Statistics: 10.5 miles, ascent 1541′, descent 1234′.
As we hit the trail this morning, the path appeared to take us into a housing development on the outskirts of Leonard Stanley. Fortunately, a local resident took pity on us and showed us a shortcut back to the Cotswold Way and on to the Coaley Peak open space. We crossed a grassy meadow to Nympsfield Long Barrow, a Neolithic burial mound which has been dated to 3,800 BC and is one of about 150 similar mounds in the Cotswold Hills, generally constructed with stone from quarries in the area.
Out in the distance we could see most of our day’s route, from Cam Long Down on to Dursley.
Looking further to the right, the Severn River was in full view!
Leaving the hilltop we descended through delightful woodlands.
We passed exposed limestone cliffs and quarries, left from days past when the stone was used by the locals.
The bird songs were a joy to hear as we walked through the woods. A little robin stopped by just long enough for me to snap his picture.
Finally emerging from the woods, we could clearly see our route up to the crest of Cam Long Down. Cam Long Down is considered an outlier hill separated from the escarpment of the Cotswolds ridge.
As we reached the top we were rewarded with superb views and an
While sitting and resting, we were joined by several Australian hikers we had met days earlier. Then, back on the trail, we continued down into Dursley and came across a friendly lawn bowling competition, where the bowlers try to get closest to a target ball, blocking their opponents in the process. Lawn bowling is a popular pastime in rural England.
Dursley, originally known for its wool industry, is a busy town and perhaps is now a little shopworn. The old Market House, built in 1738 and centrally located, is directly across the street from Dursley’s historical church.
Before heading out to find our B&B for the night, we stopped in at a coffee house for a snack. We then located the appealing Woodland House B&B in a residential neighborhood. Our hosts, Ray and Naomi, were most welcoming and made our stay an enjoyable one. We were close enough to walk back into town for dinner at the Della Casa Restaurant, which we highly recommend!
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