Cotswold Stone - Walks with Stiles

This spectacular walk shows you first the raw stone and then what men have done with it over the centuries to create such a harmonious landscape. Beware, bits are steep!

Distance

3.5 miles / 5.63 km

Duration

2 hours

Difficulty

Uneven, steep slopes, good fitness

Shape

Circular

Start

Address

25C7+GG, Broadway WR12 7LA, UK
View start on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

SP113359

What3Words

responded.sublet.napkins

Public toilets

Public toilets at Fish Hill picnic area on A44 and Broadway Tower.

Refreshments

Broadway Tower cafe.

Travel Info

Broadway Tower Country Park on minor road off the A44 above Broadway. SP113359 near WR12 7LB. Car park (Pay & Display), café and toilets.

Navigation

Walk up past the café towards the entrance gates and go through a high gate on the L to the tower ahead. On the right of the tower go through another high gate and a smaller gate facing you 1.

Follow the Cotswold Way signs ahead (not downhill) winding through some old small quarries, now covered by grass. Carry on through a gate and at a way marker, continue down the gully towards another gate in the trees ahead 2.

Before the trees turn R up the short slope to the boundary fence of Broadway Quarry and a great view of Cotswold stone. Now turn R and follow the fence back towards the tower and to the gates at point 1.

Turn R downhill on the Cotswold Way towards Broadway, through a series of gates. After the fourth gate (wooden benches on the L) the descent gets steeper, in an old quarry with 24 steps alongside the wall. Carry on to a waymark post 3 before the next gate.

Turn L on a sunken track across the hill to a double gate into a large field (often cattle). Walk alongside the deeply rutted track ahead, (this can be very muddy after rain) dropping to a gate before meeting a track between trees coming up on your R.

You now climb ahead to a gate then passing a small stone house on the L, to admire the residence at Dor Knap, tucked into the hillside on your R. It was once four cottages.

At a wide gateway with stone pillars 4 take the level drive through the wood and passing cottages on L before the magnificent Georgian mansion of Middle Hill House is revealed, then its octagonal stable block and Pump House, all carefully renovated.

After the Pump House the easy walking stops 5. At a yellow waymark turn L off the drive up a steep woodland path, and plod up for five minutes to cross a muddy drive. The path ahead soon bears L and levels out as you walk through pheasant woods which disguise a very old quarry.

The track bears L to a wide gateway out of the wood where you turn R onto grass with views on your L. At the end of the wood follow the yellow arrows R and up to a high stile onto a narrow lane 6. Turn L and walk to the Country Park gates and your start.