Cotswold Way - Walk 14

Walk 14: Lansdown - Bath Abbey

[See the photos on Facebook]

22nd May 2013: The forecast for today offered the best chance for arriving in Bath without having got wet, so I seized the opportunity and Teasel and I set off from Lansdown Battlefield at 10:38am.

The path returns to the edge of the escarpment at Hanging Hill, with views over Bristol and the distant Welsh Hills beyond. The trig point on the prow of Hanging Hill (235m) has no view as it is enclosed by vegetation. The path follows the edge with views over the pleasant green valley of Pipley Bottom to Keynsham and a glimpse of the River Avon.

The track runs between a wood and a golf course before cutting across the golf course (on the site of a Roman Fort) to rejoin the escarpment along the top of Pipley Wood, and runs below the earthworks of a hill fort to the prow of Little Down, before cutting back across the fort to the edge of Bath Racecourse, and then following the edge round to the viewpoint and Topograph of Prospect Stile (the final Topograph of the walk). From here the conical hump of Kelston Round Hill is prominent.

The route drops down off the edge and heads towards Kelston Round Hill. There is access to the Hill by a Permissive Path, so we made the ascent and had a sandwich at the top by Kelston Clump. From here there are views over Bristol to the North West, and Bath to South East, and further South to the Mendips.

Descending Kelston Round Hill we rejoin the official route and continue along the spur of Dean Hill to Penn Hill. All the time the sprawl of Bath continues to grow below, and the Abbey (Journey's End) can be made out in the middle of the city. We drop down off the spur, though a playing field and emerge on Penn Hill Road in Weston on the outskirts of Bath.

The route manages to weave its way through quiet roads and alleyways through a field at Primrose Hill (which is applying for Village Green status) before ascending a stepped pathway to Sion Hill. Here we cross the Bath Approach Golf Course to emerge in Royal Victoria Park.

From here a knowledge of Central Bath is quite useful, as the way markers become small stickers on lampposts and bollards and are quite easily missed among the urban visual clutter. The official route passes in front of the famous Royal Crescent and around The Circus with its carved friezes before heading in to Central Bath until you arrive at the square containing Bath Abbey.

Here there is a carved circular stone marker marking the official end (or beginning if you're starting from Bath) of the Cotswold Way. It was installed in October 2012, but when I arrived there was some work going on to the slabs around it, so I wasn't able to have a final photo taken on top of it.

We finished the walk in Bath at 1:10pm without having been rained on for the entire route.

Walk Distance: 7.36 miles (11.8 km), 2h38m.

Cumulative Distance: 110.5 miles (177.8 km), 42h16m.

This walk completes The Cotswold Way in May!

Cotswold Way - Walk 13

Walk 13: Tormarton Interchange - Lansdown

[See the photos on Facebook]

21st May 2013: I was joined for this section by Helen and Minnie the dog.

We left the car park by the Tormarton Interchange at 10:13am. The route goes through fields by Beacon Lane Plantation. The motorway is hidden from view but the traffic noise makes its presence obvious. The path turns south and the traffic noise begins to die away. The path passes under a set of power lines that in 2004 were the scene of an art installation called "Field" consisting of dozens of fluorescent tubes planted in the ground. As dusk fell you could see them glowing.

Crossing a minor road the route continues down Field Lane and then skirts around the edge of the Dyrham Park Estate before descending into the village of Dyrham. Walking through Dyrham you pass the ornate gates of Dyrham Park with it's manicured lawn and grand house.

Leaving the village the path hops through a gap in the hedge to a tree with an impressive seat built all the way round it, and then continues through fields past Sands Farm nestled in a secluded green valley, past some small ponds and a larger pond that doesn't appear on the map, before climbing on a well constructed path through the Dyrham Wood blanketed in wild garlic. There is a seat here and a message box containing a book for passing walkers to leave notes.

The route crosses Gorse Lane, and a path has been made on the other side of the hedge so you don't have to walk along the road, and then after crossing a field emerges at the tiny village on Pennsylvania. Here we make the first crossing of the A46 for the day. Another couple of fields are crossed and we emerge on the A420 at the tiny collection of houses that makes up The Folly.

Crossing the A420 we follow a track to the church at Cold Ashton. This marks the 100th mile of our walk. We stopped for a sandwich on a bench outside the Old Rectory at Cold Ashton with pleasant views over the green valley to the south.

Continuing through Cold Ashton we re-cross the A46 for the last time and follow Greenway Lane downhill, past a nursery selling "special plants". The road becomes a path through fields, passes a fishing lake before climbing through fields to emerge on a track that brings you out at the site of the 1643 Battle of Lansdown, there are information panels an a monument to Sir Bevil Grenville who was mortally wounded in the battle.

