Snowshill to Laverton Hill Circular

5.6km / 3.5 miles

HIGHLIGHTS: Explore delightful Snowshill Village and experience a walk in the countryside around Snowshill, down the valley, through Pipers Wood grove, where the kids can stop for a play in the stream. Move up on to Laverton Hill, with sweeping views of the vale of Evesham towards the Malvern hills. Perhaps combine with a trip to National Trust Snowshill Manor or the Snowshill Arms.

NEED TO KNOW

PARKING: : Park at the Snowshill Parish Car Park (1 Manor Barns, Snowshill, Broadway, WR12 7JR). The Parish car park is a free car park, not to be confused with the National Trust Snowshill Manor Car Park adjacent to it.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? 3 hours, including stops for snacks, streams, and slippy mud! ( We walked in winter. It was muddy and slippy but great fun!)

EAT/ DRINK: Snowshill is a tiny village with no shops or cafes. However, there is an excellent pub, The Snowshill Arms, serving drinks and hot food. There is also a lovely cafe within the national trust estate of Snowshill Manor, which is located in the heart of the village ( entrance fees apply).

TYPE OF WALK: Circular through woodland, pastures, and farmland. Some moderate inclines and declines.

ACCESIBILITY: Best for established walkers. Not suitable for pushchairs. The stile has been removed however there a few gates. Gravel and dirt paths.

FACILITIES: No public toilets. Toilets at Snowshill Arms and National Traut Snowshill Manor for paying customers/visitors

STEP BY STEP:

Start at Snowshill Car Park and walk downhill for 2 minutes until you reach the entrance for Snowshill Manor. The kissing gate opposite the entrance driveway is the start of the walk. Follow the waymarked downhill, diagonally across a few pastures with grazing sheep until you reach a large tree with a gate in front of it.

Go through the gate and turn left, heading towards a small area of woodland. Through the gate, you will see a small footbridge over a stream.

Cross the stream (after a paddle and pooh sticks!) and follow the trail until you reach a gate to an open field. Don’t go through the gate but instead turn right and follow the hedgerow line as the land rises to meet an open field. Continue to climb up through gates and open fields. It gets a little steep! Follow the fence line to the top and turn right at the metal gate opposite Brough Wood, following a wide rocky dirt path/ road.

With Brough Wood on your left, continue to follow the track. When you reach the gate, pass through and take the left hand, grassy track. Keeping the woodland on your left, walk downhill in the grass track with fenced off fields.for grazing livestock on either side. When you reach a junction with a dirt path, turn left and follow the track. You will now have joined the Cotswold Way.

Follow the main path, ignoring the stile to your right. Continue to follow the path and signposts marking the Cotswold Way, ignoring any other trails that branch off. Keeping following the waymarked for the Cotswol Way, with the trail.taking you uphill under some magnificent large trees, and then becomes flatter with beautiful views across the vale opening up. The trail passes Laverton Hill Farm House on your left.

Eventually reaching a cattle grid, leave the Cotswold Way that is bearing right and instead BEAR LEFT, as the path turns into a small road heading downhill. You will come to a National Trust sign for Littleworth Wood.

Here you can either;

Stick to the main path and follow it up to the top of the wood. When you get to a gate and the edge of the wood, cross the open field diagonally and head to the bottom right-hand corner of the field. Pass through the gate, turn right, and immediately left at the junction. Continue along this road until you reach the main road into the village.

OR, at the sign for Littleworth Wood, ignore it and continue to follow the road in to Snowshill.

Keep along the road into Snowshill Village, past the church and the pub (maybe stopping for some refreshments! The pub, the Snowshill Arms, also has a good play area for kids). If you continue walking along this road, you will reach the top of the hill and see the parish car park on your left.

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