Queen’s Head Circular, follow route to a pretty and atmospheric well
Distance: 11.0 km (6.8 miles)
Time: 3.0 – 3.5 hrs
From Queen’s Head this walk crosses Oswestry Golf course then continues through fields and along quiet lanes into Maesbury Marsh, then briefly follows the course of Wat’s Dyke before returning along the Montgomery Canal towpath, with a diversion to visit St Winifred’s Well at Woolston.
- Parking: Small car park opposite the Queen’s Head pub.
- Grid ref: SJ339268 Map: OS Explorer 240 Oswestry.
- Facilities: Pubs in Queen’s Head and Maesbury Marsh, cafe/shop (Canal Central), near Maesbury Marsh.
The Walk:
1. From the car park turn left along B5009 then left again for a short distance then cross the busy A5, with care.
Turn right then left up the driveway to Oswestry Golf Club. Head to the rear of the club car park then go across the front of the Club House. Turn left initially following the line of a conifer hedge.
Follow a small valley downhill, keeping to the right-hand side of the thicket out of the fairway.
Continue in this direction following the footpath marker posts. Bear half-right at the back of the tee for hole 17 to a sunken path on the horizon. Continue ahead to cross a footbridge.
Go ahead over a further stile into a small wood. Walk through the wood, passing a small pond on the right. At the woodland edge go a further 40m to cross a stytle into a field with views of Aston Hall to the right.
Head for the far left-hand corner then turn left over a stile. Follow left-hand field boundary to cross a small field behind Keeper’s Cottage. Go through the gates in opposite boundary. Follow track along left-hand field boundary over stile.
Continue along the left-hand field boundary past Fox Hall to cross a stile in the hedge on the left. Turn right down the drive away from the hall. Follow this lane past Bromwich Park.
2. About 200m after Bromwich Park, follow the track right towards Maesbury Marsh along Waen Lane. When joining the main Maesbury Road turn right then second left to follow a track to go past ‘The Fields’.
At the farm buildings, the track goes to the left. Turn right through a gateway, then immediately left at way marker, along a narrow path around fields, then cross stream and on through wet meadow.
Turn right to cross over stile into a field then left along field edge to exit onto road.
Turn left over bridge and then first left down Coed y Rae Lane. (Coed y Rae Lane follows the route of the southern most extremity of Wat’s Dyke.)
Go over the mill leat, past the mill ponds on the left, to reach the canal arm on your right and then continue over Croft Mill Lift Bridge. Turn left and follow the canal towpath east, past Bridge House.
On the right along this stretch are bullace trees – wild plums – that thrive in relatively undisturbed ground and old hedgerows, suggesting that this area has been relatively unchanged since the canal was built.
3. For refreshments, go through the gate on the right just before the next bridge and turn right to Canal Central Cafe and Post Office. Otherwise continue along the towpath under the bridge.
Go under Navigation Bridge, passing the Navigation Inn on the left.
Continue along the towpath to Park Mill Bridge. This area was mostly impenetrable marsh until the canal was built and the land drained.
4. To detour to St Winifred’s Well. Go up the steps on the right-hand side of Park Mill Bridge. Turn right through a gate then half left to cross a stile by a gate in the far left-hand corner.
Follow the right-hand field boundary to a stile then a double stile bridge over a brook, a tributary of the Rivers Morda, Vyrnwy and Severn.
Follow the only path which leads to the pretty and atmospheric St Winifred’s Well. (The area around St Winifred’s Well can be very muddy with spillage from the well so care should be taken.)
5. Rejoin the canal towpath at Park Mill Bridge. Continue along the towpath under Red Bridge past the three sets of locks, known collectively as Aston Locks.
Go under the new A5 Bridge then up the slope at the side of the Queen’s Head Bridge. Turn left along the B5009 to return to the car park.