Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The summit panorama is impressive. In the west the windings of the
River Severn are backed by the Forest of Dean. Below to the south-west
lies Dursley, to the south the tree-crowned Downham Hill, while the long
curving bow of the Cotswold escarpment stretches away to the north.
Cross the summit ridge to its eastern end, then descend half-right
among trees on a path of steps that leads to a stile under an oak tree.
Over this continue down the hillside meadow and across a field towards
some barns. Now walk ahead along a narrow country lane and when it
curves to the right, break away left and follow the farm track leading to
Springfield and Hodgecombe Farms (accommodation at the latter). The
track goes between the farms to enter Coaley Wood, which it then climbs
as a steep, sunken way (sometimes muddy and cut by horses' hooves).
It emerges almost at the top of the scarp slope near
Uleybury Hill Fort
.
Note
To visit Uleybury simply go up a little further onto the lip of the escarpment. An
interesting circuit can then be made of the ramparts of this ancient site.
ULEYBURY HILL FORT
The hill fort occupies more than 30 acres (12 hectares) of land on the very edge of the
escarpment south-east of Cam Long Down. Dating from the Iron Age it is certainly a
well-chosen site, for it has a 300ft (91m) drop down the scarp face to help protect it.
A ditch and earth ramparts complete the defences. Although the site has never been
excavated, Roman coins from the second and fourth centuries have been found there.
To continue the Cotswold Way go over a crossing track and take the op-
posite path to make a traverse of hillside below an exposed quarried cliff.
The path now slopes downhill a little then takes a gently undulating course
through the woods, carpeted with wild garlic in springtime. At a junction
of paths take the upper option through a gate, contour across the hill-
side, but after passing through more gates you then climb steeply along a
stony bridleway to reach the B4066 a short distance from
Hetty Pegler's
Tump,
a Neolithic burial chamber.
HETTY PEGLER'S TUMP
Hetty Pegler's Tump lies just off the route of the Cotswold Way. Measuring 140ft long
by 90ft wide (42m x 27m), this Neolithic long barrow has a covering mound of about
10ft (3m). Accessed from a long internal passageway, there are two pairs of side
chambers and a single chamber at its western end; the two northern chambers have
