Image: View of the Cotswold landscape looking towards Snowshill ©Siobhan Mills
Last week, we were pleased to host Yolanda, as she completed her Year 12 work experience placement. She joined in with a host of activities and tasks all week, one of which was to complete a short write-up of a self-guided walking route from our website. Her review of that experience is below. Huge thanks to Yolanda for all her enthusiasm and effort all week – it was a delight to have you as a member of the team for the week!
Stanton and Snowshill Cotswold Way circular walk review
17 July 2023 by guest editor Yolanda Mills
The six-mile Stanton and Snowshill circular walk offers a diverse and rich landscape taking you through woodland, grassland, valleys, and hilltops providing beautiful views and an enjoyable walk. This is one of several circular walks based around the Cotswold Way National Trail.
Living in the Cotswolds, I have always enjoyed going on walks in the countryside and my surrounding areas. During a school work experience week with the Cotswolds National Landscape team, I had the opportunity to walk and review this route around Stanton and Snowshill.
The walk started out in Stanton village, which I found to be quiet and very pretty due to the honey-coloured Cotswold stone which made up the buildings along the high street. When leaving the village, the walk then followed the Cotswold Way up the escarpment to the top of the hill. This section passes through some areas of beautiful species-rich grassland. It was also the steepest part of the walk, which I enjoyed being towards the start – as it was encouraging that the rest would be more leisurely!
At the top I was greeted with a beautiful view of the outlying hills including Bredon Hill and Dumbleton Hill and in the distance, the profile of the Malvern Hills. The route then passed through ancient woodland which was a welcome bit of shade and enhanced the variety of the walk between the previous open Cotswold Way track and the wooded area, allowing me to appreciate the different features of the local landscape. When moving out of the woodland I was then able to see Snowshill nestled into the hill which surrounds and rises around the village, creating a picturesque view.
Snowshill is another classic Cotswold village with its pretty cottages centred around the church and pub. I stopped off at a bench by the village hall to have a snack and admire the view across the rooftops to the far side of the valley. It’s also the location of the National Trust’s Snowshill Manor and Gardens which I had a quick look at over the wall. One of my favourite parts of the walk was the descent into the valley after Snowshill village as the field was particularly scenic due the many different shades of green and yellow from the different types of grasses and plants. Whilst reasonably dry when I did the walk, the steeper area at the bottom of the valley may be more muddy and slippery during a wetter period or season.
Finally, the route moved along and down the escarpment back into Stanton. As I was walking down the track, I was able to observe ever-changing panoramic views over Stanton and across the Severn Vale before continuing down into the village towards the start point – concluding the walk. Overall, I really enjoyed being outside in my local surroundings on the walk, as it was a good chance for me to have a break from schoolwork and de-stress. The variety and scenic views along the route make it a lovely walk for anyone.
Link to walk https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Walk-3-Stanton-Snowshill-Final-v22.pdf
By Yolanda Mills, guest editor