Seven Springs, Cotswolds. C Walk (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)

C WALK DESCRIPTION: 7 miles, 2 hills- 200 ft over 0.8 miles, and 280 ft over 0.6 miles; 800 ft total elevation gain. Starting at a layby on the A436 near the top of Wistley Hill, South-East of Cheltenham, we follow a track past Fishpond Wood and Pegglesworth Home Farm, across fields to a minor road (1.2 miles) leading to Kilkenny nature reserve. This is grass and shrubland, with wildflowers and butterflies in summer, a fine viewpoint and picnic site (1.8 miles). We cross the main road and fields to a minor road around Upper Dowdeswell and its historic Manor House, partly built in 17th century, to arrive at the Kilkenny Inn (3 miles).  From here, we cross a field to return to the minor road past Castle Barn farm and across further fields to Lineover Wood with its ancient beech trees, one of which is over 600 years old (4.2 miles). We wander through the woods, with a mixture of trees and flowers, going uphill to join the Cotswolds Way. This goes through the upper edge of Lineover Wood to Wistley Hill, the highest point of the walk, where there are fine views across Cheltenham towards the Malvern Hills (6 miles). Continuing downhill on the Cotswolds way we arrive at Seven Springs, the source of the river Churn which flows into the Thames, and the coach.