Cirencester Ramblers

On Sunday 4th October 29 members set off on a misty morning on a 9½ mile walk from Tetbury. The walkers passed by St Mary the Virgin Church then down Silver Street before taking a track and footpaths to Estcourt Park. They then made their way through the immaculately kept Estcourt Estate, stopping at Shipton Moyne for a coffee break, where the sun at last came out. After Shipton Moyne the group went on to West End Stud.

Here the 11 walkers doing the 6 mile walk split off and walked along bridle ways called Wormwell Lane and Barber Lane to Doughton; and then on footpaths to Longfurlong Lane before returning to Tetbury.

The 18 walkers doing the full walk continued on footpaths passing by Westonbirt School and to Westonbirt Golf Club where they stopped for a lunch break. After this they continued on through Westonbirt village, before making their way through the Arboretum, eventually joining the Monarch's Way passing Elmstree House and Highgrove as they made their way back to Tetbury.

In beautiful early autumn sunshine, 22 walkers including three visitors from East Staffordshire Ramblers enjoyed a walk from Lechlade. Starting at the Memorial Hall car park, the group made their way to the fifteenth century spire Church of St Lawrence before joining Shelley’s Walk and progressing to the Trout Inn. Here the ramblers crossed the bridge before descending the steps onto St Johns Lock, taking time to admire Old Father Thames, and joining the Thames Path National Trail.

After heading East along this path to Buscot Lock, where a coffee stop was taken, the party enjoyed the sight and sound of two boats passing through the lock, one in each direction. They then continued further along the bank to the outskirts of Kelmscott where the group divided.

Seven members, on a seven mile route, continued along the Thames Path before turning off past Kelmscott Manor and through the village. They continued on lanes and footpaths past Paradise Farm and Lechlade Mill returning to Lechlade by the cricket pitch where there was a kite festival.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the group on a ten mile route, took the circular path into Kelmscott where they paused for lunch close to the Plough Inn and were fortunate to enjoy the sight, at close quarters, of a splendid traction engine. They then returned to Lechlade by walking across fields to Buscot, on to Buscot Wick Farm, and thereafter via Inglesham’s Anglo Saxon Church, the Round House and Riverside Park to Half Penny Bridge.

On a rather misty September morning, 14 ramblers including 4 guests set off from the pretty village of Farmington on what proved to be an 11 mile figure of eight walk via Clapton on the Hill and Bourton on the Water. The walk passed through some lovely countryside which included great views, woods, pretty villages and lakes, with the sun finally making an appearance around lunchtime when we all enjoyed a well earned lunch stop in Bourton on the Water.

On a bright and breezy autumn morning a group of 17 ramblers and 1 guest left Barbury Castle, the first of a number of iron age forts along the 85 mile long Ridgeway National Trail which include Liddington, Alfreds and Uffington castles. Following Smeathes Ridge with extensive views to Liddington Castle and the Watchfield windmills we descended to Ogbourne St. George and the Og Bourne, and on the outskirts of the hamlet of Southend parted from the Ridgeway to continue to Ogbourne St. Andrew, the lowest part of the walk.

From here there was a short, sharp climb to the second coffee break, followed by a steady climb on the old Swindon to Marlborough coach road.  They walked past Barbury race course and Four Mile Clump, the half way point on the coach road back to the start, a rise of over 450 feet.   At the car park we were treated to a display of kite flying by the local kite club.

On a wet Bank Holiday Monday, 10 members set off on a 6.5 miles walk from Lacock. Walking through the NT village of Lacock the group paused to look at some of the historic features of this beautiful village. They then made their way from Lacock towards Reybridge before walking alongside the River Avon and stopping for a coffee break.

Continuing, they reached the road to Bowden Hill then continued up the road for a short way and then along footpaths past Bowden Park. On paths, lanes and tracks the walkers made their way around the hill top towards Nocketts Hill and lunch. By which time it had finally stopped raining.

After lunch the group descended along paths until they reached the now disused Wilts & Berks Canal, which is undergoing some restoration. They crossed the canal using the restored Double Bridge and then followed the path alongside the canal to Reybridge and then back to Lacock where some decided to explore the village tea shops and enjoy the village fete and entertainment.