26th August 2012 Leckhampton Circular, Glos

This was a training walk with Robin and Geoff, in preparation for our travails on the 1st September in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. We met at Robin's at 09:00 and set off immediately towards Leckhampton Hill via Burrows Field and Collum End Rise. We walked up the old tram track until we reached Daisybank and then headed along the foot of the hill.

Leckhampton Hill

When we reached the junction with Sandy Lane we turned sharply to the right and climbed the track to the ridge which we followed for a while before heading off to the left towards Salterley Grange and Ullenwood beyond. We passed the golf club and crossed the A436, heading up South Hill and the hills beyond, zig zagging our way to the A417 and the White Heart Inn (which we passed!). We went to the back of the pub and crossed into the muddy fields towards Brimpsfield, before turning off the track to follow the river at the edge of Brimpsfield Park.

The White Heart Inn Nettleton Bottom

Me and Geoff

At the edge of Poston Wood we turned towards the A417 and passed beneath it with Elkstone to our right. We crossed fields of ripe barley before entering Cowley Wood and Cockleford beyond. We did stop at the Green Dragon for a refreshment (and a change of socks).

The Green Dragon Cockleford

We continued towards Cowley, passing the Girl Guides HQ, the manor house and a wedding, before crossing the fields towards Robin's place of birth and old stomping ground - Coberley. "I remember when the Green Dragon was only two rooms and all you could get was cider!"

Geoff at the Library

We went through the small village, admired the village phone box, now set up as a book swap facility and headed past the school and Robin's old house across fields towards the A436 main road again. We crossed the busy road and made our way across field to Hartley Woods and the farm beyond. We skirted round the farmyard and made our way towards Leckhampton Hill again where we started a gradual descent towards the lime kilns, before making the steep descent of the old tramway. We reached Daisybank, crossed the road and headed across fields to Collum End Rise and Leckhampton village. We crossed Burrows Field and made straight for the Somerset Arms for a pint with the GPS clocking 16.41 miles. Not bad!

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

22nd August 2012 Winchcombe to Dowdeswell, Glos

This was a training walk done with Dominic, originally intended to end in Leckhampton along the Cotswold Way, but cut short at 11 miles at Dowdeswell for a number of reasons - tiredness being one.

Bus timetable from Cheltenham to Winchcombe

We caught the 606 from Royal Well at 10:00 along with all of the other bus concession folks and arrived in Winchcombe at around 10:25 where our (my) problems started. I could not get one of my tele walking poles to cooperate and spend 20 minutes coaxing it to extend. Finally we got going and left the bus stop towards Vineyard Street off to the left, towards Sudeley Castle. We crossed into fields to our left and crossed into open countryside, meeting Corndean Lane for a while. We followed the track past the cricket club and started climbing gently before meeting the lane again and crossing into woods, again climbing towards a gate ahead.

Belas Knap

Dominic at Belas Knap

We followed the field edge around to the left and then right up the slope towards Belas Knap, a Neolithic long barrow, where we stopped for a short while to take the obligatory photograph. We then followed the field edge with the hedge to our right (great for sloes in autumn!) until we met the track which we followed left before turning the the right, down towards Breakheart Plantation where the path drops into a valley floor before riding gently again towards Postlip Hall. We skirted the hall, along its file stone wall and started uphill again towards Cleeve Hill and the golf course - with a break for lunch requested by Dominic. We past the club house and continued along the track, following the edge of the common, stopping a few timers to admire the fine views towards Cheltenham Racecourse, the Malvern Hills and south towards the Black Mountains.

Postlip Hall

Belas Knap Long Barrow

The rain started to fall steadily at this points, so we moved out of lovely view mode into a more business like pace off the common and onto the track towards the nature reserve and the valley below.

At this stage Dominic was tiring and I suggested he drop out when we got to Dowdeswell. He called his mum and we agreed a rendezvous by the A40 Oxford road at Dowdeswell, by the reservoir. However, we underestimated how far we had to go before the rendezvous which caused a few issues with the waiting mum who had better things to do than wait for us to emerge! Anyway, eventually we followed the track down, followed the road for a while and entered Dowdeswell Woods, dropping steeply into the valley before emerging at the B&B below and eventually the A40. We had not made great time and with 6-7 miles ahead of me, I didn't fancy walking into the evening, so I joined Dominic in a lift home - to fight another day.

The Cotswold Way is well documented online so I haven't included maps on this post. I'd recommend the following site for more info.

