Edge, Painswick and the Painswick Valley

The Edgemoor Inn is situated high on the west side of the Painswick Valley and has glorious views over Painswick and the surrounding countryside. Go east down Jenkins Lane to a footpath heading south at Jenkin's Farm.

• Leave the car park at the far (southern) end from the Inn, turning left onto Jenkins Lane which is part of the Cotswold Way.
• Descend steeply east for about 300 yards to reach a footpath going off to the right heading south through a farm gate at Jenkin's Farm.

Descend south along a footpath for about 600 yards to the lane at Wragg Castle Farm.

• Turn right through the gate to head south along a farm track which opens out into fields. There are good views across the Painswick Valley all along this path as seen on the right.
• At SO 8535 0884 climb over a stile, and at SO 8534 0869 go through a metal gate.
• At SO 8530 0860 pass through a wooden gate into Wragg Castle farmyard with houses on the left and continue down the farm lane to the lane at the end.

Turn left onto Wragg Castle Lane (see right) and descend quite steeply for 250 yards to the junction with the busy A46.

Cross over the A46 and go down Pincot Lane southeast for about 250 yards to where it crosses the Painswick Stream.

• Cross the A46 and head south east into Pincot Lane.
• Follow the lane as it bears left through trees descending for 250 yards to where it passes by houses as it turns right and goes over the Painswick Stream by Weaver's Mill.
• Look for the signpost to the footpath heading northeast off the left hand side of the lane running alongside one of the houses.

Head northeast and north along a footpath across fields for about 650 yards to Sheephouse.

• Take the path northeast along the side of the house then climb to the right and bear left to climb over a stile and go up a bank to a stile over a fence at SO 8558 0818.
• Climb gently heading northeast across a rough meadow to go over a stile at SO 8568 0824.
• Bear right to head east to cross over a stone stile at SO 8575 0823.
• Bear left to go northeast down a steep bank heading to a line of trees at the bottom. At SO 8572 0827 cross a footbridge over a stream and climb a steep bank to leave the wooded area into an open field.
• Head northeast to go through a farm gate at SO 8587 0848 onto a track through farm buildings at Sheephouse to the path heading southeast at the end of the buildings.

Take the path heading southeast from Sheephouse climbing for 700 yards to Wick Street Lane.

• Turn right and follow the path southeast. The path passes through a metal gate cum stile with a brick wall to the right hand and wooden fence to the left then becomes a wide track with fences to either side. The photograph on the right looks back down the lane to Sheephouse.
• At SO 8609 0846 pass through another metal gate cum stile into an open field with boundary on the left.
• At SO 8617 0842 climb over a stile into another field with the boundary to the right.
• At SO 8648 0826 climb a stile alongside a farm gate into the lane.

Follow Yokehouse Lane east and then northeast for three quarters of a mile to its junction with Greenhouse Lane.

• Turn left onto Wick Street then after a few yards bear right onto Yokehouse Lane signposted Bull's Cross and Birdlip. The lane undulates but has no significant climbs or descents. There are good views to Painswick to the left along the lane. (See right).
• As the lane forks at SO 8740 0870 bear left signposted Painswick.

Follow a path heading northeast from Greenhouse Lane for about 550 yards to a footpath crossroads above Dell Farm.

• Turn left onto Greenhouse Lane then after a few yards take the path to the right at SO 8747 0884, heading northeast.
• The path goes through a farm gate, passes farm buildings then goes through another farm gate, over a stile into a small scrubby wooded area to reach the path crossroads.

Head northwest downhill through Dell Farm for about 700 yards to a lane east of Painswick.

• Turn left at the path crossroads onto a wide track and descend roughly northwest to Dell Farm.
• Passing through Dell Farm buildings at SO 8752 0935 there is a farm pond on the left as the path veers right to head more north.
• At the end of the farm buildings at SO 8752 0945 bear left off the farm track to head northwest onto a path running down the left had side of a field.
• Climb over a stile at SO 8743 0953 and descend quite sharply to the stile at the far side of the field. The photograph on the right shows the view looking down to the left hand corner of the field. Go over the stile into the lane.

Turn left onto the lane crossing over the Painswick Stream and climb the lane generally northwest for 300 yards around a couple of bends to a junction with another lane. The climb gets steeper towards the end.

Turn right at the lane junction and continue to climb following the lane round several bends heading north then west through the outskirts of Painswick to the junction with the main A46 after about 550 yards.

