Gloucestershire Way

The route crosses almost the full width of Gloucestershire from the Welsh border town of Chepstow to Tewkesbury on the river Severn. There are three distinct sections to this route; the first through the ancient Forest of Dean; the second across the Severn Vale at Gloucester; and the third across the rolling hills and steep valleys of the Cotswolds as far as Stow on the Wold. Here the route abruptly changes direction to head west, finally descending the Cotswold escarpment to the river Severn at Tewkesbury. A route of considerable variety and interest which, in the words of it's guide book author was conceived on the theme of 'Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill' taken from a Gloucestershire poem by Will Harvey. The route can easily be tackled in short sections, or circular routes devised to incorporate parts of it.

The guide breaks the route down into eight stages of about 19km, the end point locations being Parkend, May Hill, Gloucester, Crickley, Salperton, Stow on the Wold, Winchcombe and Tewkesbury. The route links with the Wychavon Way at Winchcombe and with the Severn Way at Tewkesbury. Also included in the guide is an additional route entitled the Worcestershire Way Link which, as the title suggests, links with the Worcestershire Way at the southern end of the Malvern Hills.

The clear route descriptions in the guidebook are accompanied by good sketch maps together with a wealth of anecdotal information printed in italics to distinguish it from route instructions. The text is delightfully enhanced by the inclusion of carefully chosen excerpts of poetry by Gloucestershire poets. This guide also includes The Worcestershire way Link. This is a pleasant walk linking the Gloucestershire Way to The Worcestershire Way on the Malvern Hills and provides a continuous walk through both counties.

 

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