Winchcombe - Miles without Stiles

Exit from the back of the car park 1 and turn right down Cowl Lane – signed to ‘Town Centre’. At the end of the lane turn left into High Street and continue past the junction with North Street. The road becomes Hailes Street and narrows. Walk down the right hand side of the road for approx 500 metres, until you cross the bridge over the River Isbourne. 2

Turn right by the bridge through a gate. Follow the path upstream beside the river. Cross two footbridges, then across a ridge and furrow field to a gate by a house. The path leads down a passage to Castle Street. 3

Cross the road and turn left for a short distance to join the Windrush Way. The path is signposted up a bank to a gate into Sudeley grounds. Walk in the direction of the castle and, after 400 metres, go through a gate and continue to where the main entrance drive reaches the car park. Cross the drive, turn right and shortly turn left through a gap between a picnic area and the play park, down to a gate to exit into the castle parkland. 4 See below for details of the shorter alternative A from here.

The route carries on left to a field gate in the first fence, then half right towards a Windrush Way marker post, then to another post heading to the far right hand corner of the field – which can be muddy. Go through a gate beside the field gate, turn right to cross the bridge over Beesmoor Brook. Bear right to leave the Windrush Way and reach a lane. 5

Turn right and follow the lane until you reach Sudeley Castle entrance boards. 6 See below for details of the shorter alternative B from here.

To continue the route, with your back to the entrance boards, cross the road to enter a field. Turn half left to cross the field to a gate in the far corner to join the Cotswold Way. Go left, through the gate, and continue straight for 500 metres to you reach Corndean Lane. 7
Turn hard right, through a gate next to an old stone stile. Follow the path hedge on your right for 400 metres until the path turns left towards the Church and down a slope, through a gate into a recreation field, and past a clubhouse to a bridge in the left-hand corner. A short footpath leads to Mill Lane. In the lane turn left, then almost immediately right into Almshouse Lane which leads to Queens Square. Cross the road and turn right alongside Abbey Terrace wall. At the end of the wall turn left into Cowl Lane and back to the car park.

Optional Reductions
A – for a shorter route between 4 and 6. Turn right, and keeping the play area on you right, walk back to a fieldgate and a pedestrian gate leading to the entrance drive. Turn left and follow the drive, over the stone bridge crossing the silted up lake, then continue past the Gatehouse to the Castle notice boards. 6 See below for details of the shorter alternative B from here, or follow the route above from 6.

B – for shorter route between 6 and the end. Carry on ahead along the lane, over the bridge, and into Vineyard Street. At the end of the street cross the road and turn right alongside Abbey Terrace wall. At the end of the wall turn left into Cowl Lane and back to the car park.

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