Wikiloc | Crickley Hill loop - including part of Cotswold Way and Gloucestershire Way trails Trail

Download

Trail photos

Photo ofCrickley Hill loop - including part of Cotswold Way and Gloucestershire Way trails

Author

Elsie Bee

3,424 217 2859

See more trails from this author

Trail stats

Distance: 8.86 mi
Elevation gain: 869 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 869 ft
Max elevation: 973 ft
TrailRank: 51
Min elevation: 973 ft
Trail type: Loop

Moving time: 2 hours 56 minutes
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Coordinates: 2440
Uploaded: September 28, 2023
Recorded: September 2023

Be the first to clap

near Bentham, England (United Kingdom)

Viewed 30 times, downloaded 1 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

This is a lovely loop trail with a variety of scenery and terrain - from open hilltop trails to woodland and farmland paths. Part of the route follows the Cotswold Way, part follows the Gloucestershire Way, and parts are on Public Footpaths. There are short sections on quiet country lanes and two busy roads to cross - the A436 at Seven Springs wasn't too bad, but crossing the A417 on the Gloucestershire Way back to Crickley Hill Country Park was more of a challenge. It involved walking along the verge of a busy dual carriageway for 5 minutes and then crossing at the roundabout where there was no pedestrian crossing. It seems rather poor planning to have the Gloucester Way route crossing the A417 without traffic lights/a zebra crossing...anyway, all worked well, but take great care when crossing this road and do walk up to the roundabout where the traffic has slowed down.

After making enquiries I have found out that this section already has plans for improvement, to begin in Autumn of 2023. I did this route on 28th September 2023 so hopefully the improvement works will start soon! The details are:

"Re-alignment of the 3-mile single-carriageway stretch of the A417 between Air Balloon roundabout (SO 935161) and the Cowley roundabout (SO 949134) is scheduled to begin in the Autumn of 2023. Large parts of the existing road will be 'repurposed' into a multi-user (walkers, cyclists, horse riders) Right of Way. The Gloucestershire Way will cross the re-designated route via a new footbridge."

https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/cotswold-way/news/
https://nationaltrails.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/A417MissingLinkschememap.jpg

Waypoints

Start at Crickley Hill car park

Follow the Cotswold Way along the top of the ridge

Bear right into woods, still on Cotswold Way

Through gate and then left, still following Cotswold Way

Through gate and straight on

Very fluffy cows

More fluffy cows

Through exit gate from Crickley Hill Park, still following Cotswold Way

Walk uphill on road

Cross road and go straight on, towards National Star College, on Cotswold Way

Leave road on corner and go up track by signposts

Following Cotswold Way

Nice grassy track by the side of a golf course

At the junction a little further on from here, DO NOT follow Cotswold Way to the left and downhill, instead turn right (short cut). You'll leave the Cotswold Way for a short while and walk on a Public Footpath, and then re-join the Cotswold Way later.

Turn left off small road and then immediately right on Public Footpath

At the previous junction TURN RIGHT - leaving the Cotswold Way

At the T junction return to Cotswold Way, turn right and pass through gate

Rest stop

Fork right

Nice track across farmland

At the lane turn right

Meet road and turn left, still following Cotswold Way

From this point you are no longer following Cotswold Way. Follow Hartley Lane round to the right.

Seven Springs - source of the River Thames

Walk along the grass verge for 5 minutes then cross busy road with care to the signpost opposite

Go straight on into Coberley village

The old Red Phone box now contains a library and a Defibrillator

Turn right on road briefly then go left down Public Footpath - 'Gloucestershire Way'

Meet road and turn right, walk along the road for 5 minutes.

Leave road and go through gate, following Gloucestershire Way

Photo ofGo through the gate. This is a beautiful section of the route.

Go through the gate. This is a beautiful section of the route.

Iron age settlement with crop circles

At the T junction go right

A tricky path to find - it's in the middle of a huge construction site

The Public Footpath goes between two areas which seem to be undergoing construction of a very large development, there were lots of men in yellow jackets and hard hats. But there was no problem in walking along the Public Rights of Way.