Cam & Dursley Station
To Leonard Stanley
summary
Setting off northwards through the Parishes of Coaley and then Frocester the walk gives
good views of the Vale and towards the Cotswold escarpment before we reach Leonard
Stanley with its historic buildings, attractive church, and the option of a, half way, break
at The White Hart.
The route returns along the side of the Cotswold escarpment with some gentle climbs before turning downhill to pass through Coaley village and finally crosses the fields back to join Halmore Lane which leads to the Station. Allow about 5 hours.
Refreshment options on/near the route : The George, Frocester. The White Hart, Leonard Stanley. The Fox and Hounds, Coaley. The Community Shop/Café Coaley.
The route returns along the side of the Cotswold escarpment with some gentle climbs before turning downhill to pass through Coaley village and finally crosses the fields back to join Halmore Lane which leads to the Station. Allow about 5 hours.
Refreshment options on/near the route : The George, Frocester. The White Hart, Leonard Stanley. The Fox and Hounds, Coaley. The Community Shop/Café Coaley.
Details and start point
Distance: 8.5 miles
Walking time: 5 hours
Grid Reference: SO752021
What 3 Words: forecast.latter.escapades
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Step by Step Directions
1
From the station car park turn left along the road and then right into Halmore Lane. After 100 yards turn left over a stile beside the River Cam. Walk ahead across the field to a stile near the left corner which leads onto a path at the foot of the railway embankment.Follow the path and steps up the railway embankment, and cross the lines with due caution (beware of inter-city trains). Go down the steps on the other side to cross a stile and then, a little further on, go through a kissing gate.
Walk ahead across the field, slightly left, away from the railway line to pass under the overhead wires and cross a stile and bridge near a gate. Then continue along the same line to cross another field to a kissing gate and concrete bridge leading to a path between buildings to arrive at the road at Coaley Mill. Take the road opposite for 150 yards and then turn right over a stile. Follow the hedge on your left to a stile.
Continue with the hedge on your right, ignoring the stile on the right. Cross the next stile and walk again with the hedge on your right. When you reach another stile on the right, ignore this and follow the hedge around to the left for a few more metres to another stile beside a gate. Cross this and walk ahead following the hedge on your left. Ahead you will see a church spire just visible over the hill. Find the stile in the far left corner of the field and follow the hedge on the left to cross a bridge leading into the sports field.
Continue around the left hand edge of the field and bear right in front of the pavilion and cricket net to pass along the churchyard wall. Enter the churchyard by the gate in the middle of the wall. This is the well cared for remains of a Catholic Church which is a good place for a coffee stop.
2
After this you have a choice. Either (a) Follow the original route (in red on the plan) by passing through the church grounds to exit by the lychgate to a road. Then turn right and, carefully, follow the road to the far end of the field on your left to find a kissing gate. Or (b) if you would prefer to avoid the road walking, (in purple on the plan) retrace your steps back through the gap in the wall to the edge of the cricket field and turn left to a stile in the corner leading into a field. Go ahead diagonally left across the field aiming towards the distinctive Cam Peak in the distance to find a stile at a clear gap in the thick hedge.You will need to use your eyes and ears to cross the road safely here as visibility is restricted, and you will need to go left for 50 yards to find the kissing gate on your right. Go through the kissing gate into the corner of the field and walk ahead with the hedge on your right. At the far end of the field follow the hedge 35 yards to the left to find and cross a stile and bridge.
Go ahead with the hedge on your right and pass through a gate and a narrow band of trees. Continue, slightly right, across the next field towards a field gate opening to a track leading to a road. Turn right at the road, carefully cross the railway bridge and continue to a crossroads.
Here the Frocester George is a potential source of refreshment.
3
Turn left as far as a signed path opening on the right, about 30 yards past the old telephone box, by the end of a stone wall. Cross two kissing gates, passing to the right of a pond in a private garden. Go ahead across the middle of the next field heading for a kissing gate just right of the large clump of trees.Cross this and go ahead slightly right to the next kissing gate and then continue slightly left to another kissing gate near the corner of the copse. Cross the field slightly right to a step through stile/bridge and continue, uphill, with the hedge on your right.
Where the hedge turns right keep straight on the farmers track and, at the next hedge line bear right so that the hedge with trees is on your left. Continue on this track past a large electricity pylon and then shortly after, near an electricity pole, go left onto a footpath that leads down to a gate to the left of a house. Turn right along the road, left at the T-junction and then first right opposite the post box. Follow the road to the church. (A small detour to the White Hart is optional).
4
Go to the left of the Church and turn right to enter Gypsy Lane, a no-through road. Pass the churchyard and an old orchard and then go through a kissing gate on the right. Head for a double stile in the far left corner of the field. Cross this and turn right alongside the stream, cross a plank bridge and stile, then, 50 yards into the next field, cross a bridge on the right and then turn left alongside the hedge.At the corner of the field climb the bank and go through two kissing gates alongside the stream to enter a large field. Continue heading gently up-hill to find the stile in the top left hand corner ahead. Cross the stile and turn half right to cross the field diagonally to find and cross the stile to the left of the row of trees.
Head down diagonally to the left to cross the double stile at the stream crossing near the corner of the field. Turn left for 50 yards before turning left again to cross a bridge. Then turn immediately right over a stile, and walk along, with the hedge on your right and the motorbike scramble course on your left, to reach a house. Pass through the gate and down a track to a road. Turn left and climb the road for 150 yards, watching out for traffic and carefully crossing to then go through a signposted kissing gate beside a field gate on the right.
5
Take the left-most path descending to a gateway and continue ahead, climbing gently, aiming to the right of a group of trees to find a stile. Go straight on, ascending and then descending and passing to the left of a tree at a gateway.Then continue half right and pass to the left of a small bog and then contour to the right of an isolated tree ahead. Continue, maintaining height, to a gate and stile which is hidden until you almost reach it, about 50 yards up from the corner of the field. Turn right along the road (Peak Lane/Lever’s Hill). At a road junction keep right by the post box (Silver Street) and continue for about 400 yards before turning right to walk on along Haw Street.
Follow this to its end where you go through a kissing gate by the stream and follow the left field boundary to another kissing gate.
6
Cross the stone bridge over the stream to a kissing gate and then cross a narrow field to another kissing gate, heading for the church tower. Go across the next field to a kissing gate, and then downhill across the next field to another kissing gate.Follow the narrow path beside the stream to a kissing gate leading into the Coaley recreation ground. Head across to the right of the play area to enter the church grounds by a kissing gate. Follow the path along the right side of the church to the road. At the road turn right and follow it to the first junction on the left (Pinnell’s End Lane).
Go through the kissing gate on the corner and walk diagonally across the field to another kissing gate visible in the hedge ahead. Cross the next large field heading diagonally for the far corner to a gate and bridge by the trees. Continue across the next field aiming slightly to the right to a field gate opening at a dogleg in the hedging. Turn half right, and walk across the next field towards the field gate opening just to the right of a clump of trees.
At the opening turn half right to go across the next field towards the stile visible at the dogleg in the boundary at the corner of the wood and the water company premises. Cross the stile and follow the path along the edge of the wood with the wire fencing on your right. Pass a gate and then a step through stile which brings you out onto Halmore Lane. Turn right and follow the tarmac road back to the station.
Enjoy your walk!
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