Best Walks Near Cheltenham: Hills, Circular Walks and Pubs
Hill, woodland and town walks near Cheltenham with official distances, times and parking: Leckhampton Hill, Cleeve Common, Crickley Hill, Lineover Wood and Pittville Park, each with a pub or café nearby.
In short: the best walks near Cheltenham are on the hills above town. Take the 2.5-mile loop over Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common, the 6-mile Cleeve Hill Common Ring on Cleeve Common, home to the highest point of the Cotswolds at 330m, or the 900m family trail at Crickley Hill. Pack a waterproof: Cleeve Common is usually cooler and much windier than town.
Hill, woodland and town walks near Cheltenham, with routes, distances and parking from the official trail and reserve websites, and the pubs and cafés checked on their own sites on 19 October 2026.
What are the best circular walks near Cheltenham?
Six official circular routes, all a short drive from town. Where no distance or time is published, we say so.
| Walk | Distance | Time | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common | 2.5 miles (4km) | 2 hours | Daisybank Road car park |
| Leckhampton Loop | 4.5 miles (7.2km) | 2.5 to 3 hours | A436 lay-by, Seven Springs, GL53 9NG |
| Cleeve Hill Common Ring | 6 miles, or 4 | 3.5 to 4.5 hours, or 2 to 3 | Quarry car park, GL52 3PW |
| Cleeve Common family circular | 2.3 miles (3.6km) | Not published | Quarry car park, GL52 3PW |
| Crickley Hill family trail | 900m | 30 minutes to 1 hour | Visitor centre, GL4 8JY |
| Lineover Wood North or South Walk | Not published | About 1 hour each | A40 car park, Dowdeswell |
Which hills near Cheltenham have the best walks?
Leckhampton Hill (293m) to the south, Cleeve Hill (330m) to the north-east and Crickley Hill towards Birdlip, all on the Cotswold escarpment and all on the Cotswold Way.
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common
Cheltenham's own hill, declared a National Nature Reserve on 4 June 2026. The Cotswolds National Landscape loop climbs gradually from Daisybank Road, follows the Cotswold Way along Charlton Kings Common with views over town, then drops steeply through the old quarries. To see the Devil's Chimney, the limestone pillar thought to have been left by quarry workers, walk the 4.5-mile Leckhampton Loop from Seven Springs.
- 📏 2.5 miles, 156m of ups and downs
- ⏱️ 2 hours
- 🅿️ Daisybank Road or Hartley Lane
- 🥾 Steep descent, no stiles
- 📍 Start: Daisybank car park
Galloway cattle graze the common, and the council's reserve page links to a live map of where they are.
The Wheatsheaf
A family-run Wadworth pub below the hill, with a huge garden, a heated patio, Sunday roasts and free parking.
- 🐕 Dog friendly
- 🌳 Large garden
- 📍 Old Bath Road, Leckhampton
Norwood Arms
A Greene King pub dating from 1891 on the way back into town, with a beer garden and a car park.
- 🐕 Dog friendly
- ⏰ Food until 9pm daily
- 📍 Leckhampton Road
Cleeve Common and Cleeve Hill
The largest common in the Cotswolds National Landscape, about 4 miles north-east of town. The National Trail's Cleeve Hill Common Ring crosses open hilltops, streams and woods and returns along the escarpment; the 4-mile version skips the steep climbs. With children, try the Cleeve Common Trust's 2.3-mile circular to the toposcope, where on a clear day you might pick out Gloucester Cathedral.
- 📏 6 miles, or 4
- ⏱️ 3.5 to 4.5 hours
- 🅿️ Quarry car park, £2 for 24 hours
- 🥾 Moderate, some steep sections
- 📍 Start: off the B4632, GL52 3PW
Parking is free at the radio masts on the south side, reached by Harp Hill and Aggs Hill. Butterfly Conservation's Prestbury Hill reserve sits beside the masts, 2km up a bridleway from Prestbury.
Hewlett Arms
At the foot of Harp Hill, the road up to the masts, with a south-facing garden, rotating real ales and a menu for dogs.
