|
 |
|
|
| |
 |
| Leave Crickley Hill continuing on the Cotswold Way until you reach a road; this is Greenway
Lane. At this point turn right on Greenway Lane which leads to the B4070 cross roads. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Cross directly ahead along the minor road past the National Star College on the right hand side. |
| The National Star College is an independent specialist college working with learners who have physical, sensory or learning disabilities. The qualifications, courses and pathways enable the students to prepare for the best that adult life can offer. The college has undergone massive redevelopment in recent years (£15.4 million programme since 2007), which was completed in early 2011. The original building used by the college was Ullenwood House which was built in 1857 when the estate occupied 985 acres. Originally the land was part of ‘Hallingwood Farm’ and was mentioned in contemporary documents in 1777 & 1830. |
|
| Continue down the road for approximately 200 metres and then turn left onto a track
signposted 'Cotswold Way, Leckhampton Hill 1½ miles, ‘Restricted Byway’. The track,
which is a long, sometimes muddy, ascent, goes past the grounds of Cotswold Hills Golf Club
on the right. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Continue up the track through a farm gate to a country lane (Hartley Lane). Note the unusual
modern house to the right which was completed in 2011. Follow the Cotswold Way signs to
the left down the road for approximately 300 metres and then turn right at the Cotswold Way
sign. Follow the narrow track past the Wagoner’s quarry car park on the left and climbing
through trees and shrubs on the right. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| As the path follows the escarpment, it eases along the scarp edge with fine distant views.
After 700 metres or so, take a signed path on the left that goes downhill a short way to give a
close view onto the Devil’s Chimney (Grid Ref 946184) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Devil‟s Chimney is one of the major landmarks of the walk with its craggy finger
of rock projecting from the scarp face terrace below. In the 18th
Century extensive
quarrying was undertaken. The quarrymen trimmed the chimney as part of a hoax.
In recent times repair work was undertaken to restrict the effect of erosion which
threatened collapse. Climbing the chimney is now prohibited but for many years it
was a popular challenge and the record stands at (an unlikely) 13 people perched on
the top at one time. |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Walk along the scarp towards Cheltenham and down the hill, which is very steep in places,
past the old quarry buildings on the right hand side and down the old quarry incline to Daisy
Bank Road. To the left is Daisy Bank Road car park. |
 |
| A bit further on is Tramway Cottage, which was built when the quarry owners
attempted to enclose the hill in the 1890s – this deprived local people of their
favourite open air promenade, and serious riots followed. For a history of the
quarries, the Devil‟s Chimney, and the riots, see David Bick‟s book Old Leckhampton
(1971 |
|
 |
| The route crosses Daisy Bank Road, and continues through a gate and down some steps on
the far side, then steeply down to the right to rejoin the line of the old incline. |
 |
 |
| MORE REF.PHOTOS COMING SOON. |
| Continue down
in a straight line, not so steeply now, at first through thick scrub and then across the open
common – the masts on top of Cleeve Hill 4 miles or so away are a useful aiming point. The
path dives down into woodland again (this short stretch can be very muddy, as you cross the
spring line), and emerges at the back of a housing estate. After a few yards, the path resumes
behind the houses to emerge on another estate road (Southfield Approach); a few yards
further, and you can divert into and along the edge of the Old Patesians’ playing field; as you
go round past the children’s playground and behind the clubhouse, a gate on the left leads to a
footbridge across an old railway cutting (this was the Cheltenham to Banbury Line, closed in
the 1960s). Continue in the same direction along Greatfield Drive, again going behind the
houses to emerge at a junction of three more significant roads; you bear slightly left along
Moorend Road.
After 300 metres or so, you come to some railings on the left, with a signed cycle route
towards the town centre. This runs between the back of a housing estate and first the Lilley
Brook, then the River Chelt. All of this area used to be part of the grounds of Charlton Park;
the house (now a school) can be glimpsed through the trees.
The landscape opens out into a wide open space, which now forms a massive flood storage
area, intended to protect central Cheltenham from flooding (it was nevertheless overwhelmed
in the catastrophic floods of July 2007). The cycleway and path continue along the left of this
to reach the A40 Old Bath Road. Cross the road at the pedestrian light, turn left briefly, and
then right into Sandford Road. You are now entering the historic part of Cheltenham, inside
its ring of modern estates. You pass the Hospital, and then Cheltenham College.
The traffic lights at the end of Sandford Road form a staggered junction, where you go right
and then left to continue along Montpellier Terrace, past the birthplace of another of
Cheltenham’s famous sons, the explorer Edward Wilson, who died with Scott in the Antarctic
in 1912. When you come to Montpellier Gardens, go in to the gardens and make your way
across to the opposite corner, where you bear right into the top of the Promenade, along the
side of the impressive Queen’s Hotel. Continue down the Promenade along the side of
Imperial Gardens; just inside the gardens is a fountain with a statue of Gustav Holst. |
| The Gustav Holst Memorial Fountain, by sculptor Anthony Stones, was a gift to the
town by Cheltenham Civic Society in 2008. It was enabled by a bequest by Elizabeth
Hamond together with generous local sponsorship. Seven plaques depicting the
Planets are incorporated in the plinth. Holst often had to conduct left-handed
because he suffered from painful neuritis in his right hand. |
|
|
| The Promenade continues as a street of smart shops and was once full of smart houses in
which Holst’s father’s pupils would give concerts and pass the Neptune Fountain. Eventually
you reach the High Street, the original axis of the town. To the left used to be the old Pate’s
Grammar School which Holst attended and to the right the Corn Exchange. Turn right and
then left into Pittville St., which turns into Portland St. and continues past the Masonic Hall,
Holy Trinity Church and an unedifying car park. At the north end of the car park, note the
iron bollards, which mark the southern boundary of the Pittville Estate. This was established
in 1824 by Joseph Pitt, a wealthy landowner, as a ‘new town’ on the north side of
Cheltenham. Holst’s Birthplace (4 Clarence Road), built in 1832, was part of the Pittville
Estate. At the top of Portland Street, at the traffic lights, you turn right into Clarence Road
and arrive at the Holst Birthplace Museum. |
| Detour 1: All Saints Church |
| As you leave the Holst Museum after your visit, turn right out of the front door and then cross
Clarence Street at the marked crossing place near the junction. In front of you are the gates
which formed the original entrance to Pittville Park. Go through to the road behind the gates
(Pittville Lawn), follow this until you come to the road ahead (Wellington Road). Here turn
right and cross the roads at a roundabout taking the third exit which is Pittville Circus. Go
across the centre of the circus and at a mini roundabout bear to the right. All Saints Church is
on your left a little way down this road. Retrace your steps as far as Pittville Park and follow
the main route. |
|
| All Saints' Church was established in 1868
by a group of local people anxious to
establish a style of worship not generally
found in Cheltenham, using the rich liturgy
and colour of the 19th century Oxford
Movement. Holst‟s father Adolph was an
organist there and young Holst sang in the
choir. There is a stained glass window in the
church which was designed by Birmingham
born Edward Coley Burne-Jones, who is
closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelite
artists |
|
|
|
|
