit by kissing gate and ahead over field towards a modern white house in the distance with a distinctive rear projection and find kissing gate. 

(W55)
Take corner kissing gate, and turn L to follow a made up lane serving private houses.

(W56)
In a few hundred metres, this lane (Thorn Way) gives into an open area known as The Square, with The Harvester Inn on the right. Turn left down the village road to find Holy Trinity Church.

All the paths, bridleways and roads we have used in these instructions are public rights of way as designated on Ordnance Survey maps. Following the instructions and walking tips on this web site in no way constitutes any liability on 41 Club that such routes or tips are safe or suitable.