Cotswold Way: Tormarton to Cold Ashton

Step by step

1. 1
   

   Step 1: Tormarton over the M4

   From the church follow Church Road and the High Street through Tormarton past Manor Farm, cross Marshfield Road and walk south along it. The road crosses the M4 on a bridge at about 700m; watch for traffic. Beyond the motorway turn right along Lapdown Lane for about 400m.

2. 2
   

   Step 2: Lapdown and Beacon Lane

   Where the lane bends, take the bridleway past Lower Lapdown Farm and follow it across the open fields for about 1.1km to Beacon Lane, an old bridleway between hedges. Here the National Trail offers two routes of equal length. The original line runs west along Beacon Lane past Beacon Lane Plantation; the signed diversion goes south down Wallsend Lane and west along Dunsdown Lane to Field Lane. The Trail set up the diversion because the old line is isolated and there were incidents of public indecency there between 2018 and 2023; it knows of none since, though antisocial behaviour continues, and it leaves the choice to you. On the diversion, at Field Lane cross the A46 with great care, a fast, busy main road. The Trail calls this a difficult crossing where you may wait a few minutes for a gap in the traffic. The line on our map follows the original route along Beacon Lane and the park wall.

   • Muddy in winter
3. 3
   

   Step 3: Round the wall of Dyrham Park

   The diversion leaves out this stretch of the original line, which the Trail's map shows joining Field Lane from the north. On the original line, beyond the A46 follow the old Bath Road, a lane and then a bridleway, for about 200m, then take the bridleway south-west beside the boundary wall of Dyrham Park. Keep to it for about 1.6km through the fields, go through the gate at the end and cross the road at about 4.7km.

   • Dogs on lead
4. 4
   

   Step 4: Field Lane and down into Dyrham

   Where the diversion meets Field Lane by Badminton Plantation, go through the gate on to the bridleway (on the original line, Field Lane runs about 350m to it). Follow it along the top past Hinton Hill, then down the slope, steep in places, through two gates to Upper Street in Dyrham. Walk down through the village and along Sands Hill for about 400m.

   • Steep section
5. 5
   

   Step 5: Up through Dyrham Woods

   Leave Sands Hill on the footpath that climbs through Dyrham Woods. It runs for about 2km and climbs about 90m, the steepest part near the top, and can be muddy after rain. Go through the kissing gate to Gorse Lane, cross it, and go through the two kissing gates beyond.

   • Steep section
   • Muddy in winter
6. 6
   

   Step 6: Pennsylvania to Cold Ashton

   Follow the bridleway for about 500m and the track to the hamlet of Pennsylvania. Cross the A46 with great care and go over the stile. Follow the field paths for about 600m to the A420 at The Folly, and walk beside it for about 100m. Go through the kissing gate on the left and follow the footpath across the fields, through two more kissing gates, past the war memorial to Hyde's Lane in Cold Ashton, where the section ends.

   • Stiles