Talk:Monarch's Way

Category

Having done minor edits to a couple of villages on the path I wondered about creating a Category:Monarch's Way for such villages. This does not seem to have been done for this or other paths. Any opinions either way? Pterre (talk) 15:37, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

That keen, huh? I'm feeling bold. Pterre (talk) 13:48, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Route Description

I have replaced the deleted image of the waymark sign with one I took on a walk today & added a very brief overview of the route. I was wondering if wikipedians who know different sections could add more detailed descriptions of their local sections. A team of us did this this, using the talk page as a sandbox, for the South West Coast Path which is now a Good Article. I will start an outline below & ask anyone who might be interested to add to it. NB my only real knowledge is of the route in north Somerset.— Rod ^talk 21:31, 26 August 2008 (UTC)

A great resource for the route with loads of photos of the Monarchs way in sequence has been put together on geograph (ie CC licencing so we can use them) at page 1 & page 2.— Rod ^talk 15:28, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

Sandbox for route description

Feel free to add to this - either just listing key settlements & places of interest or adding prose, pictures etc.

Now moved to article for further editing

===Worcester to Stratford-upon-Avon via Boscobel (175 miles (282 km))===

Worcester Droitwich, Chaddesley Corbett, Hagley, Stourton, Wombourne, Oaken, Boscobel

Kemberton, Norton, Moseley Hall, Bentley,

Monarch's Way following the towpath of the Anson Branch Canal

The Monarch's Way picks up the closed Anson Branch Canal. This section of the Monarch's Way follows the canal system through the heart of the Black Country

Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Headless Cross, Alcester, Wootton Wawen, Snitterfield, Welcombe Hills Country Park

Finally following the canal until it joins the River Avon in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Stratford-upon-Avon to Charmouth (210 miles (338 km))

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon is the start of this leg of the Monarch's Way. Following the west bank of the River Avon south and passing Holy Trinity Church, with its connections to William Shakespeare. Crossing both the River Avon then the River Stour near to Stratford racecourse. The path then follows the route of the old railway line to Long Marston. Leaving east on the route of the Heart of England Way and passing through Lower Quinton and Upper Quinton to meet with the Centenary Way which it follows east round Meon Hill at the start of the Cotswolds. Leaving the Centenary Way in a south westerly direction it enters Gloucestershire and passes Hidcote Manor Garden, owned by the National Trust, before rejoining the Heart of England Way. The path crosses Campden Tunnel on the Cotswold railway line and enters the market town of Chipping Campden.

Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Northleach, Cirencester, Tetbury, Chipping Sodbury, Wick.

River Chew

The Monarch's Way enters Somerset, having crossed the River Avon at Keynsham, where it diverts from the route taken by Charles II into Bristol and instead runs alongside the River Chew, where it shares the route with the Two Rivers Way, through the Chew Valley to Chewton Keynsham, Compton Dando and Woollard. It then croses the river at Pensford and turns north to Norton Malreward, skirting the prehistoric henge monument of Stanton Drew stone circles, the second largest stone circle in Britain, and travels along Dundry Down to the village of Dundry. From Dundry there is a northerly loop to Abbots Leigh where Charles II stayed on the night of 12 September 1651. The path then returns to Dundry and heads turns south to Winford and passes Regil before passing between Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon Lake to Compton Martin, where it climbs up into the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, passing East Harptree before entering the Forestry Commission plantation Stock Hill. On leaving the woods the path skirts the Priddy Mineries and Priddy Pools Site of Special Scientific Interest and continues south to Wookey Hole before entering the city of Wells, where it passes the Cathedral and Bishop's Palace.

South of Wells the Monarch's Way crosses the River Sheppey and passes through Twinhills Woods and Meadows before entering North Wootton, continuig across the Somerset Levels and the A361 and A37 roads to Hornblotton. It then crosses the River Alham and travels east crossing the River Brue and the A371 before entering Castle Cary.

South Cadbury, Ham Hill, Crewkerne.

Hawkchurch, Charmouth

Charmouth to Shoreham (225 miles (362 km))

From Charmouth the Monarch's Way follows the South West Coast Path east along the Jurassic Coast of Dorset past St Gabriel's Mouth, over Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast,, through Seatown, over Thorncombe Beacon and past Eype's Mouth to West Bay. From here it heads north up the River Brit to Bridport, swinging west and north to Pilsdon, briefly joining the Wessex Ridgeway eastwards before reaching Broadwindsor. From here it continues eastwards to the north of Beaminster, before zig-zagging north and east to Winyard's Gap near Chedington, where it meets the head of the River Parrett Trail.

Continuing north the path enters Somerset and passes Hardington Marsh, swinging east from Hardington Mandeville to East Coker and then north through Yeovil and Mudford.

Crossing the River Yeo and back into Dorset, the path passes through Trent before skirting north of Sherborne to Sandford Orcas.

Re-entering Somerset the path passes to the south of Corton Denham to Charlton Horethorne and South Cheriton, then north to pass under the A303 to Wincanton. From here it continues north-east to Penselwood.

After crossing the Stour Valley Way and River Stour, the path enters Wiltshire at Zeals. From here it crosses the A303 dual carriageway and passes Zeals House before reaching Mere, passing West Knoyle and climbing Cleeve Hill. Crossing the A350, the path continues east to Hindon, Berwick St. Leonard, Fonthill Bishop and Great Wishford. Here it crosses the River Wylye to Stoford before heading north and east near Stapleford, to cross the A360, dropping down into the valley of the Avon at Middle Woodford before crossing at Lower Woodford. Traversing the country to the north of Salisbury, the path next crosses the A345 and the River Bourne at Winterbourne Dauntsey. After passing Figsbury Ring the path crosses the A30, to follow the course of the former Roman road from Winchester to Old Sarum. As it approaches Middle Winterslow, the path is joined by the Clarendon Way, the two paths following the Roman road over the county boundary.

