Rodborough Common Walks, The Fort & Pubs in the Village
@aboutglos has enjoyed many walks on Rodborough Common, then beyond,. There are many routes that people can walk mainly started from their designated car parks.
Rodborough Common
Rodborough Common is over 250 acres in size and they designated as biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive and has a diverse ecosystem.
Rodborough Common is owned and managed by the National Trust. It lies on Jurassic limestone and is on top of the Cotswold scarp. Bounded on either side by the Nailsworth valley and the Frome valley and a great place for a walk.
Rodborough Fort
Also known as Fort George, they built it in 1761 for a garrison on an ancient site; they extended the fort in 1870 and is a Grade II listed building. The fort looks great but not open to visitors but was very nice to have a wander around the outside. The fort overlooks Stroud, and the area has views over the Severn Valley to Wales.
The National Trust has a route map for what they call the fortification walk that takes you round this building and over limestone grassland with some interesting plants and flowers to see on the way. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/minchinhampton-and-rodborough-commons/trails/fort-ification-walk
Rodborough Pubs
There are a few pubs that serve beer and food for after or before a walk in the vicinity.
The Prince Albert Pub
A Real Ale pub in the village with many options for beer drinkers, including some locally brewed on tap. They have listed the pub in the good beer guide for over 10 years.
Prince Albert is different in how it also does pop-up restaurants from local chefs. This, however, keeps the menu very interesting. Delights from the Caribbean, Sri-Lankan, Japanese and even a pop-up plant-based night for vegans or vegetarians to enjoy. https://www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk
The Bear
At the top of the common, The Bear is a great place to stop for something to eat or drink when in the area. The bar is cosy with some armchairs and even a log fire. The Bear serves a variety of drinks, including cask ale, a cup of tea or many other options. They vary food from bar meals to something more refined. The bear has themed nights. For instance, Monday night is burger night with delights including lamb or venison burgers.
Rodborough Common Walks
The area has many options for walks, including many circular routes. However, this is the long walking route I took from Rodborough to Stroud.
Walk Rodborouh To Stroud
I was at a meeting in Rodborough near to the Prince Albert Pub. When I passed by, it was too early and unfortunately closed. I decided rather than navigating public transport that I would take a walk on Rodborough common, then back to Stroud to grab lunch.
Walk On Rodborough Common
The first step was to walk along the roads, the last one being Dark Lane, which was uphill until I reached a cattle grid. Crossing this road led me on to the common. There are parking spaces for those who come by car.
Rodborough Common is a big common. It is, in fact, 250 acres in size and has many paths to walk. Cattle roam free on the common. These can be very inquisitive. However, I got no attention from the cows this time. Maybe, as it was an on-off rainy day, most were sitting down in the pasture.
Anyway, I proceeded away from the road and planned to circle the grounds of the fort. I enjoyed the views over the Nailsworth Valley, despite the drizzle and grey gloomy sky. After getting my fill and needing to get a move on, I walked to the Cotswold stone wall surrounding the grounds of Roborough Fort.
I did my loop of the stone wall and returned to the cattle grids where the loop had started. The Common is a good place for circular walks. These are ideal for those driving up to stretch their legs or have a picnic on a nice day.
Rodborough Common To The Viaduct
I headed back down Dark Lane and as my phone was broken; I was freestyle walking with only my sense of direction for guidance. There is a sign on the footpath that goes downhill into the valley. This was ideal for me. The field had a herd of cattle in and some nice lone oak trees. After crossing a few fields and stiles, I had reached the River Frome and the viaduct that crosses it.
River Frome To Stroud
I had a mooch around the River path and a railway viaduct over Dr Newton’s Way and shot some photos as the area fascinated me.
The Viaduct crosses both the river Frome and the Severn & Thames Canal and is pretty special. There was a nice poster showing the wildlife of the area.
The poster included otters, Daubenton bats, grey wagtails, kingfishers, and dippers. The rain must have driven them away, so was not lucky enough to spot any.
The Thames & Severn Canal stretches from the Stroudwater navigation lock in Stroud and is over 28 miles long. The route heads into the Cotswolds via Sapperton and Cirencester until it meets the River Thames in Lechlade. A long-distance hike for another day, methinks, or maybe make it a weekend adventure.
As I was heading into Stroud, signs showed I had to follow the canal along The Thames & Severn Canal Towpath. This was a nice flat walk, and the water was clear except for when the heavens emptied a few times and soaked me. After a while of walking down the tree-lined waterway, I had reached the lock and upper lock cafe in Stroud.
Lunch Break In Stroud
I need to get my camera charged as was running low and check in with work so needed somewhere to sit. Galgos Latino fit my bill, so entered to do what I need to do and get some B vitamins. The B Vitamins come in the form of Stroud Brewery Organic Lager. This was rather nice and went down well.
I had got what I needed to do done and extended the walk. Walking and hiking alone in the countryside is very cathartic for me. The plan was to jump on the stagecoach bus to Edge and then walk across and down Haresfield Beacon. I grabbed some snacks and a soft drink and on the bus I hopped. Walk Across Haresfield Beacon details..