Discover Rutland – Heritage Trail 6 – Mysterious Mazes and Vanished Villages

We need to look out for a footpath on the right as the road veers to the left. Cross over a metal gate into a pasture field. Heading towards the left, we walk around the edge of the field, looking out for a stile in the hedge-line.

Crossing the stile, we then need to turn right, to walk along the hedge and a stream towards a footbridge at the bottom of the field. Use the footpath here to cross the River Chater and head to the left. An opening in the left-hand hedge line takes us through into another field. Now we need to veer to our right and head towards the railway bridge we can see ahead of us.

We leave this field via another stile and walk left towards the railway bridge. Go through the gate and under the bridge. Immediately on the other side look for a footpath on the right, leading off between the railway line and a brick tower. We’re taking this narrow track to walk alongside the railway line. The path will emerge into a horse field. Keep to the right, close to the railway line, crossing over two fences to reach a stone driveway that leads over the railway tunnel to a tarmac road.

This road leads into Manton, emerging via South View Close onto Lyndon Road. Here we turn left and walk along the roadway, past Manton Grange and over the village crossroads. Carry straight on to reach the A6003. Crossing over with care, we make for a bridleway marked opposite, which starts as a stony farm track. We pass through the gate and follow a double line of trees across the ridge until we reach a dry stone wall and a pair of metal gates.

We turn left at the dry stone wall and walk downhill towards Fox Covert. Keeping the wall to our right, we follow the footpath through a gate and onto the wooded path. After a while the path swaps to the other side of the stone wall and eventually leads us out into open fields. Here we need to keep to the right-hand side of the hedge line and continue straight on.

Head for the gap in the hedge line ahead. Go through and make for a small stone bridge that crosses the River Chater. Cross over the bridge and a gate into a field. Veer to the left towards the hedge line and another metal gate. Go through this and continue to the left across the field. A stile and metal gate leads us into another field. Turn right towards some farm buildings and a metal gate. Go through this and turn to the left, following the edge of the field along and then to the right. Heading uphill we reach a stone farm track, cross this and continue uphill towards the hedge-line on the horizon and the gap in it that will lead us out onto the verge at the side of the A6003 just outside Preston.

We will need to walk a short walk along this verge until we reach the left-hand turn for Wing. Cross over the road with care and follow this road downhill to the village. A ¾ mile downhill walk, past Wing Grange, brings us to a small junction.

Here we turn right and climb uphill for a final 1⁄4 mile into the village of Wing, returning back to where we began..