If you want a gentle stroll where you can enjoy wide-open views, the sound of the birds, and perhaps a quiet drink at a pub or two along the way, then Sue Gearing knows just the place

Enjoy the slow pace of life, the birds and the great open views over the Severn Estuary and flat Gloucestershire farmland on this circle which follows the loop of the River Severn out on the Arlingham Peninsula west of Frampton-on-Severn.

Pass a canalside pub near the start, and then, after following the river, the circle crosses through Arlingham with a wonderful village pub, and picks up the other side of the loop. It returns, via the canal towpath.

There is a visitor centre, cafe and toilets at the start, by the busy canal junction, where you will see many canal boats and other canal activity.

Walking is on the Severn Way and quiet lanes and footpaths, and mainly there are easy squeeze stiles and kissing gates. There is one boggy path along rather loose planking.

You also follow sections of four local circular routes – the Gloucester Cattle, Hare, Salmon and Skylark walks. An ideal ramble for the dog.

START

Continue on with the canal on your right, go ahead over a bridge over a side-rhyne, and pass an information board about the Cotswold Canal Trust.

Go on past the boat club and immediately left on the signed path, following a rhyne on your right. Continue like this for well over half a mile, ignoring side-turns until you come alongside a stretch of canal/rhyne on your left and reach the road on the edge of Upper Framilode.

1. UPPER FRAMILODE

Cross straight over and continue on the footpath. It passes canalside pub the Ship Inn and then reaches a lane. Turn left, passing the church, and come alongside the River Severn, now joining the Severn Way. This was once a busy area with shops, a slaughterhouse, bakery, dairy and a workhouse.

Continue on the Tarmac to a gate and then take the right-hand footpath down steps on to the bank of the river, and now continue on, enjoying the river on your right with pleasant pastoral views across Gloucestershire on the other side. Reach a lane in Framilode and continue on as before. You may see some of the distinctive Gloucester cattle with a white stripe on their backs.

2. NOTICEBOARD

As the lane bends away left by a noticeboard, go straight ahead on the Severn Way footpath alongside the river. There may be some areas of mud along here, and one short stretch a little overgrown just before you reach one of the kissing gates, but it is a glorious section with great views and ideal for birdwatching.

3. PYLON

After three-quarters of a mile, go under a tall pylon. Shortly after this, just before a gate ahead and a Severn Way sign, bear down left towards a gate and track, away from the river. Don't go through the gate, but turn right before it through a kissing gate following the footpath, with the hedge on your right. Continue like this through several fields and kissing gates until you go through a gate and reach a lane corner.

4. LANE

Go straight on. Shortly, take the first lane left. At the end of Friday Street, turn right and come to the 17th-century Red Lion in Arlingham, which prides itself on offering good, honest pub food.

5. ARLINGHAM

From the village, a lane goes on to the Old Passage Inn out on the Severn loop, the site of the old ferry across to Newnham. This was used by people and animals as a link to Gloucester.

But to continue our circle: from the pub, go straight across and up the no-through road to the church. Just before the church is a small playground with picnic tables.

Built in 1372, the church still has a 14th-century glass window. Note the interesting clock face on the tower.

Continue along the lane, and at a bend, go straight ahead on the footpath. This goes through fields and leads to the Severn again on the flood bank.

6. SEVERN

Turn left and follow the river for well over three-quarters of a mile. Then go gently up the one and only slope of the walk and into woodland.

7. WOODLAND

Follow the Severn Way on through woods and open fields. Then continue on in the open until you approach a six-bar gate across the route.

Drop down from the high bank and cross a footbridge over a gully, signed the Severn Way, and return to the high bank.

8. SEWAGE WORKS

Reach sewage works on your left. The Severn Way is overgrown at this point and impassable when I walked it. Local usage has been to follow a raised embankment which takes you away from the river towards a gate leading to the sewage works.

At the gate, turn right and proceed with the hedge on your left, back on the Severn Way. Then cross a very boggy patch on rather loose planking. After this, the Severn Way bears left and goes inland.

Cross a stile and head towards farm buildings. Go through a gate and continue on a track, passing a large house on your right. Come out to a road. Turn right.

9. FREHERNE BRIDGE

Soon, you'll reach Freherne Bridge over the canal. Turn left following the canal on your right and continue with the canal all the way to another bridge and road where you drove earlier. Don't cross this bridge either, but go straight on along the canal back to the car park.

The Red Lion, Arlingham. Tel: 01452 740700.