[1] From Village Hall parking turn right to go back to B4211 in 100 metres and turn left along main road for 30 metres to entrance of cul-de-sac road on your left. Turn left up cul-de-sac road and follow for 1.2 km initially over brow and then downhill before becoming a good farm track out onto Longdon Marsh. Just after crossing brick walled bridge turn right over stile near farm gate to enter field. Now bear diagonally left across field to gate in far corner and cross over stream on good farm bridge. Turn left in field and follow stream on your left for 200 metres to cross stile in far hedge corner. PLEASE READ REST OF PARA BEFORE PROCEEDING. The legal route continues forward across centre of field for 350 metres to find hidden-from-view farm gate in a hedge corner. Do not go through gate but turn right to pass through wire fence to stiles and plank bridge near a large tree in hedge in 100 metres. [SO 8193 3614]. However on 8 Aug 20 there was no access provided through the wire fence and it was climbed using the fence post supports. Thus it may be prudent to bear right as soon as you enter the field to go to the wire fence and walk along it to find an early easier access into its field before continuing to the stiles and plank bridge.

[2] Continue forward across centre of field to more stiles and another plank bridge in 300 metres. In following field continue forward across centre of field for another 300 metres to go through farm gates at corner of far hedge. In next field continue with hedge and stream on your right for 200 metres to reach an overgrown farm bridge with iron gates at both ends a little left of the field corner. Cross farm bridge and in next field bear diagonally left across the centre (aiming for the wood to the right of a farm building, both on the distant hill) for 300 metres to a hidden stile in a small corner of the far hedge. In following field, cross the centre to a gate and stile in 250 metres in the far corner and continue forward across further field for 300 metres to hedge and ditch. Turn right for 150 metres to follow ditch on your left to join a crossing bridleway. [SO 8226 3784]

[A] The marsh is a large flat, and is said to be the last remains of the great tidal estuary of the Severn above Gloucester. It was formerly about 10,000 acres in extent; the question of draining it was agitated nearly two centuries ago. In 1763 Brindley, the celebrated engineer, made a survey, and another was made in 1788 by a Mr. Hall, but nothing came of it. Between 1861 and 1866 drainage operations were carried on under the Land Drainage Act, but the machinery entirely broke down in 1866. In 1868 operations had ceased. The marsh was enclosed in 1872 and later drained.

[3] To reduce the walk to 5 miles you can take the alternative route from here. To continue the main route turn left along the bridleway (a grass farm track) that eventually becomes a stone track and follow it uphill for 500 metres to join minor road at Drinkwaters Farm. Turn right along road for 350 metres to reach Hill End Farm. At Hill End Farm turn right down access driveway to soon go through gates into and then out of riding establishment yard. Continue forward to go over fence in hedge and follow hedge on your left downhill for 100 metres before bearing diagonally right to cut-off field left corner. At hedge corner, just before copse to your right front, cross carefully over rather rickety footbridge through hedge and across ditch. Continue forward across centre of field for 250 metres to gap and farm bridge on far side. Continue across next field to hedge corner in 150 metres and follow that hedge, on your right, to copse and path junction. [SO 8270 3762]

To shorten the route to 5 miles turn right along grass track with copse to your left for 200 metres before passing through gap on your left at the end of the copse. Now bear right to cut off the corner of the field to hedge corner in 200 metres. Follow hedge on your right for 100 metres to path junction at beginning of another copse and re-join main route at waypoint [4].

[4] On reaching copse turn left and follow copse on your right for 100 metres and pass through a silver gate into a field. Now bear diagonally left across field for 200 metres to find a derelict stile at a gap in the centre of the far hedge. Pass the stile and bear slightly right to go uphill, aiming a little to the left of the large house which is actually a Tudor styled barn built in the 1980s, to find a stile in 200 metres into a wooden-fenced alleyway. Follow alleyway for 150 metres into the grounds of Eastingham Hall. [NB As of Aug 2020 a more attractive footpath shown on the OS map and providing views of Eastington Hall is in dispute with the landowner and the following route needs to be followed]. When wooden fenced alleyway ends, continue forward following earth path through trees and between large ponds to join main driveway in 200 metres. Turn right down poplar tree-lined driveway for 300 metres to join minor road – use a stile a little to the right of the main gates which are usually closed. Turn right along road for 30 metres and then right through kissing gate and cross field to footbridge ahead. Follow the vague path with a stream to your left for 250 metres finally bearing right to cross a stile into a very large field. Over stile turn left and follow wood edge on your left for 400 metres to go through farm gate and join cindered farm track. Go along farm track with wood on your left for 450 metres to reach farm gates onto gravel farm road. Turn right along farm road for 150 metres eventually passing through the edge of the farm yard. At track junction turn left and follow round to join metalled driveway to your front left. Bear left down driveway for 350 metres to reach main road, B4211. [SO 8384 3705]

[B] Eastington Hall is based on a late Thirteenth Century Manor House, itself built on the site of the medieval village of Eastington. It was owned by the Eastington Family until 1523. The hall remained largely unaltered from the Fifteenth Century to 1911, when it was renovated and enlarged to the form seen today. During the 1920’s, Radcliffe Hall wrote part of “The Well of Loneliness” from Eastington, and the Hall was also used to store some of the treasures of the Tate Gallery during the Great War. The timber frame building, constructed principally of stone under a tiled roof, is Listed Grade I and in Pevsner’s words is described as “a splendid piece of timber framed architecture”. The previous owner undertook a comprehensive programme of careful and sympathetic restoration and improvements to the Hall, cottages, outbuildings and grounds. As a consequence Eastington provides a rare opportunity to live a substantial house of architectural and historic significance in complete comfort.

[5] Cross road and turn right to follow the pavement for 400 metres to find farm gate on your left – no finger post on 8 Aug 20 – soon after road crosses a stream. Turn left through farm gate and then bear right across centre of field for 300 metres, aiming for the church spire ahead, to reach farm gate just to the right of a riding school field. Continue forward towards church spire through second farm gate and immediately a kissing gate and soon a pedestrian gate into the church yard. Continue forward, with the church to your right and go down very steep steps to join main road, B4211. Turn right along main road, going round several bends, for 200 metres before turning left down minor road to village hall and your cars. [SO 8368 3620]