B1 Information

Click on thumbnail to view full size picture of St Catherines Court

ST. CATHERINES to CHARMY DOWN

Waypoint	Map Reference	Bearing to next waypoint
START	ST 7779 7030	356
WP1	ST 7777 7043	126
WP2	ST 7833 7008	182
WP3	ST 7834 6976	251
WP4	ST 7822 6971	249
WP5	ST 7764 6944	248
WP6	ST 7667 6898	309
WP7	ST 7603 6942	338
WP8	ST 7590 6969	317
WP9	ST 7507 7046	320
WP10	ST 7478 7076	67
WP11	ST 7502 7088	81
WP12	ST 7596 7109	22
WP13	ST 7600 7121	104
WP14	ST 7730 7098	90
WP15	ST 7744 7099	157
START	ST 7779 7030	-

General:-This 6.2 mile walk is a gem. It's the last gasp of the Cotswolds before they plunge down to oblivion in the outskirts of Bath. It seems hard to believe that St Catherines valley is so close to the city, but it is. It has the charm and remoteness of a bygone age, I stood in front of St Catherines' Court and thought 'this is like the 1950's, any minute now a pony and trap will come round the corner' and one did! It is a very steep hill up from St Catherines valley to Charmy Down, but once you are up there it is worth it and there are no more climbs after that. In fact it is a walk of two halves, the wooded charm of the valley with its stream to guide you and then the flat plateau of Charmy Down for something completely different

The path down to waypoint1 passes through a private garden. This may seem odd but it is the correct path and it's well used, don't worry.

The old airfield was a bomber aerodrome in the war. It's all a bit tatty now, just an old control tower and a few crumbling huts but I met a couple who were stationed there during the war and got married, he taught her to drive on the runways, for them it was a special place. As I left them to their memories, did I hear the drone of aircraft, I think I did. (GPS length 5.85 miles).

How to get there: Park where the Rd widens in front of St Catherines Court. From Bath take the A4 towards Box for 2.5 miles, passing the A46 on your left to meet a narrow road on your left signposted St Catherines. It's a very narrow road, only one car wide in places. Pass through the village of Northend and a road on the right at ST 7785 6841. Continue straight on for 0.6 miles to fork L at ST 7814 6936. St. Catherines Court is one mile furthur on on your left.

From the north, at the junction of A46 and A420, drive down the A46 towards Bath for 1.1 miles and take the 3rd road left at ST 7452 7120. After 1.9 miles fork right at ST 7718 7087 to meet St. Catherines Court 0.3 miles on.