Sir Stanley Tubbs, Stinchcombe Hill - Miles without Stiles

A brief saunter around Stinchcombe Hill offering stunning views of the Cotswold Escarpment, Severn Vale and Forest of Dean. Enjoy snippets of local history and rest on a monument to the benefactor who gave the hill to the public.

Distance

3.25 miles / 5.23 km

Duration

1.5 hours

Difficulty

Unsurfaced paths, basic fitness

Mobility aid rating

Stile free

Shape

Circular

Start

Address

MJMH+89 Dursley, UK
View start on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

ST743983

What3Words

lodge.flute.invoices

Travel Info

Public car park on Stinchcombe Hill.

Navigation

Much of the hilltop is leased to the golf club. Please keep to the path and respect the golfers.

Park opposite the wide view down the valley 1. 2 Viewing seats in front of you, turn right until you see the Cotswold Way post, then turn left. Follow the Cotswold Way around the top edge of Hollow Combe with the golf course on your right. Pass between the woods and the raised sixth tee to the slope overlooking Stancombe Park. Turn right and follow the path out to Drakestone Point and wooden seat.

2 From here there are fine views of the Cotswold escarpment, Nibley Monument and The Severn Bridges. The earthworks at Drakestone Point are thought to be the site of a hill fort. It is said that Berkeley Castle was bombarded during the Civil War. Unfortunately the castle is no longer in view due to the encroachment of trees.

Take the path back along the spine of the hill to pass the stone seat which is a monument to Sir Stanley Tubbs the local benefactor who gave the hill in trust to the local people for recreation.

Continue on to reach the OS Trig Pillar and Topograph. Bear slightly left to follow path down to the Tubbs memorial shelter. 3 Follow the path around the shelter and in about 60 metres follow the Cotswold Way waymark on the right along the left edge of the golf course. Continue on past the eleventh and twelfth tees to arrive at the mounting stone 4.

The mounting stone is at the side of the old London Road which was a coach road from Berkeley Castle. The mounting stone was used to enable horses to be re-mounted after being led up the steep hill. It is also thought that this was originally a Roman road across the hill.

Turn right on the coach road and then swing left 5 to follow the wood edge on your left. Continue on to cross the drive in front of Stinchcombe Hill House. Cross grassland with views on your left across the River Severn to May Hill and the Forest of Dean and enter a woods ahead and continue through to reach view point overlooking Dursley.

From here can be seen Cam Peak and Cam Long Down, Downham Hill, Uley Bury and the Cotswold escarpment. Continue on keeping high with the woods on your left (do not take track descending into woods).

Pass between the groundsman’s shed and the eighteenth tee and proceed on the waymarked track across the open grass to reach the clubhouse 6.

Here you have the option of a shortcut back to the car park see option A.

Just past the clubhouse turn right on the waymarked path to cross the road and on towards the woods ahead.

7 Turn right before entering the woods and follow the path along the edge of the hill back to the car park.

Option A

To shortcut back to the car park, follow the footpath marked by posts from near the groundsman’s shed across two fairways to the car park. Take particular care when crossing the fairway closest to the car park.