We reached the layby by the battlefield, and the end of the walk at 1:53pm.

Walk Distance: 7.7 miles (12.4 km), 3h40m.

Cumulative Distance: 103.1 miles (165.9 km), 39h39m.

The final walk will take place on Wednesday 22nd May.

Cotswold Way - Walk 12

Walk 12: Hawksbury Upton - Tormarton Interchange

[See the photos on Facebook]

19th May 2013: Today I was joined by Duncan and Lindsay, who also joined me on my final Munro exactly 6 years ago to the day. The weather today was more clement.

We left the pool at Hawksbury Upton at 10:11am and followed the Way along Bath Lane (a track, that is clearly heading in the right direction), until it joins Highfield Lane, here a footpath has been made through the fields on the other side of the hedge so you don't have to walk along the road. Shortly the path cuts across a field with a derelict barn and enters the aptly named Walk Wood, above Horton Court. The Way has been re-routed here to pass over a hill fort, rather than continue to Horton along the road. We stopped on a bench perched on the edge of the escarpment for a sandwich.

Crossing the fort and descending into Horton you pass a folly constructed in the year 2000 as a nesting site for swallows and barn owls, and then enter the village of Horton next to the school. Cross the main road and almost immediately you leave the village again through fields to cross a small valley that has been dammed to make a reservoir. We crossed another field (one which was full of inquisitive cows) and emerged into Little Sodbury by a farm. Past the church and along the road for a bit before ascending through a wood to come out at another hill fort that I've seen many times from the A46 but never visited before.

The path crosses the middle of the fort and then cuts back down through the wood and across fields to emerge in Old Sodbury, again next to the school. Cross the road and go through the churchyard to emerge at a popular viewpoint (complete with Topograph). We stopped and had another sandwich here.

The path descends through a couple of fields to come out at the A432, which is crossed near The Old Dog Inn. Follow Chapel Lane for a short while before cutting across fields to reach a road at Coomb's End. Here the path enters the parkland of Dodington Park, currently owned by vaccuum cleaner salesman, James Dyson. The path ascends through grassy fields grazed by sheep (and one of them featuring a statue of a stag), and crosses the infant River Frome (which eventually flows into Bristol's Floating Harbour) before coming out at the busy A46.

A dash across the road and across many stone stiles brings us to the village of Tormarton, and after following an indirect route through the village past the Church the route leaves the village along Marshfield Lane, crossing the M4 before following tracks through the fields adjacent to the motorway, and recrossing the A46 to arrive at the car park by the Tormarton Interchange. We finished the walk at 2:39pm.

Walk Distance: 9.6 miles (15.5 km), 4h26m.

Cumulative Distance: 95.4 miles (153.5 km), 36h00m.

The next (penultimate) walk will be on Tuesday, 21st May. Tormarton Interchange to the site of the Battle of Lansdown. Overall there are 15 miles of the Way remaining.

Cotswold Way - Walk 11

Walk 11: North Nibley - Hawksbury Upton

[See the photos on Facebook]

18th May 2013: Teasel and I set of from North Nibley at 9:38am, along with Mark, Liz, William, George, Alice and Tess the dog, who were joining us for the start of the walk. The route crosses the B4060 and heads up a shady recessed track to ascend the slopes of Nibley Knoll. The official route ascends steep steps, but these have recently been closed by a landslip. The diversion follows the bridleway to the top of the escarpment and then cuts back towards the plateau and the Tyndale Monument. Here there are fine open views across the Severn Vale and the River Severn to the Severn Bridges.

The path now follows the edge and enters woodland arriving shortly at Brackenbury Hill Fort. Here Teasel and I carried on while our companions returned to North Nibley. The path emerges from the wood to follow the edge of a lush green field, and then begins to descend a spur towards Wotton-under-Edge. Perched on the end of the spur above the town is a stand of trees, on a spot originally planted in 1815 to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.

The path descends sharply to emerge back on the B4060 in Wotton, and passes through the town, and follows an alley to a churchyard before leaving the town along Valley Road, which becomes a path alongside a stream, which continues across a road to come out at Coombe. Here the route follows the road briefly, before striking steeply up a track to come back out on another road over Blackquarries Hill. After 1km of road walking a track cuts off right along the edge. Follow this arrive at a seat overlooking Tor Hill. Here we found a guidebook to the Cotswold Way, but soon caught up with its owners and were able to repatriate it.