Cotswold Way Guide

12th August 2012 Chedworth, Glos

Seven Tuns

This was a repeat Sunday walk with Robin - see previous walk on 29th January 2012 for more info. Liz and Mike must have known what the weather was going to do as they made their early morning excuses! Objective was to reach the Seven Tuns pub in Chedworth in a reasonable time where Jools would pick us up.

Seven Tuns Chedworth GL54 4AE

Jools took Robin and I to the start point at  a spot near Kilkenny, just off the A436. We walked up the road a little and then crossed into fields to our left as we reached the top of the hill. Muggy, cloudy but no rain as yet!

We then followed the walls on our right, noting that dry stone walls were currently being repaired with neat piles of new Cotswold stone left at points along the track. It was at this point that the rain started, slowly at first so Robin used his trusty travel umbrella a la Nick Crane. I persisted in tee shirt but as the rain became more persistent, we stopped and I donned the dreaded anorak. Unlike the previous walk when there had been lots of fog, we had good views to the left as we passed gates and horse jumps along the way. Part of the track had been recently used by horses and the track had deteriorated somewhat. The track was boggy and filthy in places and much to Robin's disgust, our boots became covered and overloaded with mud.

Robin in churchyard

We progressed with Withington village on our left, crossing the two main tarmac entries to the village until we entered the comparative shelter of Withington Woods. However, the rain was still persistent and the trees dripped on us the whole way through. We looked for deer in the woods, but none! We crossed the tarmac again and took more shelter in the trees before crossing the into the old disused airfield, a relic from WWII. We crossed the runways, into fields, passing the picturesque cricket club and then gently down towards the village church at Chedworth.

Chedworth at last!

We went through the churchyard, passing houses on the left and arrived at the Seven Tuns a great little pub. We paused only to change tee shirts and repack bags before getting into the bar for a well earned drink. Six miles in two hours, not too shabby across rough terrain and in a monsoon. Robin's umbrella served him well and my newly proofed anorak worked OK, but no more, just OK. My boots are still drying out.

Next walk Wednesday.

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

8th August 2012 Naunton, Glos

Mike & Gaff

This was a Wednesday 'old folks' walk led by the very able bodied Mike plus Brian, Paul and myself. The walk was around Mike's favourite area around Naunton and included a mini tour of Upper Slaughter on the way. We drove from Cheltenham in Brian's lovely Merc and parked up at the Black 'Orse, donned our boots and off we went.


The Black Horse, Naunton

Paul, myself & Brian

We walked back through the village and turned left beside the old dovecote (see walk of 9th March 2011 with Mike). We continued up the hill past the dovecote until we reached the golf course, keeping to the well defined track before turning to the left, across fields towards the ford at the Windrush beside Lower Harford Farm. The first uphill slowed us down a little but the gentle flat terrain was welcome after that first shock.

Pit Stop

We crossed the field, heading across and uphill (oh dear...) until we reached tarmac, stopping for a quick coffee (and leaks) and then followed the road for some time past farm buildings and other typical Cotswold gaffs. Beside Manor Farm, we entered fields again recalling our last walk here where we met bus loads of rambler types having their picnics - after all it was a Sunday! We followed the wall on our left and continued into Upper Slaughter, passing the Lord of the Manor hotel and other pristine Cotswold stone houses, turning left in the village, following the road to another ford. We stopped at the picturesque bridge and (again) stopped for coffee. We admired the houses in the village, cursed the out-of-towners who use these houses so rarely and made our way across the ford and up to the track on our right.

We left the village along the track by the River Eye, stopping to admire another house (see picture above with Mike) through woodland until we met the road again - this time stopping to admire a handsome gate house for Eyford Park, before moving on for a short while before following the Wardens' Way track again. We passed a row of workers cottages before taking the track - I don't suppose these are for workers any more! The track at this stage is quite easy and we were making good time as the sun came out thank goodness. We followed the track in a zig-zag until we came to a farm where we began return to Naunton, albeit some distance off yet. We followed a field after a farm, crossed the tarmac and followed the track through fields with the most friendly horses. Passing Brockhill Farm we followed the track, turning left onto a gravel track and started the slow descent towards Naunton - first passing through patches of small trees and then onto open ground as we reached the village via more horses - and the Black Horse.

Paul & Friend

We arrived back into Naunton in the sunshine, changed tee shirts and enjoyed Donningtons BB beer at the pub for quite a while! The walk was 7 miles and took us 2 hours and 30 minutes, but more telling data from the GPS was the stopping time - 1 hour! That's old folks for you!

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