From the Estate Shop or the Terrace at the Country Club, follow the signs for the Parkland through the Walled Garden to the gate in the wall. Once through the gate, follow the path to the left until the path ends with the Deer Park in front of you and a bench on your right. Turn right here and the lectern will be in front of you. From Swinton Park, turn right out of the Turret and walk up the hill with the aviary on your right, head along the yew avenue until you get to the hand gate, and the lectern will be in front of you.
Walk up the slope with the Deer Park on your left, you will normally see the deer grazing nearby. You will reach a fork in the path and from here you fork right so that Coffin Pond is on your left. There is a Bird Hide on your right you are welcome to visit. Look out for the Anglo Saxon coffins under the trees on your right and the old boathouse. Follow the path over the bridge and up the hill to reach the next fork.
Go straight on, following the signs to Top Lake. Ignore the turning on your left and continue straight, the path will bring you to the Top Lake information lectern. From here continue in an anti-clockwise direction with the lake on your left.
You will go past various follies such as the archways and Druid’s seats at and shortly after the walk to Quarry Gill starts. Ignore this right hand turn and continue with the lake on your left and go over the bridge.
You will then go past the hand ferry that takes you to the Island and Lake House (available to hire for parties, events and picnics). After this the path leads into a field, where you will see a distinct building on the hill above you on the right, which is The Mount. Keep the lake on your left and at the end of the field, go through the gate and over the bridge.
From here you have a choice of returning to the start by taking the left hand fork, which takes you past the standing stones at the water’s edge and onwards until you reach the Top Lake lectern where you need to turn right to return to the start. Alternatively you can take the right hand fork and continue through the woods on the path that will take you back to the start of the walk.
