Walk description:
This 2.7 mile walk, all on paved paths, takes us through Redditch parkland and the old village of Ipsley. No stiles and mostly flat with a bit of a climb up to Ipsley church.
The starting point was the Broad Ground Road car park, B98 8YS.

Walk details:
Starting from the Visitor Centre main gate, with your back to the gate, turn right and follow the lakeside, keeping it on your right, for about half a mile down to the pointed end of the lake. Here maintain direction, leaving the lake, and now look for a paved path so you can follow the river, keeping that on your right. This path takes you under a main road, passing a basket ball court on your left.

Further along the path becomes a minor road with woodland either side until it reaches an elbow bend left by the whitewashed Ipsley Mill house. Take this bend left and walk uphill towards Ipsley church. Towards the top of the hill, just before the church, by a footpath sign turn right, then veer left to maintain direction and you will get a prospect over the park and beyond, with a well placed bench to admire the view.

This path soon reaches a junction by the church and here you turn right and follow the path downhill, soon turning left to take the subway under Icknield Street Drive.
You will reach a byroad and a postbox. Passing the postbox on your right turn right to follow the minor road downhill. Soon you will pass the Old Rectory on your left and Tysoe Close on your right, further down noting Battens Farm. (Battens Farm was originally situated in Winyates - click here for information)

At the bottom of the hill where the road turns left into Wolverton Close follow a paved path straight ahead which soon turns left by a blue footpath sign pointing to Ipsley Middle School. You will then have a high wooden fence on your left and woodland on your right. At a junction of paths turn right and go under the subway. Now turn left along another paved path with woodland on your left and houses on your right until you reach a wide gap in a brick wall which takes you into the estate by house no 27. When you reach the end of this road you will see it is called Pembridge Close. Turn left until you reach a blue sign where you cross the road and over some grass, veering left towards a subway where you can see the garage on the road above you.

Follow the path out of the subway, curving round to the right to reach the garage. Cross a section of forecourt to reach a paved path which passes the garage on your right with the main road, Battens Drive, below you and heading towards woodland. Keep the woodland on your left until you reach another paved path on the left and you are now heading back into the park with woodland on your left and grassland and trees on you right. Follow the path until you reach a junction by a bench, litter bin and marker posts. Look out for the sign Tovey Corner, commemorating Lizzie Tovey (click here for information). At this junction turn right. You will pass a dog running field on your left and a bench on your right, then go through woodland before you emerge into a grassy area. Keep following the paved path round to the left, finally reaching a large junction of paths. Turn left and you will get back to the Visitor Centre.