Last year we spent an enjoyable week at Burnt Ash Farm CL on the outskirts of Minchinhampton exploring areas of the Cotswolds we had not previously visited. There was plenty of good walking and an added bonus for Lynnie was the opportunity to visit Winston’s Ice Cream Parlour on the edge of Rodborough Common. So when looking for a convenient spot for a week away at short notice it ticked all the boxes.
We are dogless this trip, Crosby is staying at home with our son who is back for a couple of months. It feels very odd to be packing the car and not including Crosby, this will be our first trip away without a dog since we started caravanning.
On arrival we quickly get pitched up and are soon out for a short walk to stretch our legs after the journey. We leave the caravan site by the footpath running beside the ménage and then heading across paddocks to join another footpath close to the road. Here we stay in the field and turn right to walk along the edge of the field with a wall on the left.
After crossing a stone stile we continue into another field and keep walking with the wall to our left. After crossing another stone stile the footpath forks.
We take the right fork to head through a meadow towards a gate. Crossing a stile on the gate we join a track and turn left. The track soon opens out onto a small common which leads to a residential lane. We stay with the lane to reach the Cirencester Road where we turn left and then quickly reach a crossroads and Minchinhampton Common.
We cross the road and head onto Minchinhampton Common.
This is only a small part of the common which covers 580 acres of open access land which is grazed by cattle and has a couple of golf courses crossing it. Our route heads west with old earthworks and the road running parallel on our right.
On reaching a minor road, Dr Brown’s Road, we turn left to leave the common and walk into Minchinhampton. At a T-junction in the town we turn left to walk along West End leading into the old part of the town.
After passing the Fish and Chip Shop and the Butchers we turn left into the High Street and wander past the recently refurbished Crown Inn and the fine old Market House. Like many Cotswold towns Minchinhampton was built up around the wool market and the Market House with cattle barriers in the lower part would have been at the hub of the community.
From the Market House we join Butt Street and head uphill away from the centre of town. At a cattle grid with white gates beside it we turn right into Summerfield Road and walk through houses to reach another cattle grid where we turn right to rejoin the lane heading back to the common.
From the common we retrace our steps over the gate and through the meadows back to the caravan.
You can view this 3 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here
To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer – 168 Stroud, Tetbury & Malmesbury
19th June 2023
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2023)
All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it. To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk. It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.