Painswick Beacon - Miles without Stiles

A short walk around Painswick Beacon on the edge of the Cotswolds. The route includes a section of the Cotswold Way and offers fine vistas of the escarpment as well as wildflower rich limestone grassland, an Iron Age fort and Popes Wood.

Distance

2 miles / 3.22 km

Duration

1.5 hours

Difficulty

May be steep slopes, moderate fitness

Mobility aid rating

Stile free

Shape

Circular

Start

Address

Uplands, Cheltenham Rd, Painswick, Stroud GL6 6TU, UK
View start on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

SO876126

What3Words

punchy.tracks.kick

Refreshments

The Royal William, check opening times.

Travel Info

End of road to Beacon from Royal William Public House

Navigation

From the small parking area at the end of the road to the Beacon, take the right-hand path and then after a few metres take the right hand fork along a path which goes straight ahead between the edge of the wood and the golf course.

After 1/2 a mile (0.8km) the path reaches the ramparts of the iron age fort. Keep right and then descend a hollow way 1 but divert up to the OS pillar for magnificent views over to Gloucester and the Malvern Hills and into the Stroud Valleys. You also can see the outer walls and ditches of the fort.

Continue down the hollow way and turn left as it joins a track to reach a road where you turn right. 2

After 100 metres cross to the other side of the road at a 50mph sign and continue ahead on a path with the field boundary on your left. When you reach a road turn right along the road. 3

Carry on to the main road, which you cross, and take the bridle-way opposite to Castle End. Follow the bridleway, ignoring a turning to the right, passing a bungalow on your right, then along the edge of the wood.
After about 1/2 mile (0.8km) you enter Popes Wood Nature Reserve. 4

Take the right hand fork upwards which after 400 metres enters a clearing. The small parking area at the start is now on your right.

Route B – follow route A to 2 but turn left instead of right. After 200 metres turn left onto the road signposted Painswick Beacon and continue along it until it crosses the golf course. 5

Please take care crossing the golf course and be considerate of other users.
At the fairway take the signposted Cotswold Way 6 to your left and follow it along the eastern side of the Iron Age fort back to the start.