CountryWalks: Take to the hills but don't miss church; NORTHEND BURTON DASSETT HILLS - 3 1/2 miles Map 206 Explorer.

Byline: Ron Weston

THIS hilly walk around the Burton Dassett Hills also features a visit to the 12th-century church at Burton Dassett and a peep at the village of Northend.

John Kimbell died more than 500 years ago but is still remembered by the village which fed and sheltered him when he was down and out.

Each Christmas the older residents receive a gift from his legacy.

HOW TO GET THERE FROM Coventry follow the A423 to Princethorpe and turn right on to the Fosse Way. Continue over the motorway at Chesterton and turn left at the island on to the B4100.

Go on through Gaydon for two miles and turn left at a sign for Burton Dassett. Turn left at a sign for Northend and park near the Red Lion on the right. GR390 523

WALK on along Bottom Street to pass the War Memorial on the right and in about 180 yards turn right over a stile into a farmyard.

Enter the field ahead and follow the hedge on your right to exit on to the road.

Turn left for 100 yards and turn right over a stile to follow the hedge on the right to the far corner of the field.

Turn left and just before the next corner cross a stile on the right and turn diagonal left to clip the corner of the field and join the road over a stile.

Turn right and at the first road on the left turn right into an unclassified road and follow it past the farm.

Continue to a gate across your path and bear right with the hedge to pass a stone barn on the right.

When the track turns left, turn right through a kissing gate and follow the wire fence until it veers to the right.

Go on along the foot of the hill to pass through the next gate and turn diagonal right to the corner and go out to the road. Turn left to the bend and left again into a short lane.

Walk on over three stiles to enter the foothills and bear diagonal right past the way mark posts to a stile in the hedgeline.

Follow the arrow past the bushes on your left and climb between the fold of the hills to the unseen road at the top.

Go ahead on the road to pass the beacon on your right and exit from the park at the parking kiosk.

Go forward on the road and fork right at the sign for Burton Dassett Church and cross the cattle grid to visit the ancient church a few yards ahead.

Return to the cattle grid and turn left along the hedge on the left and veer gently right to continue between a wide avenue of trees to reach the road.

Cross over to maintain direction along the foot of Beacon Hill to reach a fenced wood on the left.

It is vital to stay close to the wood and at the end turn left over a waymarked stile.

Descend with the hedge on your left over three stiles and at the bottom turn left and right to a cul-de-sac.

Cross over next to house No 4 and follow the path to exit into the car park of the Red Lion.