Chedworth, Chedworth Woods, Cassey Compton, Yanworth Mill, Chedworth Woods.

The walk goes via the disused Chedworth airfield, down through the western side of Chedworth Woods to Tunway Gate and Cassey Compton, then follows the Coln valley to Yanworth Mill before climbing back through the eastern side of Chedworth woods and returning to Chedworth.

  • Start Point:
  • SP 0524 1202. Seven Tuns, Chedworth.

  • Length:
  • 6.49 miles
  • Ascent/Descent:
  • 978 feet
  • Description:
  • The walk uses easily followed paths and tracks or tarmac (mainly quiet) lanes. There are a couple of steepish ascents but they are short and the rest of the climbs are moderate. The descent through the west side of Chedworth Woods uses a forestry track which is used by forestry workers and can be rutted and slippery when the ground is damp.
  • Date Walked:
  • 10th August 2012

The Seven Tuns .

Start from the Seven Tuns, Chedworth, grid reference SP 0524 1202. PDF of the walk and/or Google Earth Track of the walk.

Map No Grid Reference Distance Instructions
1 SP 0524 1202 500 yards

Turn right out the pub car park and go east then north east along Queen Street through part of Chedworth Village, climbing a steep hill after the houses to where the lane takes a sharp right hand turn and a drive goes off to the left (see photograph).

2 SP 0557 1224 1,260 yards

Take a path running north uphill with small trees either side, then bear north west along a broad track to reach the perimeter road of the old Chedworth airfield.

  • Turn left onto the drive, then immediately bear right through a wooden gate onto a path climbing uphill with small trees on either side.
  • As the climb starts to slacken bear a little north west into an open field and go through a metal gate at SP 0555 1243 onto a broad track.
  • Bear left on the track and continue north west past two paths which go off to the east and north. Go along the track broadly level with a wall to the left and a fence to the right to go through a wooden gate at SP 0534 1255.
  • Continue north west with fences on either side climbing very gently to go through a wooden gate at SP 0511 1263.
  • Continue north west through a wooden gate at SP 0500 1266 onto a gravelly track with a fence on the left and a wall on the right (see photograph).
  • Continue north west past a small copse on the right bearing round north by a metal gate to reach the old perimeter road round the disused Chedworth airfield.
3 SP 0470 1285 620 yards

Head north along the eastern side of the airfield (see photograph), then bear right and head north east downhill into Chedworth Woods to a path crossroads in the middle of the wood. The path uses a forestry track which can be heavily rutted and slippery when the ground is wet.

4 SP 0508 1322 1,285 yards

Turn left and head north through the woods along an undulating path (see photograph) to reach the Whiteway at Tunway Gate through a “V” wooden stile.

5 SP 0467 1416 700 yards

Turn right onto the Whiteway and head north east descending gently at first then more steeply to the crossroads at Cassey Compton (see photograph).

6 SP 0494 1475 1,760 yards

Turn sharp right and head broadly south east along a lane which follows the Coln Valley with the river on the left (see photograph) and woods on the right, to where the main lane turns sharp left by the short lane which heads off west to Chedworth Roman Villa.

7 SP 0563 1347 2,024 yards

Continue along the wide hardcore track heading east broadly level and following the valley of the River Coln on the left with woods on the right (see photograph) eventually bearing right to head south east to join a lane near Yanworth Mill. A few yards further south east a path climbs into the woods on the right heading south west.

8 SP 0719 1297 790 yards

Take the path heading south west climbing into Chedworth Woods. Follow the narrow path at first which widens before bearing west and descending a little to join a broad forestry track (see photograph). Climb the forestry track heading west to where it emerges from the woods with a grassy slope straight ahead.

9 SP 0658 1268 1,230 yards

Climb the grassy slope south west then head west across cultivated fields and along a path by paddocks to reach track at a junction of five paths at SP 0553 1246 (visited earlier on leg 2 of the walk).

  • Climb the grassy slope south west to heading to the footpath signpost visible on the crest of the rise at SP 0652 1261.
  • Continue climbing less steeply south west across a (usually) cultivated field towards the prominent tree and footpath signpost visible ahead at SP 0647 1254 (see photograph).
  • Bear right and head west across a (usually) cultivated field to pass through a gap in a hedge at SP 0614 1257.
  • Continue south west across another (usually) cultivated field heading towards a prominent tree visible ahead.
  • Past the tree continue west onto a path with a hedge on the left and a fence on the right and go through a wooden gate at SP 0576 1252.
  • Bear slightly south west to reach a broad track at the junction of five ways at SP 0553 1246 (visited earlier on leg 2 of the walk).
10 SP 0553 1246 1,000 yards

Head south east along the broad track onto a lane then head south west down the lane, across fields, over the valley of a small stream and up through a small wood before turning north west to head across a couple of rough fields back to Chedworth and the pub.

  • Turn south east along the broad track to reach a lane at SP 0567 1220.
  • Turn right west down the lane to take a footpath through on the left through a wooden gate at SP 0560 1271.
  • Descend the path south west, through a wooden gate at SP 0556 1211, another wooden gate at SP 0555 1207 and a third gate at SP 0555 1203.
  • Descend south west across a field, through a wooden gate at SP 0549 1200 and down a steep path by the side of a cottage to reach a lane.
  • Cross the lane and continue to descend quite steeply south west to cross a small stream via stepping stones at SP 0545 1197 (see photograph) followed immediately by crossing a wall via a stone stile.
  • Climb south west through a small wood over two wooden stiles to emerge into a rough field at SP 0536 1186.
  • Bear right to head north west through a wooden gate, then over a stile by another wooden gate at SP 0526 1198.
  • Continue north west to reach the lane in Chedworth and turn right back to the pub a few downhill yards to the north east. (Or you can turn right off the path before the lane to the back gardens of the pub – but this may not be an actual path).
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