Lacock pleasure garden walk
This gentle walk takes you from the village where the TV series Cranford was filmed, over the remains of long-gone 17th-century water gardens as well as giving you some stunning views of the Abbey, not seen from within the Abbey grounds. Livestock and horses may be grazing in some of the fields, please control your dog when walking. Kindly written by Ian Clements.
Please book ahead before visiting
The car park, Abbey grounds and Stables Café at Lacock are open and you need to
book tickets before you visit. Members can book for free, while non-members will need to pay when booking. We'll be releasing tickets every Friday. Please note we’ll be turning people away who arrive and haven't booked. We're looking forward to welcoming you back.
Map
Start:
Hither Way car park
1
From the main car park entrance cross Hither Way and take the path through the trees to the village. Pass the entrance to Lacock Abbey and the Fox Talbot Museum on your right and continue into the High Street, passing the National Trust shop on your right.
2
At the War Memorial turn right into West Street and then right again into Church Street.
3
Just before St Cyriac’s church, turn left into a small lane named Nethercote, (the name is inscribed on the wall of the corner cottage). Cross the packhorse bridge and bear right up the lane.
4
A little way up, by the salt box, there is a wooden five bar gate, with adjacent wooden pedestrian gate (not signposted footpath). Go through the pedestrian gate and continue on the enclosed path. Cross the stile at the end into field.
5
Go ahead, slightly to the right, to cross the metal-railed bridge over the Bide Brook (there are metal stiles to the sides of the gate).
6
Now, head straight across a large field to cross a stile in the fence opposite that runs between the River Avon and the stone perimeter wall of Lacock Abbey. You may see some of the dips and bumps indicating the 17th-century water gardens that once existed here.
7
Walk between the river and the abbey building until you come to the end of the stone ha-ha (small wall) that separates you from Lacock Abbey. Turn half right, away from the river and gradually walking away from Lacock Abbey, to a wooden five bar gate with an adjacent pedestrian gate.
8
Go through the pedestrian gate and you'll see the National Trust car park to your left.
End:
Hither Way car park
