Footpath Number 11

Start: Footpath 2, Cudbury Clump

End: Blackwater Airfield

Distance: 4 miles

The Welsh Drive is an historic route, originally part of a much longer route used by cattle drovers to bring their animals from Wales to the annual fair held in Blackwater. Starting at Cudbury Clump (see the end of Footpath 2) you leave what appears to be a gravelled path and turn left into the woods.

The path follows a pretty straight line and is usually quite dry, surrounded by pines trees at various stages of growth. You pass the paintballing camp on your left and continue straight over the “main” crossroads on the Heath onto a much wider track. A short way along the large gravel pit is on your right and you’ll pass what looks like an old weighbridge before reaching a pair of yellow gates that accesses Fleet Road. Cross the road and pass a large concrete “boulder”.

You are now crossing Busta Triangle and are penned in by two large lakes, the result of recent gravel extraction. Gorse bushes are vibrant in spring and provide a great backdrop to this part of the walk. You shortly reach the road at Coopers Hill, the footpath is clearly marked with more square concrete boulders either side of the road. 

Cross the road and you’ll see the Forestry Commission sign for Eversley Common wood. The path here is again sound underfoot and surrounded by more ex-gravel pit lakes, with warnings not to go swimming! Keep straight on at the junction with Footpath 13 (which turns left) and as the path reaches the edge of Blackbush Car Auctions premises it turns left and becomes narrower and more muddy. You can continue along this path all the way along to the old Airstrip with its plethora of walks and access to other common areas, but these are outside of Eversley Parish and hence beyond the scope of this publication.