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Bibury & Ablington Circular

Cotswolds Walk

Region - Cotswolds

County/Area - Gloucestershire

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 4.1 miles / 6.7 km    Ascent - 250 feet / 76 metres

Time - 2 hours 20 minutes    Grade - easy

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL45Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL45Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 163Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 163Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Bibury & Ablington Circular
Click image to see photo description.

This short Gloucestershire circular walk in the Cotswolds explores the countryside to the north of the attractive village of Bibury. The routes uses well defined tracks and country lanes. The return leg of the route passes through Ablington village with its delightful cottages in a rural setting.

Parking in Bibury is available in a lay-by beside the River Coln just north of the small footbridge across the river (grid ref. SP115067). With the river on your right, walk south along the B4425, past the Post Office and around a left-hand bend. Continue to the end of the pavement, pass a letter box in the wall on your left and take the next left (Packhorse Lane) signed as a no-through road. The track bends left and then shortly after heads right and continues as a grassy track. Stay on the bridleway for about a kilometre, passing the rear of Bibury Far on your right and a barn on the left to reach a junction of tracks (grid ref. SP123082).

Take the left-hand-fork through a gate and follow the bridleway for a kilometre to reach Saltway Barn at a junction of tracks (grid ref. SP118092). Turn left along a bridleway, which is enclosed by hedges for part of the way, for two kilometres to reach a lane in Ablington village. Turn left along the lane and continue back to Bibury.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2454 Farmington & Clapton-on-the-Hilleasy/mod6.4 miles
Walk 3257 Cirencester & Stratton Circulareasy4.7 miles
Walk 1848 Turkdean & Notgrove from Cold Astoneasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1360 Naunton & the Slaughtersmoderate11.0 miles
Walk 1439 Fulbrook & Widfordeasy6.0 miles
Walk 2168 The Slaughterseasy/mod8.6 miles
Walk 2674 Source of the River Thames moderate11.3 miles
Walk 2283 Church Westcote & Icomb Circulareasy/mod5.1 miles
Walk 3663 Sudgrove & Edgeworth from Miserdeneasy/mod6.0 miles
Walk 1069 Badbury Hill, including the Great Barn at Great Coxwelleasy6.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

The Cotswold Way Map Booklet

The Cotswold Way Map BookletMap of the 102 mile (163km) Cotswold Way National Trail, between Chipping Camden and Bath. This booklet is included with the Cicerone guidebook to the trail, and shows the full route on OS 1:25,000 maps. The trail typically takes two weeks to walk, and is suitable for walkers at all levels of experience.
More information

The Cotswold Way

The Cotswold WayGuidebook to walking the Cotswold Way National Trail. Between Chipping Campden and Bath, the 102 mile route explores the Cotswolds AONB. Described in both directions over 13 stages, the Cotswold Way can be walked year round and is suitable for beginner trekkers. Includes separate OS 1:25,000 map booklet of the route.
More information

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