Tyley Bottom, Ozleworth and Newark (Cotswold Gateway Wotton-under-Edge Walk 1)

(1) The walk starts from the Parish Church. Follow Coombe Road away from the town and take the first right (Manor Lane). At the bottom of this take the path that leads left, but take the sharp right after only a few metres into a housing estate.

(2) Cross the housing estate and go over a footbridge, turning left to follow a path beside the stream. This joins a road where you turn right to follow a path beside the waterway. You are now on the Cotswold Way. On reaching a lane, turn right and almost immediately left to continue the stream-side path, which you follow until it leads on to a lane.

(3) Turn left, leaving the Cotswold Way, then right, just beyond a red brick pumping station. Walk along the drive signposted to Tyley Bottom.

(4) After 250 metres, follow a narrow path between the hedges and round to a kissing gate. Follow the path round the edge of the field next to Coombe Lakes (large mill ponds) to another kissing gate. Follow the main track up Tyley Bottom – an empty, isolated valley of great scenic beauty – for about a kilometre to a metal gate. The public right of way lies straight ahead.

(5) Follow the track through another metal gate, then keep parallel with the stream on the right. Cross a footbridge over a small stream in a very boggy area, continuing straight on until you reach a small gate. Beyond this, cross another wooden footbridge.

(6) Turn left, with the stream on your left and continue to a way-mark post where the path turns 90 degrees to the right. Follow the yellow footpath arrow right and uphill across the valley up towards an obvious gap in the woodland on the far side. When you reach the trees at the top of this clear space, turn half left through a wooden gate and follow a muddy, zig- zag path up through the wood.

(7) On reaching the top edge of the wood, go through another wooden gate and straight up the hill, keeping an inde-terminate boundary on your right, until you reach a track going up to the left. Follow the track up the hillside to a gate, leading to another track and reaching a lane. The Ozleworth radio/TV beacon is prominent on your right.

Turn right and then after 50 metres, turn left into a lane. Follow this for 200 metres, turning right along a track to Sawcombe Farm. Keep to the left of the farm buildings and continue downhill.

(8) The track veers slightly right through a gateway and opens out into a valley below the wood. Follow the track down the hill to the right and then round to the left, then turn right when it meets another track. Follow this track, passing through three large fields, ensuring you stay on the same level.

In the third field, follow the footpath sign off to the right and go through a gate and over a small stream. Follow signposts round the edge of a field of crops, following a path through another kissing gate. Continue on the path to a stile, then go downhill along the edge of the field to a lane. A few metres left of this point is the gateway to Ozleworth Park, with its mansion and Norman church.

(9) Turn right and then keep left at the fork. Follow this lane up the hill, passing Fernley Farm on your left, to the entrance to Newark Park (National Trust). Continue straight on until you reach a road junction. Turn left and continue for 300 metres before joining left on to the Cotswold Way (signposted).

Longer Return route (For a shorter route back, skip to ‘Shorter return route’)
(10) Follow the Cotswold Way along the track for 500 metres to a gate through to a field, continuing downhill. As the Cotswold Way turns left at a circular cattle trough, leave it to continue downhill and through a gate.

(11) Continue downhill through another gateway, keeping the fence on your left. After passing through a gap in the hedge, cross the field diagonally to reach a track in the far corner, close to a wire fence. This is known as Cuckoo Lane. Follow this sunken path downhill to a road.

(12) Cross the road with care and go down the lane opposite for 100 metres before turning right over a stile by a gate. Walk diagonally across the middle of a large field, past an isolated tree, to a stile at the end of a terrace of five cottages.

(13) From this follow the obvious path and cross the end of a road to a kissing gate. From here a tarmac path beside a board fence, leads over a footbridge. Continue along the path, turning left uphill, just short of a road end.

Aim 45 degrees up the hillside and follow the path to the left of a hedge. When you see a fence up the slope to the left, go up to it and on to a track, known as Brown’s Piece. Turn right along this to reach a road and then go straight ahead to the main shopping street. Turn right, keeping left of the Falcon Steakhouse and follow the road into Church Street.

At the end of this, cross the road half right and take the tarmac path to the left of some railings. Follow this, keeping left, to a gateway into the churchyard. Turn left to the road in front of the Parish Church.

Shorter Return Route

Having chosen the shorter return route, continue along the lane with fine views to the right of Tyley Bottom and the escarpment. Carry on down the hill, passing a farm entrance on the left. After 250 metres turn right at a Cotswold Way signpost, following the steep bridleway down to reach a drive.

Turn left for 20 metres to Coombe Lane and then right down a hill, until after 150 metres, there is a gate on the left. Here you join the outward route taken earlier. Follow the stream back to Wotton.

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