WILLIAM Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564 and died there in 1616 writes JULIE ROYLE.

His birthplace soon became a place of literary pilgrimage, but it was not until 1769 that the phenomenon, which is Stratford tourism really began.

A Shakespeare festival staged that year proved to be the catalyst which transformed an attractive but unremarkable small town into a tourist honeypot second only to London.

Stratford now welcomes more than 3.5 million tourists a year. Top of the list for most visitors are the Shakespeare properties, five picturesque houses with Shakespeare connections. But you don't have to be a Shakespeare fan to enjoy Stratford, which has been a market town since 1169.

Nothing survives from that time, but there are masses of Tudor buildings, and a few from earlier periods, while elegant Georgian houses confer further distinction on the townscape.

Stratford's charms are also enhanced by the presence of the River Avon and the Stratford Canal, and there are pleasant walks beside both.

The canal plays a large part in this walk, which visits the two out-of-town Shakespeare properties, Anne Hathaway's Cottage at Shottery and Mary Arden's House at Wilmcote.

You may wish just to admire them from the outside. If you do go inside, excellent value is obtained by buying a multi-ticket, which gives access to all five Shakespeare houses. You don't have to visit them all on one day because the ticket is valid for a year. And don't be put off by those 3.5 million tourists - most come in the summer and September is surprisingly quiet.

The village of Shottery has now been swallowed up by Stratford, but still retains some character. Anne Hathaway's Cottage is a timber-framed, thatched farmhouse which was Anne's home until she married Shakespeare in 1582.

It remained in her family until 1892, when it was purchased by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The interior is furnished as it would have been in her day, mostly with pieces which actually belonged to the Hathaway family. It's set in a traditional English garden with an orchard, and close to a modest but lovely terrace of brick cottages not even noticed by most visitors. There are also some timbered cottages tucked away on Tavern Lane and beside the footpath linking Church Lane and Cottage Lane.

Wilmcote is a former quarrying village which also happens to have been the birthplace of Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust owns two neighbouring farmhouses, previously known as Mary Arden's House and Glebe Farm. In 2000 it was discovered that Mary Arden had actually lived at Glebe Farm. So that is now known as Mary Arden's House and its neighbour has been rechristened Palmer's Farm. Both form part of the Shakespeare Countryside Museum, which comprises a range of displays and attractions, including an organic farm with rare breeds, such as longhorn cattle and Gloucester old spot pigs.

DIRECTIONS

Begin at Waterside, near the foot of Bridge Street, where the Stratford Canal meets the River Avon in waterside gardens. Join the canal towpath and head towards Wilmcote, changing sides at bridge 68.

It's a pleasant walk along the towpath, especially once Stratford is left behind and you pass the 11 locks of the Wilmcote Flight. Quite soon after the final lock you'll come to bridge 59, where you go up to Station Road and turn left into Wilmcote. Walk past Mary Arden's House to the village green and turn left on Church Road.

Turn left again after 400m, on Manor Drive, and then follow a track through fields towards canal bridge 60. Turn right just before the bridge, joining a field-edge path. Eventually, you have to cross a footbridge and two stiles, beyond which is bridge 61. Don't rejoin the towpath, but turn right by a field edge.

After going through an open gateway, the path continues parallel with the canal through two more fields before turning right at the end of the second. Keep going in the same direction to meet a farm track. Turn left to the A46 and cross with great care.

The path continues opposite, leading to another road. Cross, turn left and then first right on Heron Lane. Shortly turn left on Plover Close, walk to the end of it and turn right on a footpath.

Turn right when you come to Shottery Brook, follow it to a road and keep straight on opposite, to the left of a school. The brook is on your left at first but soon disappears. Cross over when you come to Alcester Road, turn left, and then right on Church Lane.

Turn right on a footpath by Church Cottage, follow it to Cottage Lane and turn left. Join another footpath opposite Anne Hathaway's Cottage, cross Shottery Brook and turn right. Walk to Church Lane, cross to Bell Lane and then go straight on along Tavern Lane.

Join a footpath when Tavern Lane bends right. Alternatively, continue a little further along the lane to another footpath. Whichever you choose, the two paths soon merge, passing to the left of a school to reach a junction marked by a signpost. There is a choice of two paths here: either will take you to the town centre.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be correct at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss or injury, however caused.

factfile

Start: Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, grid reference SP205548.

Length: 71/2 miles/12km.

Maps: OS Explorer 205, OS Landranger 151.

Terrain: towpath and field paths; no hills; one busy road-crossing with fast-moving traffic.

n Stiles: 3.

n Parking: Stratford.

n Public transport: quickest on Sundays, when Woodstones Coaches 166 operates direct to Stratford; on weekdays go by bus or train to Evesham and change to Stagecoach 28, or go all the way by train, via Birmingham; call Traveline 0870 608 2608 or Rail Enquiries 08457 484950, or log on to www.traveline.org.uk or www.nationalrail.co.uk

Refreshments: Stratford, Wilmcote and Shottery.