Cotswold Way | Life in the English Cotswolds

It may seem odd that having moved from the depths of the countryside to the centre of a town that the first piece I write about after the move should be about escaping back into the wilds. It isn’t that I’m yearning for open space away from the crowds for, to my surprise, I’m finding life in Cheltenham to be remarkably exciting in ways that I didn’t expect, namely people watching, shopping and architecture (well, I half-expected the latter). What has surprised me, however, is how just yards from my front door there are ‘green ways’ that lead up into the hills. I tend to think of them as my escape routes although I’m really loving the change of pace and lifestyle, albeit it’s early days.

*The old railway track is now a green pathway that links the town centre to the countryside*

Cheltenham has a reputation of having more trees than people and I think it could well be true for the photo below of the Promenade, one of the main shopping streets in the town (and a four minute walk from our door) demonstrates this so well. There are numerous parks as well, and these interconnect with the green ways: not only do they give me a way to exit the town it also gives wild animals and birds a route to enter it. In time I shall be writing about the wildlife I come across and the parks in more detail. Suffice to say, that it is something that I hadn’t really considered: I thought I was leaving the world of deer, fox, badger and otter behind but apparently not for all live within the town centre. Of course, I’m not trying to pretend that I don’t have to walk along pavements and sometimes busy roads as well, it is just that I had assumed that would be my only option to reach open country.

*They say Cheltenham has more trees than people. The Promenade, one of the town’s main shopping streets proving the point!*

*Cheltenham from the roof of the Cotswolds showing just how many trees there are in the town*

The path that is so close to my new home, known as the Honeybourne Line, started life in the mid-1800s as the branch line of the railway bringing in services and visitors into the heart of the town. When it closed in 1976 the station was demolished (it’s now the site of our local Waitrose supermarket) and the area gradually became forgotten and overgrown. It wasn’t until the Millenium that various groups and the town council began to clear it to create a traffic-free walking and cycling route. When finally completed it will link several local towns and communities along its 26-mile course.

*The Millennium bridge spanning a busy road junction – part of what will be a 26 mile traffic-free, green route for cyclists and walkers*

My first venture along this path took me northwards to the racecourse. Cheltenham is famous for its horse racing and it is here, each March that the Gold Cup, one of the world’s major sporting events is held. On the day that I walked there was no racing and so I had the place to myself. A public footpath alongside the gallops would have lead me high into the (Cotswold) hills but I chose to turn towards the town, this time choosing a route through Pitville Park with its beautiful lake and spa building. There will be other days, I thought, when I can climb the hills.

*The Cotswolds rise steeply from the very edge of the racecourse* *giving endless walking possibilities*

*The lake at Pittville Park with its beautiful Regency Spa building beyond*

For my second walk I tried to find a way west and although I finally did reach farmland to walk over, this route involved just a few too many roads for my liking. However, I was rewarded with hazy views of the Malvern Hills and also by stumbling across a mid-length long-distance path known as the Cheltenham Circular Path. This, I have since discovered, starts at Pittville Park and would have taken me on a much nicer and quieter route out of town. A little further on I came across a derelict farm to explore before finding myself back on a stretch of the Honeybourne Line to lead me back home.

*It is just possible to see the centuries-old crown of trees on distant May Hill,*
*a solitary outlier of the Malverns* *over 15 miles away*

The third walk was through a different park – Sandford Park. This was also a surprise for the path followed the course of the little River Chelt and led through well-maintained gardens before opening out into a much wilder part of the park, kept that way as part of the flood defences for the town. Rather like the little winding river back in the secret valley the Chelt can rise very rapidly after heavy rain. As with my first walk, I thought I would leave exploring the hills for a later date, but it was such a glorious day and the path so tempting that I climbed the 900 feet to the top. There I was rewarded by stupendous views of not just the Cotswold and Malvern Hills but also, way off in the far-distance, the misty shapes of the Long Myndd and Shropshire Hills, fifty miles away. It is also here that my path linked to the Cotswold Way, another National Trail of over 100 miles length so the possibilities are literally endless.

*It’s hard to believe this is still within the town*
*– a tranquil stretch of the River Chelt by Sandford Park*

*Formal gardens at Sandford Park give way to much wilder, natural areas, rich in wildlife*

When I was a young man before the responsibilities of home ownership, career and all the other things in life that get in the way, I used to spend a lot of my time walking these long-distance paths. Now that I have finally retired, I’m looking forward to spending much more time clocking up the miles although I doubt I shall be walking the 25 miles a day I would do in my youth. Moving to a new area, although still in the Cotswolds, there is much to explore both in the town and the country. The town with its rich history of its development as a spa in the 1800s when the fashionable and wealthy came to ‘take the waters’, the hill country and its villages or the vale of the River Severn – England’s longest river – will give me plenty of walking opportunities and plenty to write about. I can’t wait to get going!

