Seven Springs, Cotswolds. A Walk (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)

A WALK DECSRIPTION: Starting from a lay-by on the A436 at Seven Springs, we will follow the Cotswold Way over Wistley Hill, which provides extensive views over Cheltenham to the Malvern Hills. The route continues through the upper edge of Lineover Wood (Woodland Trust), then turns steeply down along the edge of the wood. We will meander to appreciate the ancient woodland, including a fine >600-year-old heritage beech tree. After crossing the A40 near the dam of the Dowdeswell Reservoir, the route climbs steeply up the side of Dowdeswell Wood Nature Reserve. Leaving the Cotswold Way, we continue all the way around the perimeter path in the woods, briefly retracing our earlier route to cross back across the A40. We then take a footpath which climbs SE mainly through fields, eventually reaching the Kilkenny Inn. From here we continue to Foxcote, where we join the Gloucestershire Way, which we will follow across fields, quiet lanes and tracks to a lane near Upper Coberley, where we turn NW along the lane then a track back to Seven Springs and the waiting coach. Leader: Peter Searle. 12.5 miles, ~1850 ft total ascent.