A little slice of Severn

Jonathan Manning cycles through the striking abbey town of Tewkesbury and its peaceful surrounding landscape

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing’s former head judge, the late Len Goodman, will relish the chance to bellow “Severn!” along this ride that crosses the river a couple of times. Beyond the irresistible pun lies a quiet landscape punctuated by beautiful Cotswold-style villages, with ancient cottages, handsome farmhouses and historic churches. The town centre architecture of Tewkesbury itself is particularly striking, capped by the 12th-century abbey, which towers over the surrounding area.

The role of the Severn in commerce and trade is evident by the number of pubs on its banks, with short diversions leading to inns at Chaceley, Forthampton, Haw Bridge and Apperley. Given the area’s vulnerability to flooding, it’s worth checking the pubs are open if you are planning to stop. If you’re looking for somewhere dry to sit down for a picnic, the village green in Apperley, complete with war memorial, pond and church is a pretty location for a stop.

With Tewkesbury Abbey Club Campsite being situated right in the heart of the town, there’s no avoiding spells on busier A and B roads, but the rest of the route is mostly peaceful country lanes and easy cycling.

Directions

1. From the site gates, cycle along Gander Lane between Vineyards car park (on the right) and Tewkesbury Abbey (on the left) to reach a T-junction. Turn right at the junction along Church Street, then in 160m turn left at the roundabout, signposted to Worcester. Continue along High Street for about 500m to reach another roundabout.

2. 1km – Turn left at the roundabout, signposted to Worcester and Ledbury, soon crossing the River Avon. In 650m turn left along the A438, crossing the River Severn. Continue for just over 1km to reach Tewkesbury Fields Care Home on the left.

3. 2.78km – Turn right opposite the care home, signposted to Bushley. Ride through Bushley and Bushley Green and continue to a T-junction with the A438.

4. 7km – Turn left at the junction, signposted to Tewkesbury, and in 200m turn right to Forthampton. Continue for 700m to a T-junction opposite a war memorial.

5. 7.9km – Turn left at the junction, signposted to Lower Lode, Chaceley and Tirley. Stay on this road as it bends 90º to the right, signposted to Chacely. Continue to a T-junction by a church in Chacely.

6. 11km – Turn left at the junction, signposted to Tirley, Ashleworth and Chaceley Stock, and follow the road as it bends sharply to the right. Continue to reach a crossroads.

7. 14.2km – Turn left at the crossroads along the B4213, cross the Severn, then take the first left to Apperley. Stay on this road as it climbs through the village, and continue to a T-junction with the B4213.

8. 20.8km – Turn left at the junction, signposted to Tewkesbury, and in 350m turn left at the T-junction along the A38 (there is a cycle lane on the left). Continue for just over 2km to a roundabout and take the first exit to Tewkesbury. Stay on this road as it heads into the middle of town, before taking a right turn to Tewkesbury Abbey and return to the Club campsite.

You can download this route from our dedicated Strava page here.

About the route

• Start/finish: Tewkesbury Abbey Club Campsite, Gander Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5PG.
• Distance: 16.2m/26.2km.
• Time: 2 hours.
• Level: Suitable for all riders, although the A road sections should be restricted to adults.
• Terrain: Asphalt all the way.
• Landscape: Reasonably flat river plain, farmland and pretty villages.
• Refreshments: Diversion to Lower Lode Inn near Forthampton; The Haw Bridge Inn; The Coalhouse Inn (diversion in Apperley).

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.