Chipping Campden & Dovers Hill - Cotswold Way Circular Walk

This delightful short walk leads you from the charmingly English market town of Chipping Campden, through shaded woodlands and past breathtaking views. A wonderful introduction to the Cotswolds, and a perfect start to the Cotswold Way.

Distance

4.5 miles / 7.24 km

Duration

1.5 to 3.5 hours

Difficulty

May be steep slopes, moderate fitness

Mobility aid rating

Stile free

Shape

Circular

Start

Address

Market House, High St, Chipping Campden GL55 6AJ, UK
View start on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

SP151392

What3Words

onlookers.ramble.teamed

Public toilets

Public toilets in Sheep Street.

Refreshments

Numerous cafés and pubs in Chipping Campden. Check opening hours.

Travel Info

There is free parking along the High Street and other locations. Walkers are asked to use the free parking in Back Ends. Dover’s Hill car park belongs to the National Trust. No. 1 (Johnsons) or 606 (Pulhams) from Broadway. No. 1 and 2 (Johnsons) from Stratford upon Avon (Visit www.travelinesw.com)

Navigation

1 Beside the Market Hall is a hand carved marker stone for the start/end of the Cotswold Way.Before you start take a minute to look upwards at the fascinating roof structure of the 1627 building. Standing on the stone and facing the road, turn right past the war memorial and follow the pavement.

2 Turn right just after the Catholic church, past the first of many oak signposts along the Cotswold Way, and on up Hoo Lane. This becomes an un-made track, leading in half a mile (0.8km) to an opening onto Kingcomb Lane.

3 Watching for traffic, turn left and walk along the lay-by for 100 metres. Turn right opposite a Cotswold Way signpost, entering a footpath to a kissing gate leading onto Dover’s Hill (owned and managed by The National Trust) and a taste of the spectacular views to come.

To take the shorter route and avoid the steep sections, turn left here and follow the Cotswold Way directly to the viewpoint at the end (point 8) – just breathing in the incredible views and freshest of winds is unforgettable enough!

4 For the full route, leave the Cotswold Way to follow the bridleway to the right. Follow the fence line to a gate on your right and go through into a small windswept woodland. Take the left track and follow it as it turns left
downhill towards two gates. Take the left hand kissing gate which emerges onto the hillside and then straight on, keeping the fence on your right, to the woods at the bottom.

5 Pass through another kissing gate into the leafy calm of Lynches Wood, with the area’s finest show of bluebells in May. A boardwalk has been installed where the track can be very muddy. Near the bottom of the woods, curve to the left and carry on uphill taking the long flight of steps. At the top of the steps, turn right and follow the path through a kissing gate back into the fields.

6 Follow the wide grass track ahead keeping the fence to the wood on your right. Keep following this track as it bends to the right and along the side of the hill (there may be muddy sections here).

7 Pass a small pond amongst trees on your left. Stay with the track as it bends left up the last bit of hill to the stone topograph on Dover’s Hill.

8 Take a few minutes to catch your breath and enjoy the stunning views. If you were here in spring, you might witness the annual ‘Olimpick Games’ which have been played on the hill since 1612, and continued on and off to the present day. The games involve painful-sounding sports such as ‘shin-kicking’ and ‘pike-tumbling’. Finally, follow the edge of the hill back to point 4, and retrace your steps back to Chipping Campden for a well-earned rest.

Congratulations, you have just started the Cotswold Way

If you enjoyed this walk and would like to make a contribution to the charity that supports the Cotswold Way then please go to cotswoldwayassociation.org.uk/fundraising/