Ride 1 in the Cotswolds on Horseback series. Print

Waypoint 1 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Minchinhampton & Rodborough Commons, Ride 1 in the Cotswolds on Horseback series. Approx. 15km (9.5 miles) or 11km (6.5 miles) using the shortcut. The route includes Commons owned by the National Trust. Care should be exercised on the Commons which are of considerable ecological and historic interest, galloping is not permitted (grazed by cattle throughout the late spring, summer and autumn). Consideration must also be shown to other users (golf course on Minchinhampton Common). Parking is available in various places around Minchinhampton Common, e.g at the reservoir (Grid Reference SO855012) where parking bays are available. Suggested alternative parking is along the lane to Pinfarthing, 250m north west of Beaudesert School (SO853003). If you park here, start by going south east along the lane then bear east across the common to pick up the route at Halfway House. Start from the reservoir (SO855012) and head west towards Amberley, keeping the road to the left. Cross onto the Common over the fairway before the road drops down the hill. Follow track southwards across the Common but without dropping down to your right, eventually bearing left to reach the road opposite the Halfway House Pub.

Waypoint 2 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Cross the road and follow the lane through Box, bearing left at the end of the village to follow Box Lane to junction with Common Road, turning right into Minchinhampton. Turn left at next junction with Cuckoo Row, follow road and turn right onto West End that leads into the centre of the village. Turn left at cross roads into the High Street towards the lovely old market hall, left at roundabout formed by the War Memorial and follow Bell Lane to the right passing the church to arrive on the Common.

Waypoint 3 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Ride to the Cirencester Road across the Common, keeping close to the right hand edge. At the cross-roads, carefully cross Cirencester Road into Besbury Lane and at the bottom of the incline bear left, following the lane westwards over Besbury Common. Carry straight on ignoring next left turn and through the unmarked staggered junction with Burleigh Lane and The Roundabouts.

Waypoint 4 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
At next junction, cross Brimscombe Hill onto the lane to Beechknapp. Stay on this unfenced lane for 1.8km, turning left at the junction to arrive at Winstones Ice Cream factory shop. (Shortcut, you could save 4.2km by omitting Rodborough Common. By Winstones Ice Cream, turn slightly left and take the track opposite. At the road, turn left and then right to rejoin the route at The Bear Inn, waypoint 7).

Waypoint 5 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Continue past Winstones for 20 metres to take the sunken track to the right along the Common bearing right down the hill to lane called Montserrat that eventually leads into Butterrow Lane. Carry straight on onto Rodborough Lane; after 650m take the left hand fork onto Dark Lane for 200m and pass through the gate by the cattle grid to carefully cross the road.

Waypoint 6 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Go straight ahead and shortly veer left onto the main cart track on Rodborough Common, with Rodborough Fort on the left-hand side. Follow track until the Common starts to flatten out. Bear right (SO849038), keeping to the western edge of the Common but without dropping down and head south to pass a high walled small cluster of houses on your right. Continue straight on, over a cross track. Note: the cross-track leads down to an enclosure where a few pigs are kept; if necessary, veer to your left to give the enclosure a wide berth. Continue southwards, following the boundary of a collection of houses called The Hithe on your left, eventually reaching the landmark hotel The Bear Inn.

Waypoint 7 Cotwolds on Horse Back Ride 1
Cross onto an unnamed lane keeping the Bear Inn on your left. Follow this lane for 900m, passing Houndcroft and Littleworth. Turn left onto a steep unfenced tarmac lane until it levels off and reaches Amberley War Memorial. Go straight on past the War Memorial and cross the road. Continue straight on (south east direction) across the Common towards the reservoir, crossing the fairway and keeping a water trough on your right hand side. Just before the road, turn right to return to the parking.