Brimpsfield

Looking back along the valley to Caudle Green

En route for Gloucester again, I made small detour off the A417 to start this walk in Brimpsfield. You park at the Village hall and soon take a path towards the church. This passes the site of a former castle. The moat is still clearly visible as well as a mound inside it.


The castle was built in the 14th century, but its owner rebelled unsuccessfully against Edward II and was executed. The castle was "slighted" - put beyond military use - and over time the stone was appropriated for other purposes.

A slight detour leads to the church through impressive yew hedges.



On the inside, the 15th century church is found to have massive supporting pillars in something like the Norman style.

From here, the route goes across a field, down a lane and then along a track which soon runs through woodland beside a stream, the embryonic river Frome.



At the end of the woods you reach more open country and turn right into a long wide winding valley which heads south towards the village of Caudle Green.

At its most open point, the village of Syde can be glimpsed on to of the left hand slope. I made the steep climb to see the simple Norman church with its saddleback tower and beautifully simple chancel arch.



And then walked back down to the valley bottom to continue the walk. The views from the top were impressive, which was a further reward for my exertion.



Soon you descend to reach Caudle Green and then climb to the village green only to descend again to another valley which offers a very inviting route back to Brimpsfield.



From: 50 walks in Gloucestershire (AA).

Map: Explorer 179 (Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud).

Conditions: grey, 10-11 degrees, threat of rain.

Distance: 4.5 miles.

Rating: four stars. Two wonderful long valleys, interesting churches.


Reflections

I saw an extraordinary number of mole hills throughout the walk. I had always regarded them as distributed randomly, but once you really look you can see the lines of the underground passages fairly clearly traced on the surface.

Wondering along these wide winding valleys reminded me again again of my deep ignorance of what accounts for such geological features. I have resolved to do some reading to address yet another gap in my knowledge of the world around me.