Gloucestershire walking route and map NoG05

Click on thumbnail to view full size picture of Winchcombe Almshouses

WINCHCOMBE TO SUDELEY CASTLE

Waypoint	Map Reference	Bearing to next waypoint
START	SP 0244 2824	37
WP1	SP 0286 2889	63
WP2	SP 0420 2969	72
WP3	SP 0448 2980	39
WP4	SP 0468 3008	146
WP5	SP 0475 2999	74
WP6	SP 0560 3010	111
WP7	SP 0534 3001	142
WP8	SP 0614 2913	190
WP9	SP 0609 2864	180
WP10	SP 0614 2785	141
WP11	SP 0625 2773	206
WP12	SP 0571 2638	174
WP13	SP 0573 2627	275
WP14	SP 0544 2627	292
WP15	SP 0470 2651	357
WP16	SP 0464 2700	275
WP17	SP 0407 2700	337
WP18	SP 0394 2724	275
WP19	SP 0341 2724	324
WP20	SP 0293 2781	315
START	SP 0244 2824	-

General:- This 8 mile circular route combines a section of the beautiful 101mile Cotswold Way and part the Wardens Way to give the traveller a good taste of what the Cotswolds have to offer. There's a lot to see on this walk and you will be pushed to fit it all in in one day, start early, it's worth the effort.

Winchcombe is larger than you might think. It sits on the river Isbourne and in Saxon times was the capital of Mercia. It once had an Abbey. Founded in AD798 it grew to be the largest (and richest) landowner in the vicinity. This proved to be its undoing, Henry VIII took a liking to its assets and demolished it during the "dissolution", he looked after the money though! Winchcombe grew rich on the wool trade, throughout its history wealthy merchants built fine houses and many can still be seen. The almeshouses, the cottages down Vineyard St, and the little passageways between the houses all add to the town's charm.

Hailes Abbey also suffered from Henry VIII's onslaught but more of it remains. Although it is ruined the joint efforts of English Heritage and the National Trust have given such character to the remains that it's easy to imagine what monastic life was like.

Sudeley Castle has 1,000 years of history and it shows. Katherine Parr lived there and Henry VIII was so attracted by her that he took time off from wrecking monasteries to court and subsequently marry her. Charles the 1st visited too but he led the castle into disaster. It sided with the royalists in the civil war and was wrecked by Cromwell's army. It stayed that way until the mid 1800's when the Dent family bought it and began to restore the building ( part of one tower is still in ruins). Inside it's a glorious jumble of differing furniture that oozes history. There's a Tudor costume exhibition, ladies - if you want to see dresses, take a look.

There are no pubs on the walk but pubs and tea rooms are available in Winchcombe. GPS length 7.62 miles .

How to get there:- Park in the centre of the High St near the war memorial. From Cheltenham take the B4632 and follow it for 7 miles, it leads straight into the town. From the M5 leave at Junction 9 at SO 9040 2565 taking the A46 for 3.3 miles to the B4077 on your right at SO 9629 3396. Continue on this Rd for £.8 miles to a cross roads with the B4078 at SP0204 3251. Turn right here and this lead to Winchcombe.