Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group

The Wild West

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A Circular Walk from Beaudsert Car Park (NT)
Taking in Pinfarthings, the Nailsworth Valley and return via Amberley.

START: Beaudesert National Trust Car park.
OS Explorer 168: Map Reference:- SO 854003.

The walk is classified as:- MODERATE.
Walk Distance 3.85 Miles (6.2 Kilometres)
Altitude 193 Metres above mean sea level.

This is a circular walk from Pinfarthings down to the Nailsworth valley and back up to the common via Amberley. Refreshments are available at the pubs in Amberley

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

The Numbers refer to the map

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.

From the National Trust car-park by Beaudesert Park School (1), head north alongside the road towards Pinfarthings and turn left at the public footpath signpost and through the arch in the stone wall. (2)

The path is known as the tunnel. It was created in the 19th Century when the owners of what was then called The Highlands (now Beaudesert School) got permission to close the old road between Pinfarthings and Box and to create a new road along the edge of the common.




Turn right at the bottom of the path noting the pump house on the right.

















Ignoring the first lane on the left continue to the fork in the road and turn left downhill. Then look out for the narrow track on the left between Little Foxes garage and Pinfarthings Cottage (3) and follow the footpath sign.

This is the top of Whips Lane, an ancient highway between Pinfarthings and Watledge, possibly so-called because of the need to whip the horses up the very steep lower section.

A short way down, take the footpath on the right, over a stone stile. Cross the field over a wooden stile into a wood. Take the right fork and descend to a stone stile into the field.
Cross the next two fields diagonally right, crossing stiles close to electricity poles, and descend the steep pasture to a kissing-gate onto Theescombe Lane (4) and turn right. As you descend, you will see the back on Dunkirk Manor

Turn right along lane and continue for about a third of a mile. Just before Culver Hill, you will find the Neu-Lindsey Nature Reserve on the left look out for sign of slip rails (5). Proceed through rails and down steps into reserve.

The Neu-Lindsey nature reserve covers an area of 0.4 ha/1.0 acre. It is owned by the Gloucester Wildlife Trust and is an ancient limestone grassland on a South-west facing slope. The reserve is managed by mowing and removing the grass from half of the reserve, and the other half is mown and grass removed the next year. This small reserve is renowned for a variety of wild flowers, the Bee Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Cowslip and many others can be found. Also, the uncommon Great Green Bush Cricket, and the piles of grass on the edge of the reserve make the home for Grass Snakes and Slow Worms in the winter.

If you want a shorter walk, you could return to the lane, continue to Culver Hill and cross over and follow the lane through St Chloe. This route would bring you up to the allotment at point (11). For the complete circuit, carry on as follows!

Cross the field diagonally right to the bottom corner of the reserve, go over a stile and turn right along a public footpath to kissing gate and steps down to lane. Go straight across lane through kissing gate and down hill to two more kissing gates at Culver House driveway, then down the field passing new Vin-Yard on left and over two stiles at the bottom. When you reach pedestrian/cycle trail (6) turn right.

Follow the trail for about half a mile along what used to be the Midland Railway branch line between Stonehouse and Nailsworth.

The path along the old railway line is now owned by the County Council. As well as a useful walking and cycling route, it also provides good wildlife habitats. Look out for Dippers and other water birds where the trail runs close to Nailsworth Stream.

After going under the A46 you will see Frogmarsh Mill on the other side of the stream.

The first mention of Frogmarsh Mill was in 1658 and over the next two centuries passed through many hands including the Clutterbuck family and the Shurmurs. Cloth continued to be made their until the mid-1800s but in 1867 it was recorded that pins were being manufactured by the firm of Perkins, Critchley and Marmont. There is still activity taking place at the mill. Most of the buildings are of nineteenth century origin but the teasel tower opposite dates from the early 1600s.

NOTE:- You are now at the lowest point of the walk at 52 Metres above mean sea level.

When you reach station road, South Woodchester, turn right, and almost immediately you meet the A46 (7) (Take great care when crossing this very busy road).
Cross over to the footpath signpost at Little Britain Farm and follow the track past the buildings until you come to a field gate on the left with a stile alongside. Cross into the pasture field and bear right up the field parallel to field hedge and stream on right.





Come to a muddy stream crossing, cross stile (8) into the pasture field and continue upwards to the wood.

There are excellent all-round views here. Notice a small lake over to the left. Above it, off bear hill, there used to be an imposing 18th Century residence, Hill House, the home of Sir George Onesiphorus Paul, mill owner, prison reformer and High Sheriff. Over to the right, at St Chloe, is a curious looking building that was apparently constructed by Sir George in 1788 as an impressive gateway to his estate, when he was due to receive a visit from King George III. The building has since been turned into a house. Ahead you see the beach-woods that girdle the commons, with Houndscroft and Littleworth above.

Go over the stile into the woods (9) and straight uphill to a T-junction at a wall. This section is the steepest part of the walk. Go right at this wall and steep uphill past a house called "Amber Hill" to reach the lane by "Hawthorns Cottage"(10). Turn right. Follow lane till you reach allotments on left (11). Take way marked footpath through kissing-gate on left at far side of allotments, alongside Gable Cottage. This enclosed footpath brings you to a kissing gate at (12).

Here, you can turn left and go a hundred yards to visit the Black Horse(13). After your visit, retrace your steps to the kissing gate. Go right, past Littleworth Chapel. Go straight over and follow the lane/path to the Amberley Inn (14) On your left there is the Victoria Jubilee memorial.

At the Amberley Inn, cross the road and continue on, keeping Amberley school on your left. As you come to the church, go through the kissing gate into the churchyard, and follow the steps up the bank that lead onto the common.

In spring and summer, when crossing this section of the common, look out for orchids and butterflies. At relevant times you may find the Early Purple, Pyramidal, fragrant and Bee orchids and (if it is sunny) you might see Chalk Hill or Adonis Blue butterflies, as well as more limestone grassland species.

Once on the plateau, follow the main pathway (15) around the western edge and you will come back to the starting point.