*When I reached this enticing path, I just couldn’t stop myself from exploring further!*

*I reached the top and the Cotswold Way long-distance trail. From here it is possible to walk over 100 miles*

Since the start of writing my Life in the English Cotswolds blog, now over fifteen years ago, overseas readers have repeatedly commented on our network of public footpaths. Mostly it is one of surprise that we can seemingly wander at will over privately owned land and clear any obstruction that may be blocking our way. In this post I hope to clarify what this civil right, now enshrined in law, is all about.

*A footpath crossing privately-owned land in the Cotswolds*

Many of our footpaths are ancient in origin dating back 5000 years or more. Of course, in those days, these paths were the main highways across a wild and untamed land. Even in the relatively recent past much of the road system was a dusty, uncomfortable route to take in summer and not any better later in the year when winter rain turned them into a muddy quagmire. Over many centuries the network of paths was created, usually by local people on foot or horseback taking the most direct and dry route to work or market. This is one of the reasons why paths often pass through farmsteads and gardens.

*This public footpath passes close to Lower Dornford Farmhouse*

Today, the public footpaths of England and Wales (Scotland has a different system) are much loved and well-used, mostly for recreational purposes. There are several organisations and charities (see list below) that help to protect the paths and walker’s rights to use them for there are several threats, such as land development for roads and houses, as well as the occasional, unscrupulous landowner. Landowners seem to fall into two categories: those that maintain the paths to allow ease of access and those that allow the paths to fall into disrepair for it is the landowner that is responsible for the path’s maintenance. A well-maintained path is clearly defined across the landscape, its gates and stiles giving ease of access whilst remaining stockproof. By statute, where a path crosses a road, the local council must signpost it.

*This farmer has mown a strip through his crop to define the footpath*

*Where a path meets a road it must be clearly marked*

After many years of campaigning, England created its first long-distance path, the Pennine Way, in 1965. It is 268 miles in length and runs down the spine of northern England passing through spectacular countryside. Today, there are many of these long-distance paths as well as shorter, circular paths. However, with a good Ordnance Survey map (paper or app) it is possible to create your own route whether it be for an hour’s stroll or for much longer. In 2010 the Slow Ways network linking various paths and lanes, villages and towns, across the whole country was created, one of the few benefits to have arisen from the Covid-19 lockdown when walking alone was one of the few permitted activities. The routes listed are all tried and tested by local people who walk them regularly.

*The rugged landscape at Jacob’s Ladder, part of the Pennine Way long-distance path*

*Ordnance Survey map shows the public rights of way (the solid red line is a main road, the solid yellow line, a country lane* [*Copyright Ordnance Survey*]

In the Ordnance Survey map illustrated above the footpaths are clearly defined using red dashes. The short dashes show footpaths (walkers only) whereas bridlepaths (walkers, horses and bicycles) have long dashes. The broken short-long dashes mark those tracks that can be used by horse-drawn vehicles (“restricted byway”). Some paths have signs along their routes showing not just the route but also the path’s category.

As mentioned, paths frequently cross farmland or other enclosed land. A way through a fenced or walled area must be maintained at all times. Below are illustrations of some of the different types of barriers you may come across although none must prevent you from continuing along your route. If it’s a route for horses the rider must be able to open the gate without dismounting.

*Wooden gate to pass through easily or wooden stile to scramble over*

*Not all stone wall are so tricky to get over!*

Visitors to England often spend far too much time in the major cities or tourist hot-spots (the Cotswolds have lots of those!) returning home not realising that they have missed the opportunity to see parts of the country that never feature in the travel magazines – the homes and villages, the woodlands and old drover’s tracks that can be found all over the country. You may choose to walk alone but when you do meet someone, they are often local and happy to exchange greetings and share a few minutes in dialogue.

*Bibury – one of the most visited villages in the Cotswolds. To see it like this you need to arrive soon after dawn!*

*Get away from the crowds by* exploring the peace and quiet of the English countryside

Not everyone, of course, feels comfortable walking by themselves, especially in an area unknown to them. Fortunately, there are a lot of local groups or larger organisations such as the Ramblers Association that will welcome you on a regular or one-off basis. Occasionally you may even find an individual who’ll be happy to share with a visitor a favourite walk or place – I’ve done it myself and made some good friends along the way. That is one of the best things about walking, the walks can be short or long, easy or arduous, solitary or in company but it is the interesting conversations you have, the beautiful scenery you pass through, and the wildlife you encounter that make such a memorable experience. Why not give it a try?