Winchcombe orbital walk

A circular walk leaving Winchcombe along the Cotswold Way before crossing a pathwork of fields towards Gretton. A climb up Langley Hill with panoramic views and pretty coutryside on the return. 

Cross the River Isbourne and shortly turn left along a narrow passageway between houses (signposted Winchcombe Way), to emerge into a field via a gate. Continue to walk in the same direction with the river on your left through another gate until you meet the B4632 road. Go through the gate and cross the road.

Turn right and continue ahead for approx 100 metres before turning right into Puck Pit Lane. Follow the track signposted Cotswold Way (CW) to a footbridge. Cross, and go over a stile before continuing uphill to another footbridge.  Continue following the CW through a gate, following a fence on our right to meet another gate. Enter the next field and cross to the opposite side before turning right to meet a stone track. Turn left along the track until you see a red and white gas pole A, turn left opposite to follow the footpath. If you reach Salter’s Lane you have gone too far.

Cross the stile and continue along a field boundary, turning left before a railway signal. Pass under the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway line then cross a stile. Just before the farm buildings, turn right across a ditch then pass Ireley Farm to the B4632.

Carefully cross the road, cross the stile and continue straight ahead, crossing the left hand boundary approx. two thirds along the field. Continue in the same direction to the end of the field, bear left then cross the River Isbourne into a paddock. Continue ahead then bear left to meet a lane B.

Turn right and in about 200 metres, at a junction, take the footpath straight ahead. Cross a lane and pass through houses following the path to the road at Littleworth. Cross the road and walk along the road now facing you to a T-junction C.

Turn left for 20 metres before crossing the road, over a stile to follow a path uphill to a field gate in the right hand field boundary.  Turn left onto a track and continue uphill, ignoring paths to the left and right, until you finally approach Langley Hill Farm D.

At a junction of paths above the farm buildings, turn left then almost immediately right on a bridleway, past farm buildings to a gate. Head diagonally right, down to a field gate, then continue in the same direction through two small gates to a garden. Turn left and follow a stream down to Langley Road. At the road turn right and follow it to a stile E on the left just before overhead power lines. Follow the path downhill to cross a stream, then climb up to meet the B4632.

Cross carefully and slightly to your left is a stone stile, which you cross. Turn left onto a driveway, soon bearing right where it forks. Follow this track uphill, passing between a farmhouse on the left and a barn on the right.

The track bears right, alongside the left boundary of a field. Continue on this to meet the Cotswold Way (CW) F.

You may wish to go to Flynn’s at Cleeve Golf Club for refreshments (1 mile return). If so, turn right and follow the Cotswold Way, then retrace your steps to point F.

Turn left along the CW and descend to a metal gate, go through and bear right downhill on the Cotswold Way towards a line of trees flanking the Postlip Estate.

Ignore the Cotswold Way path leading off to the left (see photo) and continue along the track as it approaches and then follows a line of trees and the estate wall. Before the wall curves to the left by a stile G.

You may wish to visit the old Sheepdip and Washpool (0.3 miles return) and the source of the River Isbourne (0.6 miles return), if so continue on the track to the Washpool and follow the stream uphill to the source, then retrace your steps to point G.

Cross the stile and follow the path downhill. Cross two stiles and at the boundary wall of Postlip Hall, bear right to pass through three gates in quick succession. At a fourth, H cross a lane and continue ahead, following the Isbourne Way.

Pass a couple of (private) restored ponds on your left.  At the end of this field turn left through a gate, cross a footbridge and turn right to follow the path towards Postlip Mill.

The path which leads you through the busy mill site is well signed, but keep a sharp lookout for vehicles and equipment.

Continue on a gravelled path to the access road (signed public footpath). Turn right along the road for 75m taking the gravel path on the left above the mill buildings, through trees.

Stay on the gravel path to drop down to a gate by a track, signposted Isbourne Way.

Turn left and follow the track and where the main track bears left, go straight on and rise up to a gate ahead. Pass through and follow this footpath, with a hedge on your right, to reach a gate on your left before the road. Go through the gate and turn right to another gate by the lane J.

Turn right into Corndean Lane, cross the River Isbourne and carefully walk up the road approx 150m to a bend, turn left onto the Cotswold Way. Continue along the stone path to a gate, continue along the stone path until you meet a gate by Vineyard Street.  Turn left and walk up to the main road in Winchcombe.

Here turn right to walk into town, turning left into Cowl Lane to return to the car park.

 © Winchcombe Walkers are Welcome 2025