Bourton on the Water: Follow trickling rivers - Walks with Stiles

Follow signs for the Wardens Way (WW) at the war memorial with your back to the river, head L along the road towards St Lawrence Church. Turn R through the metal church gates along a tarmac path for 400m until you reach a major road 1. Turn L and follow the road for 400m to the traffic lights at the main road.

Cross the A429 Fosse Way and turn R along the pavement. After 200 m turn L along a footpath through a pedestrian gate and continue along the path until you reach the road in Lower Slaughter 2.

Turn L and follow the path beside the river. Cross the road at the junction and keeping the river on your L continue round the bend to the mill. Turn L immediately after the mill and follow the path for ½ mile (0.8km) through a series of gates over a footbridge and up to the road 3.

Turn L along the road to the village square of Upper Slaughter. In the square turn R towards the ford crossing the river and 50m before the ford turn L along a track by the School House and Church. Follow the track (WW) for ¾ mile (1.2km) through 3 gates and the woods until you reach the B4068.

Turn L along the busy road for 400m, watching for traffic coming in both directions. Turn R along the L hand of two bridleways joining the road at this point, 4 passing a row of cottages on your L. Climb the hill for ¾ mile (1.2km) through 3 field gates arriving at some farm buildings. Follow the track turning L past the buildings to follow the track to another field gate at the road.

Cross the road and go through the gate in the hedge opposite. Immediately turn R and follow the field edge for ½ mile (0.8km) through several gates to reach a track. 5 Turn sharp L (WW) and follow the track downhill continuing straight ahead into the woods when the track bears L to the farm. Go downhill then briefly uphill to reach fields. Continue across two fields, through gaps in the hedge and at the third field follow the path diagonally right downhill into the woods. Exit the woods through a gate into a field, through the field to a lane via two gates. Turn L into Naunton and in 100m at a T junction turn R 6.

(If you require refreshments turn left at the T-junction and The Black Horse pub is situated ahead of you).

Follow the road through the village for 300m taking the first L down past the Dovecote. Go over the river bridge and through the field gate. Leaving the Wardens Way follow the path ahead uphill keeping the field boundary on your L until you reach a field gate onto the road. Cross the road, with the golf course on the right. Follow the track to another field gate. Continue downhill bearing slightly L to a bridge over the stream.

Joining the Windrush Way go through the gate on your L.Continue down the valley bottom with the stream on your L through 2 fields over a stile and through a field gate. In the third field bear right at the end up a slope to a gate and lane 7. Turn L and walk 100m downhill.

Turn R over a stile into a field, and across a large field and over a stile to reach the next field and a stream on your L. Walk through 2 fields with stiles and gates and in the third field leave the stream and follow the path ahead diagonally up and across the slope and into the wood.

At the top of the hill turn sharp R 8 through a field gate and follow the L hand field edge to another field gate, passing through and back into the woods. Follow the path through the woods for ½ mile (0.8km) before turning right by a marker post. Follow the path to meet a field boundary and turn left to follow the field boundary. Follow the signs through two gates to meet a track, turn right down the track to the road 9.

Turn left and follow the road downhill, over the bridge and uphill past Little Aston Mill. Continue along the path as it bears right into the woods. Follow the path along the edge of the woods through a gate and into a field. Follow the R hand field edge through 2 gates and down to the main road.

Cross the A429, Fosse Way. Take care crossing this busy road. Carry on down Lansdowne keeping the river on your right. After 200m turn right down an alleyway. Follow the path to the river, crossing over the bridge then along the bank, the river now on your left. Pass through a gate then follow the path alongside the fence through a gate to an alleyway between the houses.

At the road turn left and in 150m arrive at the war memorial.

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