The Leckhampton Loop - Cotswold Way Circular Walk

1 Start at the lay-by opposite the pub, and take the footpath up towards the busy roundabouts and follow the Cotswold Way as it leads down the narrow road off to the left. At the junction, follow the track straight on.

2 Continue to follow the Cotswold Way up to the left, through a wooden gate along the edge of the meadow and through the trees until you emerge onto grassland at the top of the slope. This precious nature reserve is expertly managed in partnership with volunteers from the Friends of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK). Keep on the Cotswold Way as it follows the edge of the scarp for just over a mile (1.6km), eventually passing through ramparts just beyond some pine trees. Enter into this Iron Age hillfort, built between 500 and 100BC, and continue on towards the viewpoint.

3 Take a few minutes to breathe in the magnificent views, and then follow the path down to your left, through a gap. There is an information panel here. For a short detour to an iconic Cotswolds landmark, the Devil’s Chimney, follow the path down to the right. After puzzling over this intriguing monument to the hill’s quarrying past, retrace your steps to the gap in the bushes and then continue to follow the Cotswold Way along the top of the hill. After about 400 metres look for a waymarker post down to your right, approximately 15 metres from the path. There is a bench just across the path from the waymarker post.

At this point leave the Cotswold Way, head for the marker post and follow the steepish path leading diagonally down across the slope into a wooded area.

4 At the bottom of the slope continue along the peacefully enchanting woodland path, keeping the tumbledown wall on your left. After approximately a quarter of a mile (0.4km) you will pass a number of houses on the left hand side; at this point the Devils Chimney can be clearly seen, up towards the top of the slope on the right.

Continue along the path until you reach the old quarry buildings at the junction of seven paths. Take the wide path leading straight down the hill, an old quarry tramway, as indicated by the arrow on the stone marker at ground level ‘Public footpath/Leckhampton Hill Walk [no.] 8’. Continue straight downhill to the fence and gates at the bottom. Turn right and continue to follow the road after it becomes an unmade track for half a mile (0.8 km) along the bottom of the escarpment, eventually forking right to take the narrow footpath.

5 At the end of the path, follow the waymarkers left, then right, then continue on the wider track all the way along the bottom of the hill until you rejoin the Cotswold Way at point 2. From here, retrace your steps back to the start. This spectacular and diverse walk is now at an end, but the rest of the Cotswold Way is waiting to welcome you back for another splendid stroll.

Print navigation content