Bibury & River Coln - Miles without Stiles

Park by the river near the Swan Inn and walk downstream along the B4425. After a footbridge bear right into the village, then left before the church uphill to the main road. Turn right along the pavement for 80m then fork right on a lane signed to Coln St. Aldwyns for 40m. Here turn right downhill on a private road alongside Bibury Court 1.

Cross the river and bear right uphill past the old mill stones following the tarmac past a big house on your left. After a wide gate take the track ahead, soon climbing into Oxhill Wood. At the top 2 bear left for 600m (muddy at times) and drop down to a gate or a stone stile into a meadow via a footbridge.

Now head half right uphill through a gate into Ash Copse (butterflies and wild flowers in summer) and your climbing will soon be over.

Leaving the wood turn right onto a track between hedges. Where there’s a gap on the left you cross the line of Akeman Street, a Roman from London to Cirencester.

At the road 3 turn right past Coneygar Cottages for 200m, then right again on a footpath gently downhill. After a gate at 200m walk across to your left to a mound that hides a small pond (it may be dry). Many years ago it was scooped out to provide water for the sheep grazing on the high pasture.

Follow the track, crossing the invisible Roman road again and go straight ahead gently down and up for 2km. With a dry stone wall on your left and with the path gently sloping downwards you will see houses ahead in the distance. Then just further on at the prominent cross track 4, turn right on a grassy path and head for the gate ahead that leads between houses to a tiny triangular green. Fork right downhill to the photogenic Arlington Row.

From here you can turn left before the cottages and walk alongside the meadow back to the bridge; or go past the cottages to the river and the road where you started.

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