Bearwood to Canford Magna

This is one of the most disused parts of the Stour Valley Way. It mainly follows farm tracks and tarmac'd access lanes. It is a relatively easy walk though quite unexciting. The entrance/exit is about 200 yards from the Bear Hotel as you walk toward Longham bridge. While the path is signposted it is still easy to miss the entrance at either end.

Just off the road at Bearwood

I do not want to run the path down but while it is a pretty walk, at no point do you even come close to the River Stour, let alone walk along the banks.

The fenced path takes you through farmland and to its merit, it is a quiet walk. Very soon the drone of traffic dies away. There appear to be few users of the path. We saw none when we walked its length. I think if you were to go out walking with the express intent of doing a "river walk" you would find this path dissapointing. Even so it is a nice easy walk through attractive and open countryside, so if you fancy a walk that provides an element of solitude and quiet this may be more to your taste.

As you approach Canford Magna from Bearwood the land opens up into what appears to be an abandoned golf course. there are several well built notice boards in the area all of which now appear to have been abandoned. After you have walked past a small group of cottages along the path you come to a triangular shaped area. Be careful here. It is easy to follow the road round without noticing that actually the Stour Valley Way diverts across an active golf course and then into the grounds of Canford School. Watchout for the abandoned notice board with a roof. Walk across to the far hedge and you will see the waypointer for the Stour Valley Way.

You then walk along the edge of a Canford School Playing field and then cross an access road in the school. You continue on and through a gate and end up in a road in Canford Magna. This is to the rear of Canford School. I wanted to actually link this up to the walk described on THIS PAGE but we needed to get back and were unable to do so. Which was annoying because it can only have been another half a mile at the most

The well fenced path provides beautiful views over open farmland.

The only water you will come across on this section of the Stour Valley way is a small stream that flows along the edge of the Canford School playing field that you cross on your way towards the Canford Magna end of the path.

So, while it is a nice walk, its not one for those who want to see the river. I'll be doing it again soon because I want to do that last 400 to 800 yards and connect the paths together!

Along the path there are great views over open farmland, shaded by nearby trees

The Canford entrance to towards Bearwood, near the rear entrance to Canford School