Stout footwear should be worn and waterproof clothing is advisable depending on weather conditions. The route takes walkers well out of town where there are no facilities. There are two uphill sections.
❶From the church West door (in base of tower), cross road to walk along Black Jack Street, past Corinium Museum. Road bends sharply right, then take footpath on the left signed ‘Riverside Walk and Swimming Pool’. Follow this with brook on your left to a road. Cross diagonally right to a path with footbridge over stream. Continue to road, then turn
left to follow main road. Continue to footpath on left (opposite turning to Cheltenham A435). Follow this path through gap, continuing diagonally across field towards bungalow. Through a gap in the wall follow lane with bungalows on right. At T-junction cross road and follow path with allotments on left.
Continue in same direction, crossing a private drive and a road by a bridge. Continue straight on with old school on right, through gate to the church. Go left round the church, cross road and turn left.
❷Take the footpath opposite the cemetery entrance. Follow the wall and then bear right. Immediately beyond the kissing gate take the narrow path to the right following the stream. Pass through gap and, continuing in same direction, make for a wall and gate. Through the gate, cross field diagonally (North West) across a very large field (approx 350m) to the wall, follow this to a gate. Follow fence in same direction to a stile and path leading to the road. Follow the road to the right and downhill. Turn left and take second track on the right (by ‘Old School’). Follow this uphill, cross road and pass through hamlet of Itlay.
Continue along walled track passing a low-level gate under the dual carriageway. Look out for large quarry on your right. At the road turn left, then take next track on the right (Public Bridleway). Follow this downhill. When the surface changes look for a post with a blue waymark, turn left and follow the route through woods.
❸At the end of the slope bear left and then immediately right downhill (East). Go through the field, following hedge on left, then turn right onto road. Follow this road through Bagendon towards the church. At the junction, by the Old School, take track on right (South), continuing uphill through a field with hedge on your right. Turn left at road, then almost immediately right, through the revolving gate (the monkey cage!). Turn left and follow boundary to the next gate; do not go through this but turn right and follow path along a hedge and then a track – there is good signage here. The track bears right and follows a high hedge. At next revolving gate pass through and follow path onto a track. Turn left and follow the track down and over a stile (hidden under a tree) to join the A435. Turn right. At the Golf Club cross road
and pass through a gate on the other side.
❹At end of wall turn right over bridge and continue into a field. Cross field diagonally (East) to a gate, turning right onto a track leading to Baunton. Continue to a T-junction in the village, turn right down a slope, then left at the small village green. Follow track through a gate into a field. Follow path South through a gate in a wall to a stile on the edge
of the woods. From the stile follow path to the right, uphill to a stone stile. Continue across the field following the hedge on your left, heading for a gate.
Continue in the same direction with hedge on your left to a stile at the end of the field. Cross stile and follow track to the right [past the Humpty Dumps – site of an old quarry] onto Bowling Green Lane. Follow this to the A435, turn left to cross road at bollards, continuing to river and turning left. Continue along river, crossing a road to a path and continuing in same direction to another road. Turn half-right over stream and into the Abbey Grounds. Follow paths back to the church and market place.
May be rough underfoot and ascents and descents may be steep
Info Suitability
Mobility scooter
These routes are more likely to be suitable for standard mobility scooters (not all-terrain models). They may feature flatter or smoother terrain.
Pushchair friendly
These routes are more likely to be suitable for prams or pushchairs. They may feature flatter or smoother terrain.
Stile free
These routes do not have stiles. Please note that they may have kissing gates or footbridges, and/or steep, narrow or muddy sections.
Trampers
These routes are more likely to be suitable for all-terrain mobility scooters. Please ensure you have plenty of battery and are well prepared for any routes.
Wheelchair friendly
These routes are more likely to be suitable for standard wheelchairs (not all-terrain models). They may feature flatter or smoother terrain.
