(S) This walk starts at the bus stops at Bath’s - Lansdown Park and Ride (ST 73171 681). With the bus stop at your back, walk forward, and cross directly over the road - Lansdown Road, to a pathway.
(1) Turn left, and follow this path for approx. 0.7km, until you are opposite the Charlcombe Inn. Cross back over Lansdown Road, to the left of the Charlcombe Inn. With a Cotswold stone boundary wall on your right, walk forward to a kissing gate in the wall ahead (ST 726 686), pass through the gate onto the Lansdown racecourse.
To follow the designated footpath - turn right and follow the rails of the racecourse to a ‘2-furlong marker post’ (ST 722 688). Here, duck under the course rails and cross over the track to the inner field area. Turn ¼ right, and walk diagonally across the inner field, using the righthand edge of a wood (ST 718 687) opposite as a guide. At the edge of the wood turn right, and walk forward, following a well-used footpath, to a viewing point (ST 713 683) – Prospect Stile.
For this walk, the viewing point at Prospect Stile is the start of the Cotswold Way.
(2) At the Prospect Stile viewing point, pass through a wooden kissing gate and turn left. Follow a well-defined path downhill, passing through a large wooden gate, carry on down the hill to a 2nd large wooden gate. Pass through this gate and turn left. Walk forward to a metal gate, pass through this gate, and walk forward a few steps to another on your right (ST 714 682). Pass through this gate onto a well-defined pathway bounded by a hedge on your right.
Follow this footpath downhill for approx. 1.75km. As the footpath joins a lane, look directly ahead for a wooden stile on the top of an earth bank (ST 719 666). Cross over the stile into the field beyond. Follow the footpath over Dean Hill and down through woods, to a metal gate (ST 723 663) approx. 0.6km. Pass through the gate into a field. Walk ahead, and follow a footpath, downhill, through trees, into a 2nd larger ‘recreational’ field. Cross this field to the far-left corner to an access gate (ST 727 663). Pass through the gate and turn left onto Anchor Road.
Continue down Anchor Road to a major road T junction – Crown Road, turn left and walk forward for approx. 35m, to a Zebra Crossing. Cross over the road, and turn right. Walk ahead, staying on the left-hand side pavement, cross over a minor side road -Trafalgar Road, into - Church Street.
(3) The second next part of the walk is through the outskirts of Bath, leading to the city centre. The route is identified by ‘Fingerpost’ sited at key points.
Confirm - Church Street by checking for a Cotswold Way Fingerpost sign (ST 729 664), on your left, approx. 15m from Trafalgar Road. Carry on along on Church Street. as it turns left and climbs uphill. passing - All Saints Church on the left. Carry on down the hill, for approx. 50m, to a Cotswold Way Fingerpost.
At the Fingerpost (ST 731 663) turn sharp left into - Church Road, and carry on uphill, approx. 0.25k to Purlewent Drive. Cross directly over Purlewent Drive. Note the Cotswold Way Fingerpost (ST 737 662), on the left. Carry on uphill, for approx. 80m, to a kissing gate.
(4) Pass through the gate into the field beyond Primrose Hill. Turn right, and follow a well-defined path across the field. At the junction of two paths, turn right and walk ahead to a large metal gate (ST 735 663). Pass through the gate, and carry on down the lane to the bottom of the hill.
At the bottom of the hill turn a ¼ left, and follow an unmade-up path for approx. 80m, to a kissing gate. Pass through the gate into a lane with high walls on both sides. At the top of the lane, note the Cotswold Way Fingerpost fixed to a short post (ST 738 662), on your left. Continue ahead into – Summerhill Road.
(5) With houses on your right, remain on Summerhill Road, and walk ahead for approx. 145m to – Sion Hill. Note the Fingerpost on your left (ST 740 661). Turn right, and follow the road downhill and around to the left. Note the Fingerpost on your left (ST 74025 65922), pointing to a park gate. Pass through the gate onto a tree-lined pathway, crossing the – High Common. Follow the path downhill to a road – Weston Road. Cross directly over the road, via the Zebra crossing, into Royal Victoria Park.
(6) At this point, the route breaks away from the official Cotswold way to visit some of the Cities famous Georgian buildings. Walk ahead, staying on the left-hand side pavement, for approx. 160m, to Cow Lane (ST 742 653). Turn left into Cow Lane and walk ahead, approx. 140m, to a road - Marlborough Buildings.
(Note: - Cow Lane doesn't have a street nameplate; the turn-point into the lane can be identified by a large red and white traffic - ‘No Entry’ sign).
At Marlborough Buildings, turn left and walk up the road to the entrance into the Royal Crescent on your right. Turn into the Crescent (ST 744 654) at house No 30. Walk along the curved frontage of the grand Georgian Houses. Exit the Royal Crescent at house No 1, at the eastern end of the Crescent; turn right into Brock Street (ST 745 653). In Brock Street, walk ahead approx. 150m, to The Circus. Turn right, and follow the curve of the Circus around to the next exit – Gay Street.
(7) Walk down Gay Street on the left-hand side pavement, crossing over - George Street and Old King Street, carrying on down to – Wood Street. Turn left into - Wood Street. Walk ahead to the end of the street, turn ¼ right, and cross into - Quiet Street. Walk to the end of Quiet Street, and turn right into - New Bond Street.
Walk forward down Bond Street; passing to the left side of a Cotswold stone building, with a statue of a small boy, high up on the frontage, into – Burton Street. Continue ahead, crossing over two streets – Upper Borough Walls and Cheap Street, into - Stall Street.
(8) Continue down Stall Street for approx. 30m; the entrance into – Abbey Churchyard is on your left. Turn left and walk through the colonnade into – the Abbey Churchyard. The Abbey is in front of you.
The Abbey is the finish of the walk. However, it leaves you at a good starting point to explore Georgian Bath.
Return to Lansdown Park & Ride is by bus. Details can be found in ‘Useful Information’ below.(E)