The route enters a wood on Wortley Hill and begins descending on a forest track that soon becomes a miniature ravine with fallen trees spanning the top before emerging into fields by the village of Wortley. Cross the road and follow a mown path through a grassy field to a footbridge crossing a stream, then follow a track up to the village of Alderley. Here the route skirts around the bottom of Winner Hill to join a road running alongside Kilcott Brook. The road is followed for a mile and then the path heads uphill along another recessed track, through a field and Claypit Wood carpeted with bluebells.

The track along Clay Hill turns a slight bend and suddenly the Somerset Monument of the edge above Hawkesbury appears and soon we are by the base of it. Here a permissive path obviates the need to walk along to road and at 1:48pm we arrives at the reedy farm pool by Hawkesbury Upton.

Walk Distance: 10.6 miles (17.1 km), 4h10m.

Cumulative Distance: 85.8 miles (138.0 km), 31h25m.

The next walk will be Sunday 19th May. Hawksbury Upton to Tormarton Interchange. There's about 24 miles left to do.

Cotswold Way - Walk 10

Walk 10: Uley Bury - North Nibley

[See the photos on Facebook]

17th May 2013: We set off from Uley Bury at 8:05am. The early morning mist, which had lifted from surrounding areas was still lingering on Uley Bury and Cam Long Down, rendering them invisible. The route descends rapidly below the steep slopes of Uley Bury and emerges at Hodgecombe Farm. Cam Long Down rears up ahead, its summit in the mist. As we ascend steeply through fields to reach the trees on Cam Long Down bits of the surrounding escarpment begin to appear through the mist.

We reach the lumpy summit ridge of Cam Long Down - "one of the few places on the Way to offer an uninterrupted 360° view" - well not today as it's still wreathed in mist, offering only the occasional glimpse of the fields below. As we descend to the saddle between Cam Long Down and Peaked Down (Cam Peak), the mist starts to lift, giving views of Downham Hill.

The official route no longer goes over Cam Peak, but we nipped up it through the bluebells to look back at the emerging escarpment and onward past Dursley to Stinchcombe Hill. Then we returned to the official route which takes you through the fields to enter Dursley via Long Street, past the Market Hall and along the pedestrianised shopping street.

Passing the new Library and leaving Dursley on Hill Road (which is aptly named) we pass The Old Spot, venue for many Macaroni Penguins gigs (the next one is on 14th July), and then ascend sharply up the road and continue climbing to the plateau of Stinchcombe Hill via a wooded track. Emerging on the golf course by the Club House the path now follows a circuitous route around the golf course following the edge of the plateau. For three miles the paths weaves in and out of the woods ending up only 1/3 mile from the point where you first emerged. (Although to be fair the signposts do offer you the choice of shortcutting this part of the route). When you reach Drakestone Point the view improves, and the escarpment topped by the Tyndale Monument is clearly visible. There is also a Topograph, trig point and impressive stone bench here.

The plateau curves around Hollow Combe and then drops down along a wooded track, and continues through fields to cross a stream and a road (the B4060) before following a track lined with wild garlic that ascends into North Nibley. The hedgerows shield the views of the Monument until you arrive in the village. We finished the walk at 11:05am.

North Nibley is about two-thirds of the way along the Cotswold Way.

Walk Distance: 8.0 miles (12.9 km), 3h01m.

Cumulative Distance: 75.1 miles (121.0 km), 27h25m.

The next walk will probably be on Saturday, 18th May.

Cotswold Way - Walk 9

Walk 9: Dudbridge - Uley Bury

[See the photos on Facebook]

16th May 2013: We set off from Dudbridge at 8:43am on a lovely sunny morning, and picked up the Cotswold Way (Selsley Variation) at the crossing of the A419. The path heads into a large grassy field and begins a steady climb towards Selsley Common, and away from the busy road. For some reason the field has an isolated metal stile in it, and a substantial stone slab forming a bridge over a tiny stream.

In Selsley the route takes you along Pooles Lane and past the unusual All Saints Church, before heading onto Selsley Common - with its wild flowers, skylarks and absence of the usual cows - and climbing a spur to a Topograph and Long Barrow at the top.

The route leaves the Common and descends into Penn Wood picking up a track that follows the lower edge of the wood below Pen Hill. The vivid greens of the new leaves in the sun brighten up the walk through the wood as there is not much scope for views.

Above Middleyard the main route of the Cotswold Way rejoins our path. It's come pretty much directly from the canal at Ryeford, and has missed out on Selsley Common. A good path continues through the wood, at one point popping down below the lower edge of Stanley Wood to give views of May Hill, the Malverns and back to Standish Wood, before re-entering the trees and gradually rising towards both the road and the Coaley Peak Picnic Area where there is another restored Long Barrow - Nympsfield Long Barrow - although not as impressive as Belas Knap.