Head northwest to the B4073 then south to the turning into the no through lane (Butt Green) a distance of about 350 yards.

• Cross over the A46 into Pullens Road.
• Climb up Pullens road heading roughly northwest for about 300 yards to the junction with the B4073 at SO 8665 1018.
• Turn left and descend a few yards to a junction with a no through lane on the right. The photograph on the right shows the view down the road from the junction.

Go along Butt Green, a track and footpath heading predominantly west for about 600 yards to an indistinct footpath junction about midway between the end of Butt Green and Highfold Farm.

• Turn sharp right into the no through lane (Butt Green) heading northwest.
• At SO 8655 1015 (the end of the lane), turn right then immediately left down the signposted trackheading west.
• After a few yards at SO 8648 1015 turn left off the wide track through a metal gate into a rough field and follow the line of the hedge on the right hand side through the field. The photograph right shows the view across the field to a "folly?" before taking the path.
• Go through a green metal gate at SO 8633 1015 and continue to descend bearing right to head more northwest. Pass through another gate by a stile and then through another gate at SO 8618 1023.
• A few yards later as you gently climb, you need to fork left at a path junction which is not clear on the ground.

Go west through Highfold Farm then southwest to descend to the bottom right hand corner of a field, total distance of about 700 yards.

• Take the path heading directly west descending, heading towards the farm buildings visible at the rise beyond the descent.
• After 180 yards at SO 8603 1021 go over a wooden footbridge and pass through a gate, then head directly up the fairly steep hill towards the farm buildings.
• After 200 yards go through the farm gate into the yard turning left to head south, cross the yard through a gate between to brick piers, turn left down the farm road, turn right round the end of the barn to the gate and stile at SO 8581 1019.
• Go through the gate (or over the stile) and then through another gate (or over the stile) into a field and head southwest downhill to the bottom left hand corner of the field for 200 yards (the footpath is not that clear on the ground).

Turn right to head northwest to Stark Hill Farm after about 600 yards.

• Follow the path along the bottom edge of the field.
• At SO 8553 1015 go through a farm gate, over a stone stile at SO 8458 1026 and over a wooden stile at SO 8542 1037 with another wooden stile 50 or so yards further on.
• Bear right towards the stile opposite. Go over the stile and turn left then over another stile into the track by Stark Hill Farm leading to a farm lane.The photograph right shows the house at Stark Hill Farm.

Follow the lane then a path across two fields climbing southwest to the road fork beyond Parkhurst Farm after 450 yards.

• Turn left onto the lane going over a stream.
• Turn left off the lane through a gate into a field, up a fairly steep climb to go through a gate between the two fields.
• Continue to climb to a stile at the top of the field, then up some steps to the lane at the top of the bank at SO 8508 1027.
• Turn left onto the lane then immediately join another lane and head south to where the lane forks.

Climb the lane heading southwest then head south on a path to join a lane in Edge village near Edge Hill Farm after 600 yards.

• Bear right at the road fork and climb southwest gently up the lane.
• At SO 8505 0998 turn left off the lane over a stile and gently descend south across a field.
• At SO 8509 0984 go over a stile onto a narrow path between a hedge to the left and the rear gardens of houses in Edge, to the lane at the end.

Climb the lane heading west then northwest, crossing the A4173 to the road junction at the west end of Edge village after 450 yards.

• Turn right onto the lane and climb west.
• Where the lane forks at SO 8495 0968, bear right and climb northwest to the junction with the A4173 at SO 8485 0978.
• Cross over the A4173 and climb northwest to the road junction at the top of the climb.

Follow the road climbing south to the gate leading off left to Rudge Hill National Nature Reserve after 300 yards at SO 8468 0961. Take care this road can carry quite a lot of traffic.

Follow the main path south, veering southeast across the Nature Reserve, turning left where the Cotswold Way crosses the path, descending quite steeply down the Cotswold Way to the A4173 and the Edgemoor Inn after 800 yards.

• Follow the main path heading directly south and uphill.
• At SO 8468 0950 the path levels out as it bears slightly left, avoid the path which continues to climb to the right.
• After 500 yards the Cotswold Way crosses the path at SO 8585 0912. Turn left onto the Cotswold Way (a narrow path) and descend steeply southeast to go through a gate onto the A4173 and the return to the Edgemoor Inn over the road.