View from the Monarch's Way on the flank of Beacon Hill across the Meon Valley towards Old Winchester Hill

The Bat and Ball Inn at Broadhalfpenny Down

Entering Hampshire, the Monarch's Way and Clarendon Way continue to run together over the chalk through Broughton, crossing the River Test at Houghton. East of the Test the Clarendon Way continues east towards King's Somborne, whilst the Monarch's Way joins the Test Way, heading south down the Test Valley along the bed of the former Sprat and Winkle Line past Horsebridge. The two paths re-cross the Test to Mottisfont, heading south to cross the River Dun at Kimbridge, where the Test Way continues south and the Monarch's Way heads east to cross the Test again to the Bear & Ragged Staff and climbs to Michelmersh. From here eastwards for many miles the route skirts the northern rim of the Tertiary sediments of the Hampshire Basin, alternating between chalk downs to the north and heaths and woodland to the south. From Braishfield, the route crosses the wet clay of Ampfield Wood, passing through the hamlet of Knapp to the north of Ampfield, before heading for Hursley. The path continues east through the hamlets of Bunstead and Silkstead, passing under the M3 and passing the station at Shawford. Here the path crosses the Itchen Way before crossing the River Itchen to Twyford. West of Twyford the path crosses more chalk downs, now part of the South Downs, to Owslebury, before using short sections of Roman road in places to reach Upham. East of Upham the path heads northward for some miles, before joining the South Downs Way (and briefly the Wayfarers Walk) heading east. At Beacon Hill, the Monarch's Way takes a route north of the hill to Warnford, whilst the South Downs Way splits into alternative routes to Warnford or Exton. After crossing the River Meon and A32 the two routes rejoin further east before climbing Old Winchester Hill. To the east the routes diverge, with the South Downs Way continuing eastwards and the Monarchs Way heading south to the Bat & Ball Inn, Clanfield, then west past Broadhalfpenny Down towards Hambledon, before again striking east to Horndean. After crossing the town and A3(M), the path crosses The Holt to Rowland's Castle, where it passes the station.

File:ArundelCastleWall.JPG

Arundel Castle

Entering West Sussex with the Sussex Border Path at Stansted Park, the Monarch's Way passes through Walderton and Stoughton, crossing Stoughton Down to West Dean. Here it crosses the A286 and River Lavant before climbing to the Trundle, on top of St Roche's Hill. Continuing east along a ridge the path passes Goodwood Racecourse and Goodwood Country Park. East of Goodwood the route diverts briefly north towards East Dean before heading south-east to Eartham. Here the path heads north-east along a section of Stane Street through Eartham Wood, before passing through the neolithic camp below Glatting Beacon and heading east down to the River Arun at Houghton. Remaining west of the river past South Stoke, it heads south through the park of Arundel Castle to the town of Arundel, where it crosses the Arun to Warningcamp. From here it continues east across the parish of Patching to Findon, passing near Cissbury Ring and climbing to meet the South Downs Way above Steyning for a short distance. Passing to the south of Steyning it crosses the River Adur at Bramber to Upper Beeding. After crossing Beeding Hill and Thundersbarrow Hill the path approaches the northern edge of the built-up area near Mile Oak, before doubling sharply back to the north of the A27 to continue east across the downs, before heading south down the former route of the Devil's Dyke railway towards West Blatchington. Crossing the built-up area south-eastwards towards Hove, it crosses Hove Park near Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium, before zig-zagging through the streets of Brighton to Brighton Pier. From here it runs westwards along the sea-front through Hove and Portslade, to Shoreham-by-Sea.

References

Following canals?

Several parts of the route from Worcester to Stratford-upon-Avon via Boscobel are described as "following the canal". My understanding is that most of the canals were built in the second half of the 18th century - long after the exploits of 1651 - so I wonder if there is a better wording or some explanation that the Monarch's Way differs from the original route because of the need to cross the subsequently constructed canals (or similar)?— Rod ^talk 13:15, 17 May 2009 (UTC)

Canals, railways and industrial heritage

I have added a comment to the text to explain that the Monarch's Way is an approximation of the king's escape route using public rights of way. Little of the countryside would be as it was when the king passed by. In the 17th and 18th centuries the common land and open fields were enclosed. The late 18th century saw canals built with more built in the first half of the 19th century. The turnpike roads were built in the early 19th century. The second half of the 19th century saw the start of railway construction though one of the railways used by the walk dates from the early 20th century. The industrial revolution and coal mining transformed the Black Country where villages and hamlets became towns in their own right. Using canals and disused railways allows an insight into the development and industrial heritage along the route.

John M1d (talk) 18:48, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

CfD nomination of Category:Monarch's Way

Category:Monarch's Way has been nominated for deletion, merging, or renaming. You are encouraged to join the discussion on the Categories for discussion page. Peter James (talk) 21:07, 1 March 2016 (UTC)

External links modified

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Waymarks' background colour

The waymarks are certainly not all yellow, as the article implies. I was on part of the MW today and there were blue backgrounds. I suspect the footpath parts are yellow and the bridleway parts blue, and there may be other colours of course.--109.156.179.219 (talk) 18:46, 16 September 2020 (UTC)

Good point. In the absence of a source for the colour scheme I redid that sentence in the intro without stating any colour. --Wire723 (talk) 08:21, 17 September 2020 (UTC)