The route now follows the edge of the escarpment across the open grassland of the picnic area to another Topograph on Frocester Hill with fine views of the Severn Vale and towards Stinchcombe Hill, to be visited on the next walk. The Tyndale Monument can just be seen poking up above the horizon.

The path now follows a narrow strip of National Trust land which is gradually hemmed into a disused quarry with roads on either side above you. Steps lead out of the quarry to the road junction. After the junction the path descends sharply into Coaley Wood, where the noise of the road was drowned out by the chainsaws as Forestry Work was being carried out. As the noise of the chainsaws died away the path rises and then levels out, passing through the wood and some disused quarries to re-emerge by the road next to Uley Bury (a large Iron Age Hill Fort) at a bench with views towards Cam Long Down.

The official route leaves the escarpment here and heads for Cam Long Down, but it seems a shame to be so close to Uley Bury without visiting it, so we made a clockwise circuit before returning to the bench at 11:35am.

Walk Distance: 7.2 miles (11.6 km), 2h44m.

Cumulative Distance: 67.1 miles (108.0 km), 24h24m.

The next walk, Uley Bury - North Nibley, may happen on Friday, 17th May, or Saturday, 18th May.

Cotswold Way - Walk 8

Walk 8: Painswick - Dudbridge

[See the photos on Facebook]

13th May 2013: I got up, had my breakfast and stepped out the front door onto the Cotswold Way at 8:07am. Past the Spectacle Stocks and through Painswick Churchyard with its fine collection of yew trees. Then through the lych gate, across the A46 and along Edge Road to Hambutts Field, which recently acquired a memorial post to commemorate Tony Drake who was instrumental in the development of The Cotswold Way.

So far this could be the start of a normal day - walking the dog in Hambutts Field. But instead of taking our normal route we struck out across the fields to Washbrook Farm. The path goes through a small woodland with plenty of bluebells and over a footbridge. Here the long climb up to Scottsquar Hill starts. Initially through a field, we passed a stone post telling us we were now 55 miles from Bath. The other side said we were 47 miles from Chipping Campden (although by my route it's 51 miles), and then joined Jenkin's Lane to bring us out on the A4173 by the Edgemoor Inn. Here the path marches directly up the slopes of Edge Common. I opted for a slightly less steep route by detouring to the north.

Once the crest of the ridge is obtained, you cross the road and then descend through woodland down the far site to follow another track contouring around the hill through woodland with only occasional views. After a mile or so you emerge onto a road which drops down to Cliff Well, a tiny building the formerly housed a well (although it now seems to be capped with concrete). The building is adorned with many stone carvings and the following inscription:

DEO GRATIAS
Whoer the Bucketfull upwindeth,

Let him bless God who Water findeth:

Yet Water here but small availeth,

Go seek that Well which never faileth.

John C. 4, V. 14.

Carrying on one shortly encounters The Siege Stone commemorating the raising of the Siege of Gloucester on 5th September 1643 by the troops of Charles I, although I couldn't make out either of the inscriptions.

The path soon comes out at another road, turns up it briefly and then makes a short steep ascent up a farm track to regain the escarpment and come out at the trig point on the summit of Haresfield Beacon (217m).

From here the path passes ancient earthworks and traverses the top of a small green valley to come out on Shortwood Common. At the end of the spur is another Topograph topped with a relief model of the surrounding countryside. According to my calculations this is the half-way point of the Cotswold Way (although I won't know the actual half-way point until I've actually finished).

From here one crosses the open grassland to the National Trust car park, and then enters Standish Wood - a popular, pleasant and ancient woodland. After a while the waymarked path through the wood joins the track of Robber's Road, past a large Long Barrow glowing green in the sunlight, and then through disused quarries to emerge on a spur overlooking Stroud. Continuing through fields (and the excellently named Three Bears Wood) you cross a railway line to emerge on a school playing field. A short distance along Ebley Road brings you to the restored Stroudwater Canal at Ryeford.

Here I opted to take the alternate route that takes you over Selsley Common, but first you follow the canal into Stroud. Now this section has been restored it is a pleasant stroll to the Stroud Council Offices at the former Ebley Mill. Picking up a path from the corner of the council car park leads you through a field and up some steps to a former railway, now a cycle path by the A419 Ebley Bypass.

The path crosses the road (at a pedestrian crossing), where the next walk strikes off up towards Selsley. I carried on along the cycle path to finish at the remains of Dudbridge Station (1867 - 1969).

Walk Distance: 10.1 miles (16.3 km), 3h37m.

Cumulative Distance: 59.9 miles (96.5 km), 21h40m.

The next walk will happen when the weather improves. (Possibly Wednesday morning, 15th May). Update: Thursday 16th May looks more likely.