A scenic stroll is the perfect antidote to overindulgence over the festive period. So leave the sofa behind and enjoy the crisp air, admire the frost-covered ground and soak in the stunning views on one of these winter walks around Cheltenham.
Pittville Park
Where: Evesham Rd, Cheltenham GL52 3AB.
We are fortunate to have several award-winning parks in Cheltenham. Pittville Park is the largest and is the perfect spot for a winter walk. Take a stroll around the duck pond on the eastern side, let your kids burn off energy in the playground and take a family selfie by the Pump Room. Or head over to the western side of the park to take a walk around the boating lake. Then warm up with a drink from one of the park's cafés, which include the waterside Boathouse Café.
Crickley Hill
Where: GL4 8JY. 10 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Just a short drive from Cheltenham, Crickley Hill is easily accessible, with a car park and café at the top. This Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) features limestone grassland, scrub and beech woodland which are home to over 1300 species, from rare birds and butterflies to reptiles and toadstools. There's a choice of marked walking routes to follow across its old limestone quarries and through woodland, with breathtaking views. Read more...
The Leckhampton Loop
Where: GL53 9NG. 15 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Walk a stretch of the iconic Cotswold Way trail on this beautiful walk just a few miles from Cheltenham. Leckhampton Hill has a fascinating history, having been the site of an Iron Age hill fort, Neolithic Long Barrow and Victorian quarry. It’s also an important habitat for wildlife and wildflowers, as well as home to a herd of resident cattle. Follow the 4.5-mile circular Leckhampton Loop walk, or one of the shorter circuits, including routes suitable for mobility scooters. Read more...
Cleeve Hill
Where: GL52 3PW. 15 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Situated on the north-eastern edge of Cheltenham, at 330 metres high Cleeve Hill is the highest point in Gloucestershire and the highest peak of the Cotswold Hills. It has stunning views over Cheltenham, and on a clear day you can see as far as the Malvern Hills and Black Mountains in Wales. Its limestone grassland is home to rare orchids and there are also historically significant areas, including the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. Read more...
Cranham, Cooper’s and the Beechwoods
Where: GL4 8HP. 20 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Beech woodlands are one of England’s most recognisable habitats, and this walk features them in abundance. It also takes to you to the home of one of the Cotswolds’ most bizarre traditions – the cheese-rolling. This 4-mile walk takes you through Buckholt Wood, carpeted in bluebells in spring, to the top of Cooper’s Hill, where for hundreds of years, people have been rolling down from its dizzying heights at breakneck speed chasing a wheel of cheese! Read more...
Winchcombe and Sudeley Castle
Where: GL54 5JD. 25 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Winchcombe is known for its walks, with an annual walking festival and miles of beautiful paths to explore. A 5-mile 'Miles without Stiles' route takes you from Winchcombe’s town centre to historic Sudeley Castle and Gardens, a Tudor gem with over 1000 years of history. It uses sections of the Cotswold Way, Windrush Way and Warden’s Way long-distance walking routes, running through tranquil countryside full of wildlife and flowers. Read more...
Brockhampton and Sevenhampton
Where: GL54 5XQ. 25 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
This pleasant, all-weather, 3-mile walk starts in the picturesque village of Brockhampton to the east of Cheltenham and runs through the Upper Coln Valley. It's a relaxing circuit rich in history which follows ancient drovers tracks once used to transport salt. You pass old breweries, churches and streams on the way to Sevenhampton, before returning to Brockhampton, where you can add on an optional diversion to visit Sevenhampton's church. Read more...
Broadway Tower
Where: WR12 7LB. 45 minute drive from Cheltenham town centre.
Located in the northern Cotswolds, 18th-century folly the Broadway Tower is the second-highest point in the region after Cleeve Hill, with panoramic views across up to 16 counties. A 4.4-mile walk starts in the picturesque village of Broadway with its honey-coloured stone buildings, antique and interiors shops. It climbs up past St Eadburgha’s Church to the tower, where you can take a tour or stop off in the café before descending back to Broadway along a stretch of the Cotswold Way. Read more...
