Barrow-loads of beauty

Sue Gearing looks back through the mists of time to when the pre-historic Uley Bury hillfort was a new-build, and takes in some beautiful views and birdlife along the way.

It's about five miles, about 2.5 hours walking. Use the map OS Explorer, 168 Stroud, Tetbury and Malmesbury, ref: 794 014. Park at Coaley Peak Picnic Site on the B4066, South West of Stroud.

C otswold contrasts figure on this easy circle from Coaley Peak. There are stupendous views from the open grassland escarpment edge and then woodland walking before dropping down to Uley village.

The round which follows the Cotswold Way for some of the way, continues through a sheltered valley with a steep climb up to Nympsfield. It's easy going from there back to the start. There is a good pub at Uley .Visit a long barrow and an ancient hillfort. Expect to see a good variety of wild flowers in the different habitats and plenty of bird life. Do try and choose a clear day to really see the views at their spectacular best.

It's a good dog day out too.

At the start of the walk, visit Coaley Peak long barrow just next to the parking area. This open barrow with a main passage and two side chambers dates back to Neolithic times and is one of many found across the county.

Start along the ridge, with the valley down on your right, and near the start it's worth going out to the toposcope to see what you can see! Then continue along the edge enjoying these amazing views following the Cotswold Way. Further on, ignore the footpath that forks up left – just stay near the edge. Pass an old quarry.

Go through a kissing gate and into a band of woodland. Pass more dramatic rock faces from an old quarry on the left. Go up steps to a side road. Cross and go left up the road. Just before the main road at the top, fork right up the No Entry slip road and join the main road.

Turn right, and shortly, go off right on the Cotswold Way. This next stretch is through beautiful beech woodland, dropping down the side of the hill. If you come in spring, there should be a good display of bluebells.

Stay left on the footpath when the track divides. Go through a gate and begin to rise. It then flattens for a while. Go through another gate and fork up left on the Cotswold Way. The path follows the contour of the hill for much of the way. Pass more signs of quarrying on the left and come out of the trees. Join the bridleway and rise a little more. Go left through a gate to a small lay-by off the road. Turn right through a gate on to a broad track.

Soon reach an information board about Uley Bury prehistoric hillfort which covers 32 acres.

Sometime around 800BC the Celts invaded the area, attracted by iron ore in the Forest of Dean, and made Gloucestershire their stronghold. Their villages were strong fortified sites, many along the Cotswold escarpment, and one of the most dominant was at Uley Bury. Within its high walls the whole village lived in relative security. But in 300BC, the Celts were ousted by the Belgae, from Belgium.

After some 500 years of domination, Uley Bury again became silent.

The hillfort is rectangular and we are in the NW corner, aiming to go round to the NE corner and if you wish, you can go the long way round, round three sides, starting to the right of the information board. The views can be truly memorable. But these instructions are for the short route. So, facing the information board, go left along the top of one of the hillfort banks.

Just before the corner, we take the sandy and stony track which bears down left. (If you do the three sides, go past the third corner and start to head up the last side and then find this track which bears down right, steeply back on itself). Reach two gates. Take the one ahead onto the footpath and go into woodland. Shortly, it forks.

Take the smaller path which is on the left, staying up. It can be a little uneven along here, so go carefully. Reach a gate into a field with a good view down over Uley village.

Go into the field and walk left along the top before bearing quite steeply down the field to a visible kissing gate not far off the bottom left corner. Go through on to a path and follow this down and round, passing the church and coming out into Uley.

Go over the road and turn left to reach the pretty green and the comfortable and comforting Old Crown Inn, serving a popular range of ales from the local Uley brewery, as well as good food.

Continue past the pub and go down Fiery Lane, passing more cottages in Uley and dropping down to a stream and then rising up a short way.

Go left on the first public footpath up a Tarmac drive and carry on along what is now a farm drive/track and walking along the side of a green valley with great views back to Uley and up to the hillfort. Up on the right is a magnificent sweep of woodland.

Ignore the track which forks up right to a very striking modern house. Just continue on the main track going through a couple of gates and eventually bearing round right into a side valley.

The track ends, but just continue through the grassy valley which curves round to the left. In the far left corner, by woodland, leave over a stile by a wooden shed.

This is the steepest part of the walk. Go up through the woods to a stile ahead at the top. Cross this and go right along the fence, shortly crossing right over another stile. Now turn left and shadow the left fence in the field rising gently to the top left corner.

Cross the stone stile by the gate by a footpath marker post. Cross the road and take the footpath opposite through a gate. Reach a crossing track and go over the stone stile ahead into a field. Follow the path across the field and drop down to a stile which leads onto a lane in Nympsfield.

Turn left along the lane and shortly fork left and come to the village church, well worth a visit. Opposite this, cross right over a stile and go up the field and through a gate.

Turn left into the heart of the village. Sadly, the village inn, the once-popular Rose and Crown closed down recently. Go past the pub and very shortly at a staggered crossroads, go left. Very soon turn right on a footpath into a field and follow the right hedge. Cross a stile and continue on in the same direction with the fence on your left. At the end, cross onto the main road and take the footpath opposite. This brings you down to the grassy escarpment edge where you were at the start. Follow it back to where you parked.

The Old Crown, Uley, tel: 01453 860502.