Toddington up to Stanton and back via Didbrook

Leave the pub heading east along the B4077 over the railway bridge to a path leading off left towards Stanway after about 1,270 yards. The road is fairly level. The road can be fairly busy at times and there is no pavement so take care.

Turn left off the road to head north across a stream then east to the lane running through Stanway after about 200 yards.

• Turn left of the main road over the stile following the footpath sign.
• Head north downhill and cross over a stream by a stone footbridge at SP 0592 3229. After the footbridge go over a stile (broken at the time of the walk) but you can walk round it.
• Immediately after the bridge/stile turn right through a gate to head east towards Stanton church (seen through the trees in the photograph on the snowy day of the walk) and reach a wooden gate onto the lane.

Go north along the lane through Stanway to where the Cotswold Way bears right off the lane after about 250 yards. The photograph looks west from the lane.

Follow the Cotswold Way path north east and north to a gate just south of the lane running through Stanton village after 1 mile.

• Bear right through the metal gate following the Cotswold Way sign and head north east gently climbing and go through another metal gate at SP 0608 3262.
• Follow the footpath markers north east continuing to climb to go through a wooden gate at SP 0632 3291.
• Continue climbing north east to go through a metal gate in an intermittent fence at SO 0639 3305.
• The path levels out and bears north then descends a little to cross a wooden footbridge with gates at either end over a ditch as SP 0643 3333. The photograph looks west to Dumbleton Hill and beyond from this part of the path.
• The path is undulating and veers more north east to a wooden gate at SP 0658 3355.
• Through the gate the path goes through scrubby low shrubs with the tower of Stanton church visible straight ahead. Continue north east broadly level then down a gentle descent to cross a wooden footbridge with a wooden gate at the end at SP 0669 3385.
• Continue on the level heading north east to the gate just south of Stanton village at SP 0678 3400.

Turn right and head south east up a long climb, steep in places to where the path forks near the highest point of the walk after about 1,500 yards.

• After the gate turn right and head south east through a wooden gate and start to climb the hill ahead. Go through a metal gate at SP 0679 3401. The gradient is fairly gentle at this point.
• At SP 0686 3395 go through a metal gate and the gradient becomes steeper up a narrow gulley path with wire fences on either side. In wet weather the gully may be quite muddy.
• At SP 0700 3386 go through a wooden gate and continue climbing steeply south east. The path now has open ground on the left with wire fence on the right.
• At SP 0712 3370 go through a metal gate followed closely by another metal gate and continue south east uphill. After a short distance the gradient becomes less steep.
• At SP 0731 3355 go through another metal gate and continue climbing south east, the gradient steepens a little again here.
• At SP 0767 3329 go through a metal gate and head more east continuing to climb with woods on the right hand side to SP 0782 3328 where a narrower path forks right. The photograph looks north from the gate.

Head south round a field and south east through woods to where a path starts to descend steeply through the woods in a south westerly direction after about 500 yards.

• Bear right on the narrower path and climb south east to go through a wooden gate at SO 0785 3323.
• Bear left to head north east across the farm track/drive with the ornamental metal fence of the farmhouse (painted in shades of pink to blue when I did this walk) on the left hand side to go over a stile or through a wooden gate at SO 8760 1132.
• The path on the map crosses the field south west, but when I walked it there was an electric fence discouraging this. Turn left after the gate and go south east along the north east edge of the field, then at SP 0794 3309 south west along the south east edge to SP 0787 3307.
• Turn left (south) into woods and then take the leftmost path at the three way junction heading south east along a level path descending a little later to SP 0796 3287.

Take the path descending quite steeply through woods west, then south west to reach the B4077 road after about 1,650 yards.

• Bear right to take the path heading downhill west into the woods and at SP 0878 3288 bear slightly left to continue south west downhill (see photograph). As you descend this path you will probably hear the sound of a hydraulic ram pumping away a little to the east of the path in the woods.
• At SP 0739 3234 pass a hut on the right with and information sign on it (probably for shooting parties) where the flattens out and crosses over a stream then bears slightly left at SP 0737 3230 and starts to climb a short way.
• Continue along the path south west which now undulates with woods on the left and more open ground below on the right for a while, then at SP 0711 3217 starts descending again to reach the B4077 via a short tarmac lane by farm cottages and buildings.

The photograph shows the B4077 as it starts to climb north east up Stanway hill. Head west along the B4077 using the pavement on the north side to where a footpath leaves the road on the south side after about 375 yards.

Take the footpath heading south west then join the Cotswold Way and head south to the lane in Wood Stanway after about 950 yards.

• Cross the road and take the path south west through light woods to SP 0632 3200 to turn left and head south onto the Cotswold Way path.
• At SP 0632 3199 go through a metal gate into a broad path dotted with young trees guarded by metal frames.
• At SP 0632 3179 go over a small wooden footbridge over a ditch/stream then through a wooden gate.
• At SP 0632 3163 go through a wooden gate and over a stone footbridge over a ditch/stream and continue south. The photograph looks south from here towards Wood Stanway.
• At SP 0630 3131 go through a metal gate, the path continues between hedges to end on the lane in Wood Stanway.

Head west across fields then north to the road running through Didbrook after about 1,400 yards

• Turn right onto the lane and head west to SP 0625 3125 to turn left and go south along a short lane by Wood Stanway Farm House then after a few yards turn right and head west along a row of cottages to go through a metal gate at SP 0617 3118.
• Head west/south west along the north side of the field then across the open field to go through a metal gate at SP 0591 3103.
• Continue west/south west across another field dotted with trees to go through a metal gate at SO 0572 3097.
• The path hugs the east and northern edges of the next field, but you can usually go directly west across it to SP 0544 3100 to go over an improvised stile made out of unsteady palettes. The photograph looks north across the fields to Didbrook church from this path.
• Immediately after the stile turn sharp right to head north over another stile and into an open field towards public telephone box visible in Didbrook straight ahead. Continue north to the metal gate leading to the road through Didbrook.

Follow the road north then the lane north west and west through Didbrook to the path heading north alongside the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway after about 600 yards.

• Head north along the road towards the public telephone box (see photograph) then at SP 0540 3128 bear along the lane to head north west towards the low bridge road sign.
• The lane goes north west past houses in Didbrook then bears left to head west to turn left through a metal gate onto a path heading north alongside the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.

Follow the path north alongside the railway back to the B4077 then west along the road to return to the Pheasant Inn.

• Through the gate, head north to cross a footbridge over a stream and through a metal gate at SP 0500 3146.
• ontinue north through metal gates at SP 0501 3167, SP 0501 3203 and SP 0502 3222. As you go further north along this path the rolling stock of the railway become visible (see photograph) and depending on the day and time of year, steam trains may well be running.
• After the last metal gate bear slightly right to go through a metal gate at SP 0505 3235 and past the left hand side of a row of cottages through another metal gate and up some steps to the B4077 at SP 0506 3241.
• Turn left and head west along the road, over the railway bridge to return to the Pheasant Inn at the roundabout.