Seven Springs and Leckhampton Hill Circular Walk

Although the Seven Springs and Leckhampton Hill Circular Walk is a relatively easy route, the track is unpaved and features some steep sections. Make sure to wear good walking footwear that is preferably water-resistant in order to better traverse the rugged and often muddy trail conditions. Additionally, this route does pass through some open farmland that will often feature some grazing livestock. Be sure to keep your dog on a lead to avoid any potentially dangerous interactions.

Even with the above mentioned trail conditions, this is an amazing adventure that will provide walkers with some breathtaking scenery and interesting historical sites along the way. Setting out from the charming village of Seven Springs, you will cut across the beautiful countryside and make your way along the hilltop to reach the viewpoint atop Leckhampton Hill. Here, there are stunning views of rolling hills and swathes of forest, as well as historical sites like the old Iron Age fort and limestone quarries that were in use for centuries. This is a fantastic walk for those with interests in both the natural world and local history.

Setting out from the car park opposite the Seven Springs Pub, head to the northeast along the road for 425ft until you reach a series of roundabouts. Keep left at each of these and bear left onto the laneway, following it for 0.4mi to pass Windmill Farm and arrive at the Minotaur Barn. This stretch of the walk offers some lovely farmland scenery, so take your time and enjoy the scenic views along the trail. Reaching a point where the road bends to the left, do not follow it. Instead, pick up the footpath along the hedge as it runs to the north past the barn.

Follow this for 0.1mi and turn left, continuing along the path as it skirts the edge of some woodland terrain with a downward slope on your right. After 0.6mi along this trail, you will arrive at a fork in the trail. Take the path on the left and keep straight for the next 0.4mi, where you will come to yet another junction on the edge of the wood. Once again, take the path on the left and continue straight to eventually arrive at the vantage point atop Leckhampton Hill, where you will enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding hills and countryside that make the Cotswolds such a charming locale. As the hilltop was once the site of an old Iron Age fort dating between 500-100 BCE, you can explore the area and take in some of its unique history.

From the viewpoint, follow the trail to the southwest and keep right, turning right at the signpost to make a quick visit to the Devil’s Chimney, a weathered tower of rock that is an iconic landmark in the area. After visiting the site, turn back and return to the signpost, heading right along the trail and keeping straight along the hilltop for 0.3mi. Turn right here and follow the path as it slightly descends the hillside and enters into the tree cover. Here, the path will turn to the north and pass in behind some houses, offering scenic views looking up at the Devil’s Chimney from below.

After 0.6mi of walking along this path, you will arrive at a T-intersection in the trail. Turn left here to arrive at a junction of seven paths that features a sign board with some information, as well as an old limestone quarry on your right that dates back 400 years. A large amount of the quarrying was done in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and some foundations of the lime kilns still remain to this day. At the junction, take the main pathway on the left and follow it down the steep forested hillside for 0.2mi to eventually arrive at the edge of Daisy Bank Road.

Pass through the gate and head to the right, following along the road as it transitions into a stone track with the steep slopes of the hill on your right. After passing through a series of gates, keep right along the gently climbing trail as it leads you through a stretch of woodland to arrive at a signpost. Pass by this to reach a crossroads with another signpost, turning right here to follow the trail to the southeast.

Keep right for the next 0.6mi, passing through a gate and climbing uphill through the forest until you arrive at a junction that you had previously passed on the way to Leckhampton Hill. Keep straight to once again pass by Minotaur Barn, at which point you can retrace your steps through the picturesque countryside to arrive back at the car park where you began the Seven Springs and Leckhampton Hill Circular Walk.

Consider a Walking Holiday in the Cotswolds

One of the best ways to experience this stunning Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is by booking a pre-planned adventure tour in the Cotswolds. Find the famous self-guided Cotswolds Way and other amazing guided and self-guided tours on 10Adventures Tours.