Here you'll find directions for section 4 of the Blackwater Valley Path.
Distance: 2 miles
1 Hollybush Pits
- Bear right along the riverside path to North Camp station
- The left track leads to lakes, leased to the Farnborough and District Angling Association, known as Hollybush Pits.
2 Pass North Camp station
- After crossing the river, the path joins the pavement opposite the Old Ford pub and North Camp station
Station link: to North Camp
- Turn left, then cross over Station Road and follow the footpath through the underpass
3 Cross the railway line
- Follow the large footbridge over the Blackwater Valley Relief Road
- Keep the bridge to our left and rejoin the path at the end of the old road
- Turn right, passing through a small clump of trees
- The path runs by the road as it rises to cross the railway line
- Take the ramp down, cross the river and left under the road bridge
4 Gerry’s Copse
- Either continue along the path beside the river or cross over the bridge into Gerry’s Copse, where a bridge at the other end of the site rejoins the path
Gerry’s Copse was planted in 1996 with many Willow, Alder and Hazel. These will be coppiced (cut) to provide material such as hedging stakes
5 On to Coleford Bridge
- Keep left and follow the path into a small woodland
- This path eventually takes you over a river bridge, through another small woodland and onto Coleford Bridge
The Alder trees in these small woodlands each have a number of trunks, a sure sign of coppicing in the past. The trees are getting old and are now important for wildlife – look for the many woodpecker holes
