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Exploring Stour & Avon… with Chris Slade (Tarrant Crawford)

Tarrant Crawford is a small parish so this walk is quite short, less than four miles, but (unless you’re a muggle) you might find up to 10 geocaches along the route.

Park in the lay-by on the B3075, close to where the Tarrant river crosses the road.
Head upstream along the bridleway/track north eastward alongside the pretty stream. You’ll see some old buildings at Tarrant Abbey Farm on your right.
Soon you’ll come to a bridge over the Tarrant.

After crossing it, visit the adjacent 12th-century church, which is always open.
Built in the days before stained glass became fashionable, it has many ancient and somewhat faded wall paintings.
There’s no electricity so the organist has to use pedals to pump air.

After leaving the church, head south along a bridleway passing the Abbey and heading uphill, then down to the road, which you cross, and then follow the edge of three fields until the bridleway turns left and heads east to meet the road.
Turn left and head north east, passing Crawford Farm to a junction where there is an ancient cross, restored more than a century ago.
Carry on north east and join a bridleway along a sunken track for half a mile, then at a junction, turn left for half a mile north west, enjoying the views.
The way descends into the valley and meets a bridleway next to the Tarrant. Turn left and head south, downstream, and soon you’ll come back to the church, from where you turn right and head south west back to your car.

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