The Windrush Way

The Windrush Way – Winchcombe to Bourton on the Water

The Windrush Way was created in the 1980s by the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens.

Starting on Abbey Terrace, Winchcombe facing the War Memorial, head 75 metres to your left and turn right down Castle Street. Walk down the hill crossing Silk Mill Lane and continue taking the footpath on your right immediately after the entrance to Sudeley Castle Cottages signposted Windrush Way. Go up the flight of steps and through the gate. Cross the field keeping close to the right hand boundary fence until you come to another gate. Go through and follow the path to your immediate left by the fence for 100 metres down to the road. Cross the road and go through the gate opposite. Walk alongside the adventure playground on the left towards the castle. Bear away from the playground and head to a metal gate beside a fieldgate. Go through and the path splits. Take the right hand path towards the far right hand corner of the field to another gate by a field gate 1.

Go through and turn immediately right over a concrete bridge. In 20 metres turn left to another gate before you reach the road. Go through and follow the path diagonally across the field through a gateway and across another field to a gate in the top right hand corner. Continue along path at the field edges over 3 stiles and down to a gate. Go through the gate and up the short slope and then 300 metres across the field to join the track 2. Turn left along the track, bearing left down the track, through another gate and follow the track round to the left through the farm buildings and follow the track for 1 mile (1.6km) up the hill past Spoonley Farm until you reach the road 3. Turn right along the road for 300 metres to a crossroads, turn left and walk another 300 metres uphill. Opposite the entrance to Roel Hill Farm turn right down a path along the edge of a field.

Continue downhill along the right hand edge of the field through 2 gates then through another field straight on to a field gate in the right hand corner. Joining a track continue for 200 metres before turning sharp left 4. Walk along the right hand edge of 3 fields and 3 stiles until you meet a track. Cross the track and continue ahead through a field gate with the field boundary now on your left, over a stile where the boundary swaps to your right and down over a stile to follow the track to a road. Turn left along the road following it round past Hawling Lodge to a field gate on the bend on your right. Continue through the gate straight on to a gate, cross the stream and follow the path through 2 gates to a track by the entrance to Tally Ho House.

Turn right along the track and continue for half a mile (0.8km) following the track round the top of the wood and up a field edge on your right to a gate by the B4068. Turn right along the road and in 50 metres cross to a stile, continuing straight ahead across the field to a stile in the top right hand corner. Go over the stile and follow the right hand field edge for 300 metres then a left hand field edge for 150 metres to a field gate. Turn sharp left in front of the field gate 5 through a gate, following the fence round through another gate along the track and follow it for ¾ mile (1.2km) past the clay pigeon shoot then along the right hand boundaries of 2 fields to reach a field gate. Go through the field gate and continue along the valley bottom to another field gate on your left. Go through the field gate and follow the track. The track bears left and uphill and after 20 metres bear right through a field gate onto a road.

Cross the road and continue ahead through a field gate to another field gate in the bottom right hand corner of the field. Rejoining a track, continue ahead with the wood on your right through another field gate. At the end of the wood continue ahead with the stream on your right to a field gate. Go through and follow the valley bottom to the end of the field. Cross the stone bridge over the stream and go through the gate on your left. Continue down the valley bottom with the stream on your left through 3 fields over a stile and through a field gate. 100 metres past the field gate bear right across the slope to a stile 6.

Go over the stile onto the road and turning L walk 100 metres downhill then turn R over a stile next to a field gate. Continue ahead across the field, over a stile to join the stream. Walk alongside the stream through 2 fields, over 2 stiles close together then through a field gate. In the third field, after 50 metres, leave the stream and follow the path ahead diagonally up and across the slope and into the wood. At the top of the hill turn sharp R through a field gate and follow the L hand field edge to another field gate, passing through and back into the woods. Follow the path through the woods for approx half a mile before the path turns right to a drystone wall. At the wall turn left, follow the wall until you reach a track. Bear right along the track and go through the gate on the right. Continue across the next field to to a gate to the right of a stone barn. Go through the gate to meet a drive and turn right to the road 7.

Bear left and follow the road downhill, over the bridge and uphill past Little Aston Mill. Continue along the path as it bears right into the woods. Follow the edge of the woods through a gate and into a field. Follow the right hand field edge through 2 gates and down to the road.

Cross the Fosse Way (A429), take care crossing this busy road. Carry on down Lansdowne keeping the river on your right. After 200 metres turn right down an alleyway. Follow the path to the river, crossing over the bridge then along the bank, the river now on your left. Pass through a gate then follow the path alongside the fence through a gate to an alleyway between the houses.

At the road turn left and in 150 metres arrive at the war memorial in Bourton on the Water.

WWaW hope you enjoy the walk, however the walk is undertaken at your sole risk and WWaW have no responsibility for loss, damage, injury or interpretation. Every possible care has been taken to ensure the information given was accurate at the time of creation.