Winchcombe South Short To Postlip

This relatively short walk takes you along the Cotswold Way as far as Corndean Hall (Early 19th Century detached villa where houses have been since 1540) before returning to the Isbourne river at Postlip mills. From there you follow the river back to Winchcombe. The walk will take you past arable fields and grasslands at the lower levels and as you climb up the escarpment the fields change to enclosed and open grasslands with woodland belts.

At the junction of Gloucester Street and Vineyard street, walk down Vineyard street until you leave the houses, look for Cotswold Way signs. Turn right into grass filed and head uphill to far corner. Enter the next field and follow path with hedge on your right until you enter Corndean Lane. Turn left down lane past house on your right. Leave the lane after passing tall poplar trees at entrance to Corndean Hall drive, this starts off flat but begins to climb uphill. Bear left off drive and follow path across open grassland until you approach Corndean Lane again.

If you fancy a short detour of about 1 mile, you could cross into Corndean Lane on the corner and follow signs to Belas Knap Long Barrow, a very good example of a Neolithic burial site that was probably constructed around 3000BC. The impressive entrance is in fact a dummy portal into the mound to deter grave robbers. Actual burials were through the sides of the Long Barrow and when filled, they were sealed and covered over with earth to hide the entrance. An alternative view is that the false entrance or 'spirit door' was for the spirits to leave and partake of offerings left by their descendants. Excavations have found four burial chambers within the mound with a circle of stones in the centre, the purpose of which is lost in the eons of time.

If you are not visiting Belas Knap, then turn sharp right and head to corner of woodland belt (you have left the Cotswold Way now). Skirt the woodland keeping it to your left until you pass through a short stretch of trees and join a track. Bear right and follow track until it joins another track at a T junction. Turn left uphill. After passing Corndean Cottage on your right, and follow track; after the left curve of this track turn right onto track with woodland on your right and follow track to T junction and turn right downhill. Follow track down to the valley until you cross the river. Turn right to Postlip mills (a mill since the Domesday that initially ground corn before now making paper), follow path with building to your right. You will enter a wooded areal with the river to your right, follow this until you join the Cheltenham Road for a short distance. Tur right off road onto footpath and cross back over the river. Keeping the river to your left walk along the edge of 2 fields before entering the town. Turn left and then right on Mill lane and follow path past Almshouses before joining Gloucester Street where you started about 2 hours ago.

Now it is time to enjoy some local refreshments ~ see pack for options.

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