Cotswold Gateway Dursley 1
Figure of Eight: Eastern Loop
summary
There are three good climbs and some stony
paths and steep descents that makes this
half of the Figure 8 quite challenging.
If you are feeling fit and have the time, there is also the option to visit a further viewpoint on Downham Hill after descending from Uley Bury. This adds an extra half mile to your walk.
The pdf leaflet for this walk may be downloaded from the Cotswold Gateway website
If you are feeling fit and have the time, there is also the option to visit a further viewpoint on Downham Hill after descending from Uley Bury. This adds an extra half mile to your walk.
The pdf leaflet for this walk may be downloaded from the Cotswold Gateway website
Details and start point
Distance: 8 miles
Distance: 12.9 km
Walking time: 4.5 hours
Grid Reference: ST756981
What 3 Words: rift.loudness.stags
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Step by Step Directions
1
Begin by carefully crossing the road to enter the church yard through the commemorative iron gate and then follow the path to the right of the church and exit ahead down some steps to Broadwell.Ignore the footpath sign on the arch and instead cross the stream and go left to follow the water side down Water Street. Where this meets another road turn right and after 70 yards, turn left along Brownings Lane and then continue ahead on the stream-side path.
When this meets another path just beyond some bollards, go slightly right to cross the wide sweep of the road and turn left by Erwell House onto another stream side path.
After running alongside open space behind modern housing, the path bears to the right away from the stream to reach Uley Road.
2
Here turn left on the roadside path and after 20 yards, carefully cross the road to a flight of steps leading up to an old mill pond in another open space amongst housing.Pass the mill pond on either side and continue straight ahead on Caswell Mews to a park entrance. Turn immediately left over a stile and follow the path as it sweeps up and around to the right beside the trees to a kissing gate.
Then follow the path that leads slightly left into a wood. Go through the wood and then continue along a broad path to another kissing gate.
3
Through the gate, turn left to follow the path across two fields and then diagonally cross the field at the rear of the farm buildings to a kissing gate. Bear left here to cross three further fields to reach a road.Continue along the road past Elcombe Farm, and then, after 100 yards, turn right along a farm track to the side of the last house. Climb a stile and then, after 40 yards, turn left through a kissing gate and follow the path alongside the hedge.
Where the hedge turns sharp left go ahead, slightly left, aiming between the field trees to find a kissing gate in the field hedge, up to the right of the field gate.
4
Here, follow the path half-right up to another kissing gate and then diagonally across the next field up to, and then left along the wood edge to find a kissing gate into the wood.Enter the wood and proceed left, uphill, passing an old quarry. As the path begins to level out it is crossed by another path coming steeply down from the right. Cross this path and go ahead, bending left and up-hill to a field gate.
Go straight ahead and through another field gate and then bear left to follow the path beside the fence, on the wood edge, which leads to a gate, on the left, back into the wood.
Go down the path to join a woodland track. Continue straight ahead, downhill, and, where it levels out at a crossing of another track, go straight ahead on a narrow path which leads down through a gate into a sunken, tree lined track.
This is home to an unusual overhanging beech tree. At the gate at the end of the track, turn right to pass through a field gate and reach the road.
5
Go left along the road for 50 yards and then climb the stile on the right and cross the field to another stile and then stay beside the hedge to reach another stile.Continue for 50 yards along the next field edge and then cross a stile on your left between trees. Turn immediately right to follow the hedge to a stile in the field corner. Then cross three more stiles in quick succession before going slightly right to a stile in the field hedge opposite.
Bear right here, uphill, to a stile and then turn left to a stile in the corner of the field, which leads onto a road.
6
Turn right and proceed carefully uphill round a left-hand bend and at a right-hand bend, before a house, go through the field gate.Go ahead down the field for 80 yards and turn left to a stile beside a gate. Continue slightly left across the field to a stile where you should pause to enjoy the great views of Owlpen Manor nestled under the hillside.
Then cross the next field to a stile into a small copse leading to a road.
Across the road are two stiles. Take the left of these into the field keeping the stream on your right. After two fields, go through the kissing gate and turn right to cross the stream via an old stone bridge.
Continue across the next field bearing slightly left to a stile and bridge
7
Cross these and then bear half right up-hill to a stile beside an interesting hollowed out tree.Go over the stile onto a narrow path that turns left and then right to connect to Uley Green adjacent to The Crown public house.
Go ahead across the green past the sculpture celebrating the Uley Gorilla. Carefully cross the main road and turn right to follow the pavement around a left-hand bend to reach a track on the left leading up to a gate.
Go through the gate and then a second gate into the field and continue ahead for 100 yards. Then turn right onto a path that leads steeply up and alongside the wood edge to a gate into the wood.
Proceed upwards along the track until you go through another gate out of the wood. Continue ahead taking the path up hill on to the Bury top.
Turn sharp left and follow the level perimeter path which has great views, turning right three times.
8
After the third turn follow the path for 200 yards and, at the end of the fence line, look for the way-marked stile post on the left-hand side.Turn sharp left onto the path which crosses two stiles before heading down quite steeply, via sets of steps and a further stile, to finally join a bridleway.
Here, you turn right and go downhill, joining a stony track to meet the road at Hydegate. Take the road opposite signposted to Cam.
After 90 yards, as the road bends to the left, you will see a facing field gate. (Here you have the option to take a permissive path, slightly along the road ahead on the left, to climb Downham Hill and enjoy the panoramic views, before returning along the same route to the field gate).
Go through the gate and continue with the hedge on your right to find a stile at the end of the field leading down onto a bridleway. (Alternatively, if it is very wet and the field is waterlogged, do not go through the gate but take the bridleway alongside to the right.).
Turn left and follow the bridleway until it meets a stony road. Turn right and, when the road turns right, continue ahead on the bridleway that rises gently along the side of Cam Long Down to a gate.
Through the gate continue ahead along the bridleway as it rises gradually to a junction of paths at the saddle between Cam Long Down and Cam Peak.
9
Take the path slightly left and uphill to reach the excellent viewpoint of Cam Peak.If you do not wish to risk the steep descent of the Peak beyond, (which is advisable on wet days), then retrace your steps for about 80 yards and take the first path, going sharply right, which descends gently around the hill through trees until you meet the steep path coming down the hill from your right. Here, re-join the route by turning left to cross the access road.
Otherwise, after enjoying the view, carefully descend the other side of the Peak, cross an access road and then follow the path through the trees to a gate to the road.
Turn left down the road for 70 yards and then left again through a kissing gate next to some stables. Cross two fields to a kissing gate to a road junction.
Go left along Drake Lane passing a school on your right, and after the last house turn left onto the footpath.
Follow this path as it turns right and then, after passing a house, turns again at a kissing gate to go down a series of steps to reach Chestal by the Bowls Club.
Continue ahead then bear left to walk up Long Street back to the Dursley Market House.
Enjoy your walk!
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