Broad appeal

Mark Sutcliffe enjoys a circular walk in the Cotswolds which takes in impressive views from Broadway Tower

Nestling beneath the north-western flanks of the Cotswold escarpment, the picture postcard village of Broadway is one of a handful of unmissable destinations on any tour of this beautiful corner of the English countryside.

The Cotswolds is a veritable walkers’ paradise, criss-crossed by dozens of easy walks, and home to cosy cafes and welcoming country inns. At least four long distance routes converge on Broadway itself and, for less enthusiastic walkers, there’s plenty to see and do in the area. The National Trust’s Snowshill Manor is just a short drive from town and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway station is next door to Broadway Club Campsite.

Our circular walk climbs through the woods and pastureland surrounding the village to the summit of Broadway Hill and the distinctive three-sided tower from where the views are said to extend across 16 counties on a clear day.

Directions

1. Leave Broadway Club Campsite via the main gate, cross the road with care and continue right along the pavement. Continue for 500m into Broadway village.

2. 0.9km – Opposite the Swan Hotel, cross the road and head along Church Street and continue past a pub and a church, then take the footpath on the left past some cottages and into woodland. Turn right through a kissing gate and past a paddock, then through a gate and over a footbridge.

3. 1.3km – Head left on a grassy path through the paddocks. Continue along the field edge and through a kissing gate. At the next kissing gate, beside a tiny beck, keep left along the field boundary.

4. 1.8km – Continue climbing through another kissing gate, joining the Cotswold Way at the next gate. Follow the Cotswold Way as it climbs steeply up Broadway Hill through a series of gates to the tower (you do not need to buy tickets to access the grounds of the tower).

5. 3.6km – Next to the tower, turn right through a gate and join a gravel path heading through the grounds past the Bomber Crash Memorial. Exit the tower grounds via a gate.

6. 4km – Head half right past the Morris & Brown café, then left through an iron gate and onto a grassy path across a field and right after the gate onto an asphalt track. Continue past Rookery Farm, then, at the apex of the bend in the track, take the path continuing straight on.

7. 4.5km – Go through another gate, turn right along the edge of some woodland and continue across the next field. Go through a gate and turn right before reaching the next gate.

8. 5km – Descend steadily on a track through woodland. The lower stretches of the track can get muddy so tread carefully.

9. 6km – At the lane opposite a church, turn right and continue with care along the verge, taking a road on the left after 500m. Follow this quiet lane between the farms as it curves round to the right, joining the Wychavon Way running parallel to the lane on the right.

10. 7.4km – Follow this path as it heads right around the flood alleviation lagoon. At the corner of the lagoon, head left through a gate and continue past some allotments to a road.

11. 7.9km – Cross the road with care and continue along the Wychavon Way along field boundaries then right over a brook to reach a road beside the railway bridge.

12. 8.5km – Cross the road and continue under a bridge then turn, right onto permissive path through the GWSR railway car park. At the car park entrance, turn right to reach the gate of Broadway Club Campsite.

Download this route and others to your smartphone or GPS device from the Club’s OutdoorActive page at: out.ac/IPp3bt

About the route

• Start/finish: Broadway Club Campsite, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7DH.
• Distance: 5.6 miles/9km.
• Time: 3hr 15min.
• Level: Suitable for regular walkers with a reasonable level of fitness.
• Terrain: Quiet country lanes, woodland tracks and field paths with almost 250 metres of ascent.
• Landscape: Undulating farmland with a sustained and quite steep climb up to Broadway Tower.
• Refreshments: The Morris & Brown Café, Broadway Tower.

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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.