Daneway, Sapperton and Frampton Woods, Sapperton and Pinbury Park

The walk goes west along following the old canal, climbs through Frampton Woods and heads east across Ash Hill to Sapperton. Then it turns north east along the Macmillan Way to Pinbury Park, heads west to Gloucester Beeches then returns south through Dorvell Wood to the Daneway Inn.

  • Start Point:
  • SO 9387 0342. The Daneway Inn, near Sapperton.

  • Length:
  • 6.78 miles
  • Ascent/Descent:
  • 936 feet
  • Description:
  • A large proportion of the walk passes through woods. There are a couple of fairly steep climbs and descents. The paths are mostly well defined although during late spring and summer, vegetation may obscure one or two places. There are a couple of sections of road walking.
  • Date Walked:
  • 1st June 2012

The Daneway Inn.

Start from the Daneway Inn, near Sapperton, grid reference SO 9387 0342. PDF of the walk and/or Google Earth Track of the walk.

Map No Grid Reference Distance Instructions
1 SO 9390 0342 1,200 yards

Head east from the pub, descending to the north bank of the old Thames Severn canal after a brief section in the woods higher up, cross to the south bank via a footbridge to reach a track crossing the canal via an old stone bridge.

  • Cross the road and go over a wooden stile opposite at SO 9384 0340 into an open field. (There is also path descending to the path by the canal a few yards further south). The photograph shows sheep in this field when I did this walk.
  • Head west to go through a metal gate into woods at SO 9377 0355.
  • Continue west through the woods and at SO 9366 0331 take the narrower path descending south west towards the canal.
  • At SO 9360 0324 take the path on the left descending more steeply, then descending down wooden steps to the path alongside the old canal.
  • Turn right and follow the canal bank south west to cross to the opposite bank over a wooden bridge at SO 9341 0316.
  • Continue south west to reach a stone hump back bridge over the path and canal at SO 9293 0299.
  • Climb up the path on the left to the path crossing the bridge.
2 SO 9292 0298 400 yards

Head south, climbing steeply through woods, crossing the Swindon to Gloucester railway line (with great care) to reach the lane running from Frampton Mansell to Sapperton.

  • Turn left along the track and go south to cross another track and climb into the Bathurst Estate woods over a wooden stile at SO 9292 0296.
  • Climb steeply southwards to cross a metal stile, go over the Swindon to Gloucester railway (with great care) at SO 9284 0281 and go over another metal stile back into the woods. The photograph looks east to the west portal of the Sapperton tunnel.
  • Continue climbing south steeply up wooden steps in places to reach a lane at SO 9282 0263.
3 SO 9282 0263 1,160 yards

Turn left and head east and north east over Ash Hill to where a wide track (the Broad Ride) leaves the lane on the right heading east. (see photograph)

4 SO 9382 0298 1,320 yards

Take the wide track on the right (the Broad Ride) heading east (see photograph), climbing gently to cross a minor road at SO 9475 0289 and reach another minor road at SO 9502 0286.

5 SO 9502 0286 650 yards

Turn left on to the minor road then left down the lane towards Sapperton, passing through the village to reach the crossroads by the Church (see photograph) and telephone box.

6 SO 9477 0333 1,325 yards

Turn right by the phone box and follow the Macmillan Way north east to a gate which leads into Pinbury Park.

  • Turn right at the phone box through a wooden gate onto the Macmillan Way heading north east.
  • At SO 9518 0382 continue north east into light woods (see photograph) and go through a wooden gate at SO 9527 0394 following which the path emerges from the woods into a lightly wooded meadow.
  • At SO 9555 0438 bear left at a track fork and descend through light woods to a gate beyond which lies Pinbury Park and House.
7 SO 9555 0443 1,325 yards

Through the gate continue north east across Pinbury Park to the pool by the entrance drive to Pinbury House, then head west down the drive and past the house to where the path bears right and descends towards the woods.

  • Go through the gate and head north then north east across the east side of the Pinbury Valley to reach the small pool by the Pinbury House drive at SO 9589 0499.
  • Turn left onto the drive to Pinbury House and head west towards the house.
  • Go along the left hand side of the fence by the main drive entrance and through a wooden gate at SO 9571 0496.
  • Continue south west past Pinbury House and gardens to the end of the garden walls where the path bears right and descends towards trees. The photograph shows a statue in the gardens of Pinbury House, visible over the wall.
8 SO 9548 0487 1,320 yards

Descend north west into woods, crossing a stream by a ford using a wooden footbridge, then climb quite steeply north and west through woods, finally climbing gently across open fields to the line of trees known as Gloucester Beeches.

  • At the end of Pinbury House garden walls, bear right and descend north west towards the woods.
  • At SO 9531 0497 cross over a stream by a ford via a wooden footbridge.
  • Go north through a wooden gate into woods at SO 9527 0502.
  • Climb steeply north then west through the woods (see photograph) to reach a metal gate into open fields at SO 9501 0507.
  • Continue slightly south west and at SO 9473 0503 go through a metal gate.
  • Continue south west across fields passing polo pitches right and left, to a metal gate at the line of trees known as Gloucester Beeches.
9 SO 9455 0499 970 yards

Go through the gate and turn left to head south then south west gently descending across fields to reach a gate into Dorvel Wood.

  • Go through the gate and head south descending gently with the field perimeter on your left.
  • Go through a wooden gate at SO 9457 0479.
  • At SO 9458 0450 go through a wooden gate, bear left onto a track and immediately go through a double metal gate.
  • Bear right and head south west across the field to reach a gate into Dorvel Wood at SO 9475 0414 (see photograph).
10 SO 9475 0414 1,200 yards

Go south descending into Dorvel Wood, then follow an undulating path south west and west through the woods to reach Dane Lane a little north of Daneway.

  • Go through the gate south, descending into Dorvel Wood.
  • At SO 9473 0398 turn right at a path crossroads to head south west.
  • Follow the undulating path south west through the woods, (the photograph shows a tree blocking the path on the day of the walk) eventually bearing north west then west to descend through a wooden gate to Dane Lane a little north of Daneway.
11 SO 9403 0369 750 yards

Cross the lane and go south west across an undulating field to reach a lane which descends south east back to the Daneway Inn.

  • Cross Dane Lane and go over two wooden stiles into an undulating field.
  • Head south west across the undulating field (see photograph) to reach a kissing gate at SO 9366 0345.
  • Go through the gate onto a lane and turn left to descend south east back to the Daneway Inn.
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