St. Hubert’s Church
On this walk, children will enjoy the sunflowers in summer and the fairy-tale like woodland sprinkled in white garlic flowers in spring.
The Basics
Time: 1hr 10mins
Distance: 4.6km
Terrain: Fields and woodland path, one stile, some steps
Pushchairs: No
Dogs: Yes
Refreshments: None
Toilets: None
Parking: Space for a few cars at the side of the road in front of the church (Postcode: PO8 0BE - W3W: rotate/teeth/clenching)
This really is the walk for all seasons. The isolated church provides a splendid place to walk at any time of the year, but in spring the woodland behind it hides the most spectacular display of wild garlic and in the summer the fields in front of the church are planted with hundreds of golden sunflowers.
The Route
From the road, you will see the church and the path leading up to it. The church is usually open and you can go inside and see the medieval frescoes. Take the footpath going to the left hand side of the church and up to a gate in the hedge. Turn right and keep the hedge to your right. At the end of the field you will see a pond that is being restored and a gate on your right. Go through the gate and then almost immediately through the next one.
Turn left here and as you head up the field on your right you will see the old entrance to an ice house. Go through the gate at the top of the hill, turning right to follow the woodland path. It is here that you will see the most extraordinary display of wild garlic in the spring. Walk all the way to the end of the woodland to enjoy all of the garlic if walking in spring.
When you reach the end of the path as it heads out into a field, turn back and look out for the forestry workers path forking right this time. If it garlic season, it will have garlic growing up the middle of the track. Follow this forestry track with a wooded slope to your left, passing yew trees and then conifers.
The first path on your left will be a narrow path down a slope with steps cut into the path and a rope to guide you. Take the path and at the bottom, go left and cross the field. Cross the stile and head over another, larger field. At the corner you will find yourself back at the old pond. Either go back through the two gates and turn right to pass the farm and meet the road. Or turn right and walk back along the hedge to the field with the church in.
In August the field in front of the church is planted with pick your own sunflowers with an honesty box for payments. A bunch was £5 in summer 2023.
We recommend viewing the interactive map below as a ‘Trails Map’:
Did you know?
Isolated on top of a hill, St. Hubert’s church is all that remains of a wider village that once stood here. Historians think the village population was most likely decimated due to the plague around the 14th century and over time all other buildings have crumbled away and been removed.
Inside the chapel some colourful medieval frescoes have been restored after they spent centuries hidden under layers of white wash painted on during Henry VIII’s reformation.