| Home | About Campden | Transport | Where to stay / Where to eat | Things to see and do | More information | Links |
This figure-of-eight walk shows you some of Campden’s most beautiful views and should take less than 2 hours to complete. Start your walk at the town square, on the pavement outside the Cotswold House Hotel. With the hotel on your right and the Town Hall to your left, walk along the High Street into Lower High Street and turn right at St Catharine's church into West End Terrace. Where the road bends round to the right, walk directly ahead up Hoo Lane (which after a short distance becomes a footpath and bridleway) and keep walking until you meet the road, where you turn left. Walk along the road for approximately 100 yards and then take the footpath on your right, marked with a Cotswold Way sign. This leads to a stile that takes you on to the Common. At the stile turn left and make for the Ordnance Survey Bench Mark (230m) and then continue along the top of the scarp edge. This part of the walk across the Common is particularly pleasant, and on a clear day it is possible to see the Malvern Hills and Coventry on the skyline nearly thirty miles away. The Topograph will help you to get your bearings. With the topograph behind you and the car park to your right, walk across to the trees and the start of the hedge, where you wiil come to a footpath. Climb the stile and follow the hedge downwards, then walk straight on across the field. When you come to the road, turn left, walk along the road for approximately 250 yards, then turn right at the footpath sign to Chipping Campden. (If you arrive at the footpath that brought you up from Chipping Campden you have walked too far !). Cross the field straight down to the bottom (to three rather nondescript trees). There are splendid views of Campden at this point in the walk. Pass through the kissing gate and on through another two, crossing the old orchard downwards to emerge between the houses. Follow the road round to the left, turn right into Hoo Lane, and retrace your steps into West End Terrace. At the junction with Lower High Street cross the road to the Volunteer Inn and turn left. Continue past the right turn into Sheep Street and into the High Street until you reach the Noel Arms. Turn right under the archway, walk across the Noel Arms' car park, and continue straight ahead along George Lane. Carry on past Badger’s Field and then, about 50 yards beyond the school sign, climb the stile on your left. There is a choice of footpath here, but take the one to your right across the top of the field by the hedge. You now have a near view of the town. Go through the farm gate and immediately left through the kissing gate. There are three options so take the central route keeping Juliana’s Gate to your left. Cross over the River Cam and veer right diagonally across the meadow, almost to the far corner. Follow the footpath signs through the gate and over the stream. Veer slightly to the right onto the Coneygree, so named after the coneeberries or earthen burrows that were constructed in the mid thirteenth century for the imported rabbits that were much in favour at that time. The ruins of Campden House, burnt down in the Civil War, are on your left. When you reach the road, turn left towards the church. Look back for distant views of the hills and countryside. Turn left where the road becomes one way and follow the one-way system round past the church to the gateway of Campden House, to the cart dip on your left and the Almshouses on your right, and round past The Eight Bells to the High Street. Cross the road at this point, turn left and walk back along the High Street untill you reach your starting point in the town square. back to 'Things to see and do' |