Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group

From Common to Canal

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A circular walk from Blue Boys Corner
Taking in sheltered lanes, the canal towpath and areas of open common grassland (refreshments halfway round)

START. (1) Minchinhampton car park is situated behind the church.
OS Explorer 168: Map Reference:- SO 872009.

The walk is classified as:- MODERATE. (some steep areas)
Walk Distance 4.75 Miles (7.6 Kilometres)
Varying between altitude 195 and 55 Metres above mean sea level.

Click here for a map of the walk (best printed in landscape format)

Always remember to take care crossing roads, leave gates and property as you find them, keep dogs under control, and make sure you don't harm animals, birds, plants or trees. Always follow the Country Code.

Walk north along the right hand side of the Great Park until you arrive at the main road, Blue Boys Corner. (2)

A Coaching Inn formerly stood at Blue Boys corner. It derived its name from the young boys who lived there and coated themselves with more blue dye than the sheep they were marking.

At the sign post cross the main road into Knapp Lane. After 10 Metres turn into the Tynings. Continue in an easterly direction until the tarmac ends and becomes a country lane. Carry on along the country lane until you come to a stile (3), crossing over the field diagonally and walk along the perimeter of the field until you come to another stile in the corner of the field.

Cross the stile in the corner of the field into Hyde Common. Take the narrow footpath in front of you then cross the road following the Public Footpath sign opposite (4). Follow the steep lane down past a number of large houses.

A variety of birds and other wildlife can be seen at different times in the area around Hyde Common. These include Buzzard, Pheasant, Jay and many of the common birds. The many animals to be seen in this area include Fox, Squirrel, Badger and deer both Roe and Muntjack. There are also a variety of wild flowers in the woods , Wild Garlic, Blue Bells, snowdrops and many more depending on the time of year. When the Stroud Valleys were full of working mills some of the mill owners built themselves large houses overlooking the Golden Valley. Pass by Hyde Lodge owned by John Ferrabee around 1900 (descendant of James Ferrabee who was proprietor of Phoenix Ironworks, Thrupp, where the first lawnmower and adjustable spanner were developed in 1830's). Walter Butt moved to the house in 1925, creating an arboretum of rarities - many still flourish today. He also under-planted with snowdrops and these founded a successful business - The Giant Snowdrop Company which traded between 1951 to 1968 run by Brigadier Mathias and his wife Winifrede, who moved into the house in the spring of 1947 to find a blanket of snowdrops emerging. Their catalogue listed over 18 varieties a number of which were found within the grounds. In February and March many snowdrops with other spring flowers can be seen as you walk down the lane.

Continue down the steep lane. After passing Hunters Cottage on the left continue on the lane for approximately 120 metres then turn into the narrow, secluded footpath, turn left between two upright stones (5). This is easy to miss, and if you miss it, the lane continues down to a narrow, busy road and eventually meets the canal path at Belvedere Mill. Cross the stile into a field with lovely views of the Golden Valley. Follow the footpath straight down the field into the area of St Mary's Mill. (6)


St Mary's Mill is a fine example of the many mills that contributed to the prosperity of the Stroud area. It is one of the best preserved millsites in the Stroud valleys, set in beautiful countryside. The early 19th century mill contains a large mid 1800s waterwheel and an early 20th century Tangye steam engine. You can see them both through the window. One is in working order. Parts of the last working fulling stocks in Gloucestershire are also on show. The building with the large chimney is the boiler house. You can see some pictures of the mill here.

Cross the mill yard and take the flight of steps on the right just before the bridge in front of the railway cottage. These lead down to the canal towpath (7). Turn left under the bridge and follow the towpath alongside the canal west towards Stroud.

The canal and River Frome provide a rich habitat for a large variety of birds and plants.

Walk past the old brick bridge over the canal and you come to Wimberley Mill sandwiched between the River Frome and the canal (8).

There was a mill on this site c1300 and was worked as a fulling mill in 1765. It then had a number of uses until the present day - cloth manufacture, umbrella and parasol stick maker and in 1883 Critchley's for a newly formed pin making business. Critchley's also manufactured wood and bone knitting needles and crochet hooks and land drainage pipes. The site now houses many small businesses in buildings dating from the 1960's and only a single stone mill building survives this re-modelling.

Cross Knapp Lane and continuing along the towpath you pass the remains of Dark Mill (9).All that can be seen is the weir on the river that controlled the water in the millpond, which is now hard standing. Dark Mill was the highest mill on the River Frome within the old Stroud Parish and is mentioned in records from 1597 when it comprised a house called the Bourne, 2 fulling mills and 2 grist mills. It had many owners and tenants and multiple uses before it was demolished in the early 1900's and the existing modern buildings erected.

A shortened version of the walk can be made by turning left and following the steep Knapp Lane (or even steeper public footpath) back up to The Knapp and hence to Blue Boys Corner.

Continue along the path between the canal and River Frome until the point where the canal has been filled in where the footpath follows the riverside. The path then widens into a lane alongside the industrial buildings of Brimscombe Port. (10)


Brimscombe Port marked the point where the Thames & Severn Canal met the Stroudwater Navigation. It has a long and interesting history. Now the canal forms part of the Cotswold Canals. Their website has excellent photos and information on St Mary's Mill, Brimscombe Port and the Canals. Generous funding has recently been allocated for the regeneration of the Canals including the redevelopment of Brimscombe Port. For more on the history of Brimscombe Port, click here. You can often see dippers here.


Facing Brimscombe Mill look to the right and you will see a Public Footpath sign, follow the sign and you will come out onto the main Stroud to Cirencester road. Turn left and you will come to the Brimscombe Hill Road. (This is a main bus route No 29 returning to Minchinhampton Centre).


Cross the road and walk along the lane behind the Ship Inn.

The map Reference at this point is SO 878013.



Continue along the path until you reach a red-bricked bridge over the canal. Turn left here and walk under Brimscombe Railway Bridge. (11) NOTE:-- From this point is now all up hill. Altitude 55 Metres.

After passing under the bridge immediately take the public footpath on your right through the metal kissing gate. Follow the clear footpath up through the meadow until it widens into a lane at a group of cottages at Swells Hill (12). At the cross roads walk straight on up the steep hill. (Jack Cook`s Cottage is on your left). Go on up the hill keeping the valley on your left.

In spring and early summer there are many wild flowers to be seen here.

At the top of the hill, keep going across Bownham Common and turn left onto a tarmac lane (13) that leads back to Burleigh.

Continue on this lane keeping Burleigh Tower on your right. This lane meets the main road at the top of Brimscombe Hill. Cross the road and take the public footpath opposite. (14)

You now have a choice of routes, either take the longer route across Besbury Common, or the more direct route across Minchinhampton Common.

For Besbury Common, at the end of path, the turn left and after a very short distance turn right into Burleigh lane. Follow the lane past Burleigh House (15) and carry straight on to where it becomes Love Lane. Continue on until you reach Besbury Common (16). Take the footpath alongside the National Trust sign and walk along the top of Besbury Common. There are lovely views of the Golden Valley from here. At the stile at the end of the footpath turn right and climb up to the Knapp and return via Blue Boys corner to the car park.

To return to the car park via Minchinhampton Common, after crossing Brimscombe Hill take the public footpath opposite. At the house at the end turn right up the flight of steps and steep path (handrail provided) (17) until you reach the plateau of Minchinhampton Common. Turn left and follow the footpath. Cross the main road and follow the path across the park, back to Blue Boys Corner or to Minchinhampton church, which comes into view on the right as you cross the common.

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©2007 Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group developed by Nick Timms