Stroud Rambling Club

ON SUNDAY, October 16, 13 members of Stroud Rambling Club were led by Paul on a half day walk from Nailsworth to Avening on what turned out to be a mild sunny afternoon.

We met at Stroud Leisure Centre car park, ready to leave at 1pm once car sharing arrangements were made, this makes life so much easier for non-drivers to come on the walks and we can share fuel costs.

We had rain at 12.45pm but by the time we were ready to leave from Nailsworth’s long stay car park the weather was improving.

The walk went past Morrison’s and then right onto Pensile Road and then right again on a footpath that takes you above and behind Nailsworth garden centre, we were soon onto the Avening Road and climbing a wet in places slippery path that takes you to the top of Hazelwood.

From here it was easy walking mostly all the way to Avening via Longmans Barn farm and with Gatcombe Wood over to our left across the valley giving lovely views.

We had a DIY tea break in Avening Church Yard and by the time we left most people were in shirt sleeves or a light weight fleece, it could have been a summers day!

For the return journey we re-traced out outward journey for a short way before taking a left for to join a dry grassy path higher than our outward one, this gave us views to Gatcombe Park and further on Minchinhampton church tower could be seen in the distance.

This path turns into Shiptons Gravel Lane but we turned right and dropped down following a path that goes past the playing field to the outskirts of Nailsworth.

We made a small diversion to go down Gun Barrel Alley.

This is a bit of a mystery as it has a 90 degree bend in the middle.

You come out on the A46 and a few minutes later we were back at out awaiting cars.

SRC has a walk on every Sunday, see our website for details or visit your local library who keep a copy of our programme.