LIFE ON THE EDGE
Rising and falling along the Cotswold escarpment from one quaint town to the next, this classic long-distance trail is ideal for first-timers. Anthony Burton walks you through his favourite section
The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile trail that follows the line of the Cotswold escarpment, from Chipping Campden all the way to Bath. The 7.2–mile section from King’s Stanley to Dursley offers a sense of the scenery met along the walk: open hilltops with vast views, aged woodlands and ancient sites.
1 SEVERN VIEWS
The walk starts by the former woollen mill at King’s Stanley and, after heading a short way up the road, turns left on to a grassy footpath that skirts the hamlet of Middleyard. Beyond is the start of a steep climb to the top of the escarpment, with ever-widening views.
The way now takes a broad path through woodland dominated by beech trees. It winds along the edge of the hill, with occasional views down to the Severn Valley, before eventually emerging on to open grassland. Here is the Neolithic burial site of Nympsfield Long Barrow, then, one of the high points of the walk, Coaley Peak, where views reach out across the Severn to the hills of Wales.
2 QUARRIES AND FORTS
The path drops down the side of the hill slightly to a very different section of the walk that runs past old quarries overhung with creepers. It’s a bit of a roller-coaster, as the footpath alternates between dips and climbs before eventually reaching the imposing ramparts of Uley Bury Iron Age hillfort.
3 VALLEY TOWN
A broad track descends into the valley to meet a sunken lane with massive tree roots emerging from the banks. After reaching the valley floor, the next objective is clear: the shapely hill of Cam Long Down (pictured above). There is a steep climb to the top, but you’re rewarded with comfortable walking over grassland and panoramic views. Before reaching the end of the hill, a track leads back down to the valley.
The path now cuts through grazing fields then follows a stream, eventually arriving at the road. The way turns left towards Dursley and the market square in the centre of town, with its splendid church and 18th-century market hall.