Bibury; Coln St Aldwyns - Miles without Stiles

At the crossroads 1 take the road uphill beside the village shop and turn left into the road to the church, passing the almshouses on your left and the church on your right. The road becomes a walled lane and descends to a bridge over a mill-race. Turn left onto a road and at the end right over the bridge 2 crossing the Coln.

Turn right through the gates to the Yew Tree Lodge and follow the bridleway half left up hill along a trackway. The path continues through several fields and gates across a farm track and between a converted barn and a pair of farm cottages. Head towards house at far end of field and exit the gate on left 3.

Turn right on the road, go 100m past Coneygar Lodge & Cottages, turn right at a signpost onto a wide track. Pass through the field gate and notice the profile of Roman Akeman Street which crosses below an ancient dewpond. Continue for 1 mile (1.6km) until you meet a prominent cross track alongside a hedge.4

Turn right and follow the grassy track towards Arlington keeping the hedge on your left and head for a gate. Continue through another gate to meet a road junction 5. Turn left to the end of the road and left again to visit the Catherine Wheel Inn. Otherwise turn right and 150m downhill turn right again down to Arlington Row. It was built as a wool store in about 1380 and later converted to weavers cottages. The Trout Farm is along the path opposite the row.

Pass Arlington Row, cross the Coln and turn right along the river 6. You have an option to linger in Bibury, public toilets are to the left of the bridge you crossed.

Keep right to go to Bibury church which is rich in Saxon work. At the church go left up hill between cottages and through a gap in the wall at the top to meet the main road. Turn right then right again along the Coln St Aldwyns road.

7 In 50 metres turn right downhill (this is a private road but is a right of way) pass the front of the Bibury Court and cross the river to go through some old mill buildings. At the top of the rise go through a gate and down the track. At the top of the next rise go through a gate and take the left track along the edge of a copse, keeping the stone wall on your left 8. Ignore a track going right and go through one more gate then downhill to a second gate into a meadow. 9

Bear half left and follow this path along the Coln valley back to the Yew Tree Lodge. 10 Go out to the road, turn left. Pass the New Inn on your right on your way back to the start point.

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