Ride 4 in the Cotswolds on Horseback series. Print

Waypoint 1 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Brimpsfield & Cranham, Ride 4 in the Cotswolds on Horseback series. Approx. 27km (17 miles) with additional loop to the Black Horse Inn (closed Mondays), 22km (14 miles) without pub loop. Predominantly tracks and fields but 300m of quite busy B road and some steep and stony tracks. Parking at the NW end of the Gloucester Beeches layby, accessed off the NW (Gloucester) bound carriageway of the A417 (Grid Reference SO957122). Note: a one-way traffic regulation operates on this layby, so park as close to the bridleway (BW) gate as possible. From the layby, go through the BW gate into Brimpsfield Park and follow track. The BW crosses the outlet from the lakes, shortly fork left uphill to stay on the BW. Pass behind a barn, cross an area of hardstanding to come to a drive; turn left up the drive to the lane.

Waypoint 2 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Turn right and shortly left on a lane. Pass several houses on your right and just before the last house, turn right onto a BW track. After 100m, at a junction of paths turn left to continue on the BW, with a hedge now on your right. Continue, passing the polo grounds and then between the buildings of Longdole, to come to the lane.

Waypoint 3 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Turn left and at the cross roads, turn right and continue past Climperwell Cottage and continue uphill. At the cross roads, go straight on, passing a BW (Overtown Farm) on your left.

Waypoint 4 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Opposite a footpath (Noitaly House on your right), turn left along lane and go through the gate beside the cattle grid. Where the lane bends right, go straight on (grassy track) with the field boundary on your left. Follow this track into a field and follow hedge to the bottom, bear left and turn right through the gate into the next field. Continue uphill to a gate into Saltridge Wood.

Waypoint 5 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
After 100m there is a junction of BWs. To ride to the Black Horse Inn, turn right and follow the BW as it descends, gently at first, then more steeply to the valley bottom by Brook Farm (may be muddy after wet weather) and uphill again to meet the lane. Carry straight on up the lane ahead into Cranham. At the T junction, turn left and then first left again to reach the pub.On returning, after the crossroads, turn left onto BW over the Common through the woods. Go through the gate at the bottom, into a field and almost immediately turn right and right again to cross a small stream into the adjacent field. Turn left and head up the middle of the field, through gate, bear left and retrace your route to the junction of BWs. To continue on the main route, turn left and follow the track with the wall on your left, then downhill into Lords Wood.

Waypoint 6 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Continue through the wood and out onto the small Sheepscombe Common and follow the BW to the left, passing the end of the Laurie Lee Cricket Field. The BW becomes a stony track and continues downhill to meet the lane. Turn left to Far End, enter the woods and continue for 2.5km, finally exiting uphill between fields. At the top of the slope, bear right through gates to come to the road.

Waypoint 7 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4
Turn right, passing the Fostons Ash pub and immediately turn left into the carpark. Cross to the back of the carpark and take the BW through Climperwell Wood to the lane (you rode this earlier on the route). Cross the lane and enter the field to follow BW across the fields and through the gate into Hazel Hanger Wood. Exit the woods and follow track across next field and through BW gate. Turn right, along the edge of the copse and on reaching the lane, turn right. Pass Blacklains Farm and turn left onto BW, follow this to the lane.

Waypoint 8 Cotswolds on Horse Back Ride 4