Winchcombe, Cotswolds Sunday coach walk

Thank you for your interest in this Sunday coach walk.

To book a place:

- click the blue + symbol above to increase the ticket count to 1 - only one ticket can be booked per booking since we ask for the name of each walker - then click Next

- on the following page click the Checkout button then complete the questions, click the Accept box and press the Confirm button. You will receive an automatic acknowledgement when you submit this form.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DURATION OF THIS EVENT SHOWN ABOVE IS ONLY APPROXIMATE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED; IT WILL DEPEND ON FACTORS SUCH AS THE WEATHER AND THE WALKING PACE OF THE GROUP.

Our Sunday rambles usually have three levels of walk, strenuous (A), moderate (B) or leisurely (C), led by Birmingham Ramblers group leaders. Join us and enjoy a great day of social walking with our friendly members.

Please note: Our walks are often on rough tracks and rights of way through fields, woodland and hills. Walkers should preferably wear walking boots and other clothing suitable for the weather. Unless otherwise described, please bring a packed lunch and refreshments for the day.

The Birmingham Ramblers recently bid for, and won, a grant from the Inclusive Communities Fund which is part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games. This grant is specifically to assist with coach transport to encourage new people to join the Sunday walks and start walking in country areas.

We will be using this fund to subsidise coach-based walks, such as this one, in areas which offer opportunities to new inexperienced walkers as well as challenges to regular walkers under the banner Keep Fit for a Fiver. As this suggests, we are reducing the coach fare for this and some other selected walks to £5 for all, be they regular walkers or new faces. Anyone who has already paid the usual £20 fare by Bank Transfer will have the £15 balance refunded to their bank account. Please will regular walkers note this and, if paying by Bank Transfer, please pay this subsidised fare of £5.

If you are joining us for the first time, please take note of the warning above that our walks are often on rough tracks and rights of way through fields, woodland and hills. Walkers should preferably wear walking boots and other clothing suitable for the weather. For the safety of the walker and the whole group, the walk leaders reserve the right not to take anyone who, in the opinion of the walk leaders, are not suitably fit or equipped for the walk.

This Sunday walk has 3 levels of walk:

- A walk: 12.5 miles, 1600 ft total ascent.

- B walk: 10 miles, Total ascent: 1300 feet. Bring a picnic lunch.

- C walk: 7.5 miles.  One steady climb 620 ft over 1.8 miles, 970 ft total ascent.

Walk leaders:

- A walk: Peter Searle

- B walk: Brenda Cameron

- C walk: Eva Hyde

Walk Details:

- A walk: We first climb northwest from Winchcombe, joining the Gloucestershire Way across Langley Hill, then turn southwards across Nottingham Hill, at times following the Winchcombe Way but diverting through Bushcomb Wood. After crossing the B4632, we traverse the broad open hilltop of Cleeve Common on or near the Winchcombe Way with fine views in all directions, then continue between fields to Belas Knap, a restored Neolithic long barrow. From here we turn northwards along the Cotswold Way, descending back to Winchcombe. Bring a picnic lunch.

- B walk: The walk starts in the attractive town of Winchcombe on the edge of the Cotswolds.  We head south from the town to an interesting feature in the landscape, Belas Knapp Long Barrow - a particularly fine example of a Neolithic long barrow burial site which was   probably constructed around 3000 BC and is classed as an ancient monument.  After our steady ascent to the site we will have earned our morning tea break.  After the break we continue west and north-west across the broad expanse of Cleve Common, a geological site of Special Scientific Interest which offers great views.  We cross the highest point of the walk of Cleve Hill at 317 metres.  We then continue across undulating countryside to wooded Langley Hill.  Emerging from the wood we turn south-east for an enjoyable descent back to Winchcombe and the end of the walk.

- C walk: Starting at Winchcombe, we pass the church and turn onto a minor road to the Winchcombe Way. Passing through fields, after 1 mile we start climbing (350 ft) , initially past an orchard, Wadfield farm, and further fields to another minor road (730 ft). We start a second section of climb through a short section of woodland then up the side of a field, reaching 940 ft after 2.7 miles. Soon after this we reach Belas Knap, a, restored Neolithic long barrow with a false entrance and several side chambers, probably constructed around 3000 BC. From here we continue across fields along the Cotswolds Way, to a wood. We descend, steeply at first, 300 ft in 0.13 mile, towards a stream. After crossing this, we continue through fields to a second stream and ponds, past Postslip Mills.  We return to the Cotswolds Way, back to Winchcombe which has several pubs and cafes. 

There are a limited number of total places for the walks, which is set by the capacity of the coach. Whilst we hope that everyone will be able to be accommodated on their walk of choice, the allocation of places for each walk will have to be done on the day. No-one will be expected to walk at a higher grade than they prefer - thus, for example, if you prefer the B walk you will not be asked to join the A walk but may be asked to join the C walk. The booking form allows you to specify your preferred walk

It will only be possible to join the walk by coach, which will be picking up at 09.00 at the layby at the side of St. Chad’s Cathedral, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6EU. The coach fare will be £5 with 3 options for payment:

- Cash on the day in an envelope with your name and the date of the walk. We are unable to give change for cash payments

- Cheque on the day, made payable to COBRA, in an envelope with your name and the date of the walk.

- Bank transfer in advance of the walk

For payment by bank transfer the walk coordinator will contact you about a week in advance of the walk with bank details. For payments on the day, please put the exact fare in an envelope with your name and date of the walk on it, which will be collected on the coach - unfortunately we are unable to give change for the coach fare.

Note that you cannot pay the coach fare through our Eventcube account. Your booking for the walk will still show £0.00 but you do have to pay the £5 coach fare on or before the day of the walk.

If you find that you are unable to join us after booking a ticket it would be helpful if you let us know by sending an email tobhamramblersenquiries@gmail.com or let us know though our contact form at https://cobra.eventcube.io/support-hub/contact - this will be passed on to the walk leader and will prevent any delay to the start of the walk should the leader be waiting for you.

Bookings for this walk will close at 06.00 on Monday 17 June 2024. Shortly after bookings have closed the walk coordinator will contact you by email to confirm that you will still be joining us on this walk; this is needed since there are limited seats on the coach and we like to release any unused places to others who may be on a waiting list. The coordinator will also give you our bank details if you have chosen to pay the coach fare by bank transfer. Please check your email, including Spam and/or Junk folders, shortly after bookings have closed for this walk and reply to let us know whether or not you will be still joining the walk.

If you would like to join this walk after the bookings have closed please email bhamramblersenquiries@gmail.com or contact us through our contact form at https://cobra.eventcube.io/support-hub/contact to enquire about any late availability for the walk.

General Information

This is one of several walks and activities offered by the Birmingham Ramblers. If you have found this page through a web search or other means and would like to find out more about the group then please visit the Birmingham Ramblers web site; new members are always welcome.