Thursday 3rd February 2011 Bibury, Gloucs

This was a 6 mile walk with Mike Preston who had done this particular walk a couple of time before. Mike drove us to a good parking spot by the River Coln (OS Ref: SP 14406 04806) just outside of Coln St Aldwyns and we got booted up & ready to go. Gaiters and waterproofs were to hand as Mike predicted a 'sticky' walk through the farmland, particularly when we crossed the fields ahead of us.

Arlington Row

We left the car by the 'private' fishing on the Coln and went through a gate just over the river towards farmland which increased in gradient slightly and off to the left. We walked through the fields passing through a farm and then onto a very short stretch of walking on the road until we saw a stile to the right and were again into fields and farmland. We followed a straight path towards Arlington Pike and took a sharp right towards Bibury where we could see the village ahead of us. The Catherine Wheel pub could be seen on the left as we entered the outskirts of the village and we passed several smart Cotswold houses before we descended onto Arlington Row itself. We passed the cottages and crossed the Coln via the small footbridge which takes you to the main road through Bibury. We followed the road and when it began to bend to the left, we took the right towards the village church. We went through the churchyard to the rear and went into the grounds of the Bibury Court Hotel by a convenient garden gate, then followed the river again towards the weir and bridge. We then followed a track past a fine Cotswold 'gaff' tracking the Coln again through Oxhill Wood, Ash Copse and returned to the starting point by the 'private' fishing sign where we parked.

Bibury Court Hotel

There are several pubs worth visiting in the area:


Catherine Wheel, Bibury

The New Inn, Coln St Aldwyns










An OS view of the walk is below, courtesy of QUO digital mapping/OS: