Moss Valley Circular (4th February 2025)

With an improved forecast for the day and rain not expected until 3pm, 33 of us set off from Coal Aston Weslyan Reform Chapel heading to the upper parts of the Moss Valley and beyond.  The beyond was a visit to Oakes Park and its house at Norton with permission given from the landowners and current custodians of Oakes Park House.  Access through the park, which is private land, allowed Peter and Graham to link up public footpaths not previously known to have been used on our walks to create a circular walk and take in the history and features of this Georgian house and meet Dan Thaw who, with his wife, run a Christian activity centre there.

Our route from Coal Aston progressed through the fields to Nor Wood and Long Wood and on to Hazlebarrow Farm, built upon the site of Hazlebarrow Hall which was demolished in the early 19^th century.

From there to School Lane at Norton via the bridleway and crossing Norton Parkway.  Nor far from here Sir Francis Chantry was born at Jordanthorpe Farm and attended the local school that was situated on this lane, one of the schools endowed by the Gills and the Bagshawes, who were the owners of Oakes Park House.

Jeannie joined us here, where we passed the lodge and went through the gates to Oakes Park and through larger gates bearing the crest of the Bagshawe family who resided here until the 1980’s.

Our coffee break was on the picnic tables at the front of the house where Dan Thaw met us and gave us a brief insight into the history of the house and the work they have done and continue to do.  There’s an Open Day on Saturday 1^st March for anyone wishing to revisit.  We also visited the former stable block bearing the crest of the four families that have occupied the house.

After prising everyone away we continued on our route along footpaths passing the now demolished Grange Farm upon which now stand detached houses. Across the parkway once more and to the top end of Newfield Spring Wood.

Familiar footpaths now returned us to Hazlebarrow Farm where we more or less retraced our route back to Coal Aston, pausing briefly as we met the old farm track of Cross Lane to look back at the stately Georgian mansion sitting magnificently on the horizon we had just visited.

With moisture now in the air and thickening cloud it was looking as though the fresh breeze we had experienced might be bringing an earlier than forecast shower.