GPS Cycle and Walking Routes

Himley Hall Walks

1 miles (1.6 km)

This walk explores Himley Hall Park, near the village of Himley in Staffordshire.
The historic 18th century hall is surrounded by wonderful ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland. Here you can enjoy woodland trails, a large lake, waterfalls, streams, a ha-ha, a nine-hole public golf course and a small log cabin cafe which is open for hot food and drinks.
The hall sits right next to Baggeridge Country Park where you will find a series of pretty pools and more woodland trails.

Postcode

DY3 4DF - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

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Himley Hall OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Himley Hall Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Dog Walking

The woodland and parkland trails are ideal for dog walking. You will probably see other owners on your visit.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

The hall is located just east of Wombourne where you can pick up the popular Wombourne Railway Walk and cycle or walk along the old railway line.
To the north there's another historical house at the National Trust's Wightwick Manor. The Victorian manor house is surrounded by some beautiful gardens and includes some pleasant waterside trails along the adjacent Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. Just up the canal from here is the wildlife rich Smestow Valley Nature Reserve.
Nearby there's the village of Perton where there's a nice cyling and walking trail along the River Penk which runs between two pretty lakes. You can then go on to explore the attractive countryside around the historic Wrottesley Park and Wrottesley Hall.

Photos

Himley Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1464721

The former family residence of the Earls of Dudley, which also served as a meeting place for royalty and members of high society, is now a glitzy location for civil wedding ceremonies, receptions, and other special occasions. It also offers indulgent afternoon teas, prestigious conference spaces, and guided tours.

Castle Courtyard. - geograph.org.uk - 174687

The hall used to be a moated manor house that stood next to the mediaeval church. The Lords of Dudley and their knights lived there for more than four centuries as a secondary residence. Dud Dudley, whose experiments smelting iron ore with coal were conducted nearby in the 17th century, was one of its residents. During the English Civil War, King Charles I camped there in 1645 before being routed at the Battle of Naseby.

Hall Birds - geograph.org.uk - 3481141

Hall Birds by the lake. The present hall was built in the 18th century when John Ward destroyed the old manor to create room for a magnificent Palladian palace. At this time, the Himley village was moved, and the parish church was rebuilt in 1764 on its current location. The most recent Earls of Dudley are buried in a private cemetery behind this church.

Himley Waterfall - geograph.org.uk - 362926

Himley Waterfall. Stream beside the path to Baggeridge Park from Himley Hall.

Himley Park - geograph.org.uk - 3473104

Himley Park. John Ward, Junior, who succeeded his father after his death in 1774, hired Capability Brown to remodel the 180 acres (730,000 m2) of parkland. Brown's ideas from 1779 were altered to include a lake that would be irrigated by a series of waterfalls that would flow from a higher chain of smaller pools.

Himley Ha-ha - geograph.org.uk - 3481429

Himley Ha-ha. Himley Park, which is located on the grounds of Himley Hall, was built in the 1970s and today receives more than 200,000 visitors annually. It has a sizable lake, a hill with numerous wooded paths, and open parks. It is widely renowned for having a flourishing duck population.

Island Pool in Baggeridge Country Park near Wombourne, Staffordshire - geograph.org.uk - 2685121

Island Pool in Baggeridge Country Park near Wombourne, Staffordshire

Crop field south-east of Wombourne, Staffordshire - geograph.org.uk - 2687307

Crop field south-east of Wombourne, Staffordshire

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Himley Hall.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Share>Save to Files')