Sue Gearing enjoys some fine views and a few refreshment stops in perfect country inns on this walk in the Cotswolds' Golden Valley alongside the Thames and Severn Canal

THIS is a favourite of mine – a walk along the old Thames and Severn Canal in the Cotswolds' Golden Valley, east of Stroud, visiting the start of the amazing two-mile Sapperton tunnel and then back along one of the broad rides through the Bathurst estate.

The circle visits two hamlets and passes three wonderful pubs. It starts high and gently drops down the side of the valley, with great views, and then meets the canal and goes through nature reserves. It is easy walking on good paths and lanes and there is one hill, from the canal tunnel up to Sapperton village.

START

Go down the Tarmac drive which runs off the parking layby. Drop down and follow this attractive route, giving good views over the Golden Valley. You may see two donkeys in a field. These were given to Chalford Village, across the valley, to help transport goods up the steep sides to some of the cottages.

Continue on and eventually go through a farm, ignoring one footpath off to the left, and carry on.

1. GATE

Just before you reach a stone cottage at the end, turn left through a wooden hunting gate under an ash tree. Turn right in the field and pass the cottage on your right, continuing the direction you were on before, dropping gently. On the far side, go through an opening and on up into the field. Maintain direction. Soon pick up a hedge of trees and bushes and keep this on your left. Drop down and go through into another field. Bear left, but still continue on, and go through an opening, heading in the same direction across another area of field. Reach the woods and go straight down through – there is not a very well defined path. You want to reach the fence below and then turn right along this where you will find a path. On your left on the other side of the fence is a ranch- fenced paddock. Follow the fence on your left and drop down past the paddock gate to a broad crossing bridle track.

2. TRACK

Turn left and go through a gate and drop down to join a lane. Turn left and soon go under a railway arch. Continue downhill on the lane. Curve to the left (ignore a footpath tucked away on the right) and continue for about another minute to just before the next curve of the lane. Turn right on the Wysis Way on a footbridge over the canal.

3. WYSIS WAY

The Wysis Way runs for 88km through the Forest of Dean, Severn Vale and Cotswolds. Connecting Offa's Dyke Path and the Thames Path, it provides a link for continuous walking for 400 miles from the North Wales coast to Greenwich.

Turn right along the canal towpath. Sadly, in high summer, the canal may be choked with vegetation along here, but you will see several locks as you proceed. Soon pass a beautiful pond on the left. Continue on and approach a canal cottage and bridge. Go up and over the bridge and then turn left. Soon take the marked Wysis Way on the left into woodland. Continue on with the canal on your left.

4. RESERVE

Eventually enter a Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust area, the Siccaridge Wood and Sapperton Valley nature reserves. The Sapperton Valley is a great habitat for dippers, wagtails, water shrew and dragonflies. Siccaridge Wood is an ancient coppiced woodland and home to dormice.

5. BRIDGE

Cross left over a bridge on the Wysis Way and continue on with the canal on your right. Through the woods and at Daneway there are about seven locks on the old canal. You will be able to see remnants of some of them. Pass another notice for the nature reserves and then the path rises up and reaches a lane with the popular Daneway Inn opposite.

6. INN

This is a very welcoming inn by the canal with a large garden, very popular with walkers. From where you came on to the lane turn right and cross the bridge and immediately turn left, continuing on the Wysis Way (you can access this path by going down through the pub car park if you visit the pub).

Cross a stile and go on through the nature reserve in woodland and soon you will again see the old canal on your left. Continue on to the arched entrance of the Sapperton Canal tunnel.

7. TUNNEL

Here at the Daneway Portal the canal disappears underground for more than two miles. The canal through the tunnel has no towpath; narrowboats were transported by the boatmen lying on the boats and “walking” along on the roof of the tunnel – known as legging.

Cross over the tunnel and then cross a stile into a field. Head up the field, bearing gently right. Pass to the left of a large oak and climb quite steeply to the top and through a kissing gate. Follow the narrow path up into Sapperton.

8. SAPPERTON

Turn right and soon reach the village school (if you want to visit the pub, the Bell, turn left and then right). Opposite the school, turn left on the Wysis Way on a Tarmac footpath and come up to an open green area with a seat if you need a rest. At the road running along the top, turn left. Leave the village and not long past the de-restriction sign, turn right on the bridleway and come into the Bathurst estate on Broad Ride.

9. BROAD RIDE

This is a glorious, wide, flat grassy “avenue” between magnificent trees. It is part of the 9,000-acre Bathurst estate, which includes Cirencester Park. Follow this for nearly a mile and reach a lane. Our circle now goes left on the lane for well over a mile and a quarter.

10. FRAMPTON MANSELL

Reach the hamlet of Frampton Mansell with the Crown Inn. Nearby is St Luke's church, built in 1843 in the Italian style.

Stay on the road you were on and then turn left, signed to the village hall, climbing up through part of the village. Cross over a stile on the first footpath on the right and follow this all the way along for more than half a mile to a lane.

11. LANE

Turn left and shortly past the speed limit sign, turn right. This is a good dry track along the side of the hill taking you to a farm. Then simply continue on along a smaller path which leads to the track you started out on. Turn up left back to the car park.

The Daneway Inn, tel: 01285 760297

The Bell, Sapperton, tel: 01285 760298

The Crown, Frampton Mansell, tel: 01285 760601