Sheepscombe, Saltridge, Painswick Stream and Longridge

Turn right out the pub car park heading west then after a few yards turn right to climb the lane running north east behind the pub. The photograph looks over the pub to Sheepscombe. At SO 8913 1047 bear left off the lane up a steep track still heading north east through trees and a pair of old gate posts to where the path emerges from the trees, onto grassy undulating land.

Go north across the undulating grassy land and climb through Lord's and Lady's Wood to where the path reaches another track at the top of steepish climb.

• Bear left and climb north across the undulating grassy land entering light woods at SO 8923 1065.
• At SO 8923 1068 pass through old wooden gate posts by the sign for Lord's and Lady's Wood (see photograph) and climb more steeply through the woods to join a track as the climb slackens off.

Continue north along the track by the edge of the woods on Saltridge Hill. The track climbs gently at first then descends gently to a path crossroads. The photograph looks west from the track crossroads.

Go straight over the crossroads and continue north north east descending through woods (see photograph) to a junction of several paths.

Turn left and head west to leave the woods and descend then climb along a track and lane finally descending to join a lane by Batch Farm.

• Turn left and follow the rightmost path descending south west alongside the wall at the edge of the wood.
• At SO 8938 1197 the path bears right and continues downhill heading west.
• At SO 8931 1200 leave the wood through a wooden gate and descend south west alongside the right hand edge of the field. The photograph looks towards Saltridge Common Wood from the field.
• At SO 8922 1193 go through a metal gate and bear left through another metal gate and climb the track towards the cottages visible ahead.
• At SO 8916 1194 go through a metal gate (painted blue when I walked the route) and past a row of cottages.
• At SO 8908 1191 go a metal gate onto a tarmac track and descend to join a lane by Batch Farm.

Turn left and head south west along the lane to a junction with another lane.

Just past the junction go over a stile on the right and descend south west across fields to join a lane, then descend west down the lane to Damsells Mill.

• Continue south past the junction, then after a few yards turn of right over a stile through a hedge and descend south west across the field.
• At SO 8819 1116 cross a stile and continue descending south west.
• At SO 8794 1101 go over a stile into a lane and descend west along the lane to Damsells Mill. The photograph is of a hay store and Damsells Mill.

Turn left along the footpath heading south besides the Painswick Stream (the Wysis Way) to where the stream passes under a track via a bridge.

• Turn left over a wooden footbridge followed by a stile and follow the path south alongside the Painswick Stream (see photograph) (the Wysis Way).
• The path undulates along the stream bank, crossing a small sidestream via wooden steps and a stepping stone at SO 8779 1071.
• At SO 8779 1062 go through a metal gate to reach a track which crosses the stream via a bridge.

Turn left and head east then climb south east and south to join a lane at Cockshoot.

• Turn left through a gate or over the stile then bear right through a metal gate and climb south east across the field.
• At SO 8805 1027 go through a metal gate and continue climbing south east.
• At SO 8815 1016 go over a wooden stile, bear right and descend south to another wooden stile at SO8815 1013.
• Continue south descending gently then climbing steeply to go over a stile into the lane by Cockshoot. The photograph looks up to Cockshoot.

Turn right along the rightmost lane heading towards Painswick (Beech Lane) (the photograph is of a small equestrian area alongside Beech Lane), to a junction with a lane on the left. Just past the junction take the footpath leading up the bank on the left hand side of the lane.

Take the footpath on the left just past the road junction and go south across fields to a track and turn left to climb up the track to the lane by Longridge.

• Just past the lane junction climb the steps up the bank on the left, climb over the stile and go south west across a field.
• At SO 8778 0946 go through the left hand gate or over the stile (the photograph looks over to Longridge from the path) and continue south to reach a track at SO 8771 0925.
• Turn left and climb the track heading east to reach the lane by Longridge.

Turn right and go south along the lane, then climb the path south east to the lane/track behind Longridge. Follow the lane, track and path north east behind the houses at Longridge to reach a tarmac track by Cockshoot.

• Turn right and go south along the lane.
• At SO 8785 0901 turn left and climb the path heading south east.
• At SO 8787 0898 turn left onto a tarmac lane and head north east along the lane through the houses at Longridge.
• The tarmac breaks up onto a hardcore track and then a path as it passes a metal gate then enters light woods.
• At SO 8810 0947 pass the information board for Blackstable Woods (see photograph) and continue north along the left hand track through the woods to reach a tarmac track by Cockshoot.

Bear right and go east through the woods passing Jack's Green before descending to reach the lane above Sheepscombe.

• Bear right along the tarmac track then take the track heading east along the northern edge of Blackstable Wood.
• At SO 8867 0995 pass by the lane at Jack's Green continuing east.
• At SO 8911 0976 where the path forks into three take the middle path and continue east.
• At SO 8945 0980 take the path on the left descending steeply north east (the photograph shows steps descending to the path here), crossing over a track at SO 8953 0984 to reach the lane above Sheepscombe.

Go east along the lane then west at the junction down the lane to take a footpath heading north west descending across fields to reach a small lane in Sheepscombe.

• Turn right and go east along the lane.
• At SO 8965 0991 at the road junction turn sharp left and go west.
• At SO 8958 0993 turn right over a stile and head north west descending across the field.
• At SO 8950 1007 go over a stile onto a farm track.
• At SO 8942 1016 bear left over stile off the track and continue descending north west to the wooden gate by the houses visible ahead (see photograph).
• At SO 8935 1027 go through the wooden gate and join a tarmac lane at SO 8932 1031.

Follow the lane west to the T junction then turn right and climb north west back to the Butcher's Arms.