Wander the wetlands
Park at Coombe Hill Wharf. This is just off the traffic light junction of the A38 (Gloucester-Tewkesbury road) and the A4019 (Cheltenham road) at Coombe Hill by the excellent Swan Inn.
Take the narrow lane opposite (cul-de-sac) to the wharf parking area or if you are a customer park at the Swan Inn (but ask permission). The junction is very near M5 Junction 10. However, this is a restricted motorway access junction only reached from the North and then you have to go along the A4019 a short way to a lay-by and turn round to get back across the Motorway and to the wharf. More easily it can be reached from Junction 9 or Junction 11 of the M5.
E njoy the glorious open Severn wetlands, the wildlife and the big skies, as well as the river itself, on this day-long circle through an ancient landscape between Gloucester and Tewkesbury in an area renowned for great bird watching. Don't attempt it after prolonged heavy rain as flooding is likely.
Start along the disused Coombe Hill Canal, now undergoing further clearance. We also visit Odda's Chapel, an 11th-century church which only came to light in the 1950s. Go through the Coombe Hill nature reserve on the return.
There are two pubs actually on the circle – one by the Severn about 3.5 miles round and the other at Lower Apperley about 6.5 miles round, as well as one at the start.
The walk is virtually flat and ideal for dogs with just two stiles where a less agile dog may require a little help. Dogs must be well controlled on the canal and in the reserve.
After rain, expect mud and wear good boots.
 |
 |
 |
START
There is an interesting information board about the canal and the nature reserve and also notices about the clearance of scrub along the south side of the canal starting in September. I You're likely to see ducks, wrens and great and long-tailed tits. The two-mile-long canal was used for ferrying coal from the river Severn to Coombe Hill, from where the coal was taken by road to Cheltenham. It closed in 1876.
1. FOOTBRIDGE
Cross the footbridge over the canal and continue along the other side with the canal now on your left. Continue for nearly 1.5 miles, ignoring turns into the nature reserve which we explore at the end.
2. CONCRETE BRIDGE
Pass a footbridge on the left and shortly past this, go right over a concrete bridge. The path leads to a track. Turn right.
3. FARM
It takes you up past an old Gloucestershire farm and a road. Cross and follow the lane opposite. After cottages it becomes a narrow path and you are rising gently. Reach a lane and turn right.
4. LOWER APPERLEY
After a few minutes reach a picturesque pond and green at Lower Apperley and a war memorial cross.
Cross the road and follow the footpath left. Go through a large metal gate and keep straight on following the left edge of the field, with good views over the distant Malverns. After a stile, continue on and drop down into the grassy valley. Keep on through the next field and cross a stile by a gate.
5. PUB
Cross the field and come out at the back of the Coalhouse Inn, which looks very uninspiring on this side. However, it is attractive and welcoming with good food and superbly sited on the edge of the Severn.
From the pub, cross a stile and follow the Severn Way with the river on your left, although not always visible because of undergrowth. Follow it for about 1.5 miles until you come opposite the Yew Tree Inn on the opposite bank. Go on past it and in the middle of a field by a large oak reach a footpath marker post directing you right.
6. DEERHURST
This leads you to a lane on the edge of Deerhurst. Turn left to Odda's Chapel.
This remarkable and simple Saxon chapel – just a two-cell structure – was built by Odda in memory of his father Elfric and dedicated in 1066. It's worth reading the verse inside by Admiral Hopwood.
The chapel was discovered hidden away under plaster in the 19th century by the then vicar of Deerhurst and it had become part of the attached house.
Continue on along the lane and soon reach the other notable feature in Deerhurst – St Mary's Church – one of the finest Saxon churches in the country. It is built into a medieval timber-framed farmhouse which originally was part of the surrounding monastery. It probably dates back to late 7th century.
It was certainly the scene of important political events like the 1016 signing of the treaty between Kings Edmund Ironside and Canute which divided England in two.
Outside, it is worth going out and walking round to the right, down steps, past a semicircle of stone and looking up right at the famous Deerhurst Angel, a 9th-century carving in what was originally the apse of the church.
To continue, follow the lane on going through one of several flood gates in the area. Pass the old village school, now a house, and at the junction turn right towards Apperley. Follow the lane for about half a mile.
7. FOOTPATH
On a sharp right bend, go left over a marked stile and follow a fenced path. Once past the wood, just continue on and soon a stile leads into Apperley recreation ground.
8. APPERLEY
Go straight on across to the road on the edge of the village. Turn right.
After a couple of minutes, turn left on a footpath. The stile may present some difficulty for less agile dogs. Follow the grassy fenced path along and round left and then right.
Now this takes you through the end of a garden. Come into a field and cross.
Go over a stile and take the footpath straight on towards the pub ahead. Reach a road. Cross and turn right to the Farmer's Arms, another good place for a stop.
9. WICK LANE
Just past the pub, turn left down Wick Lane. Opposite a house on the right go left through a gate on the footpath. Go over a stile and straight down the field, and near the bottom left corner cross into another field. Bear diagonally left following the arrow. Continue on down another field, keeping the hedge on the right, passing a venerable old oak. Ignore the gate in the corner but instead, a few yards to the left of the corner, cross a marked stile barrier. Follow the right fence.
10. NATURE RESERVE
Turn right through gates into Coombe Hill Nature Reserve. The path heads across towards a bird hide, going over a rhyne.
Bear left away from the direction of the hide, walking with a rhyne on your right. Ignore a gate on the right into another part of the reserve. Just continue on until you go through a wooden kissing gate ahead back onto the canal towpath.
Turn left and follow it all the way along, passing the footbridge you crossed earlier. Stay on this side for a change and continue to a gate at the end. Once through, turn across the end of the canal back to the parking area.
■ The Swan, Coombe Hill, Gloucestershire GL19 4BA. Tel: 01242 680227. The Coalhouse Inn, Apperley, Gloucestershire GL19 4DN. Tel: 01452 780211, closed Mondays and maybe Tuesdays too. Ring first. The Farmer's Arms, Lower Apperley, Gloucestershire GL19 4DR. Tel: 01452 780307. Closed Mondays. As always, please call before setting out to confirm opening times.
CLARIFICATION
Stanton Drew Walk, August 29
There has been some confusion over parking at the start of this walk. The main car parking is, as suggested, at the village hall car park at Pensford.
The other suggested car park which is much smaller is below the bridge in Pensford and marked with the usual blue P sign.
However, some walkers have mistakenly parked instead in the car park of the Rising Sun.
Walkers do not have permission to park there, so please don't use it.
Comment on this story