- 🐕 Canine menu
- ⏰ Lunch 12pm to 3pm, Friday to Sunday
- 📍 Harp Hill, Battledown
Crickley Hill
A country park jointly owned by the National Trust and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, on the site of two Iron Age hill forts, with views over the Severn Vale to the Forest of Dean and Wales. The 900m Walks on Wheels trail from the visitor centre suits wheelchairs and buggies; other trails run from flat paths to steep scree.
- 📏 900m
- ⏱️ 30 minutes to 1 hour
- 🅿️ £2.50 all day, pay as you leave
- 🥾 Tarmac and earth paths
- 📍 Start: visitor centre, GL4 8JY
Follow Leckhampton Road up towards Birdlip; the entrance is on the right before the Air Balloon roundabout. The gates lock at 6pm from October to March.
Where can I walk in the woods near Cheltenham?
Lineover Wood, the Woodland Trust's 50-hectare wood near Dowdeswell, about 5 miles south-east of town.
Lineover Wood
The trust suggests two hour-long circular routes: the North Walk on medium terrain and the more strenuous South Walk. Look for a beech over 600 years old, thought to be the third largest in England, and views over Cheltenham to the Malverns.
- ⏱️ About 1 hour per route
- 🅿️ A40 car park, 12 spaces
- 🥾 Medium to strenuous
- 📍 Start: opposite the reservoir
The Charlton Boutique Hotel
On the A40 on your way back into town, with a licensed bar and restaurant and covered outdoor dining.
- 🍽️ Mains £12.95 to £15.95
- 📍 London Road, Charlton Kings
Can I walk the Cotswold Way from Cheltenham?
Yes. The 102-mile National Trail from Chipping Campden runs along the escarpment east and south of town, and three official sections make linear day walks.
- ⛰️ Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell, 5.5 miles
- 🌳 Dowdeswell to Leckhampton Hill, 4.7 miles
- 🏰 Leckhampton Hill to Birdlip, 5.6 miles
Where are the easy walks in Cheltenham itself?
Pittville Park, Cox's Meadow and Burrows Field, all with accessible paths.
Pittville Park
A large park split by Evesham Road: the Pump Room, aviaries and main play area on the east side, the lower lake and small woods on the larger west side.
- 🥾 Accessible paths
- 🚻 Toilets by the play area
- 📍 Evesham Road, Pittville
The Meadow Café
A family-run café on the edge of Cox's Meadow, a council meadow with a circular path that turns to wetland after heavy rain.
- ⏰ Daily until 4pm
- 🐕 Dogs welcome
- 📍 Old Bath Road, Cox's Meadow
The Dug Out
The café at Burrows Field in Leckhampton, open space with a circular path, a brook and footpaths into the countryside, plus free parking.
- ⏰ Wednesday to Sunday, until 4pm
- 🐕 Dog treats
- 📍 Moorend Grove, Leckhampton
What should I take on a walk near Cheltenham?
Boots, a waterproof and a warm layer. Crickley Hill's paths get muddy in wet weather, and livestock graze all three hills.
- 🐕 Dogs on short leads near livestock
- 🔒 Check car park closing times
- 🚻 No public toilets on Cleeve Common or at Lineover
- 📱 A charged phone
Walks near Cheltenham: questions
What is the highest hill near Cheltenham?
Cleeve Hill, on Cleeve Common about 4 miles north-east of town, is the highest point of the Cotswolds at 330m.
What are the best circular walks near Cheltenham?
The 2.5-mile Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common loop, the 6-mile Cleeve Hill Common Ring and the 4.5-mile Leckhampton Loop from Seven Springs.
Where is the Devil's Chimney?
On Leckhampton Hill, south of Cheltenham, just off the Cotswold Way. The Leckhampton Loop takes a short detour to it.
Are there wheelchair-friendly walks near Cheltenham?
Yes. Crickley Hill has a 900m trail, Leckhampton Hill has more than 3km of accessible paths, and Pittville Park has accessible paths.
Can I take my dog on walks near Cheltenham?
Yes, on the hills and in Lineover Wood, but keep dogs on short leads around livestock on Leckhampton Hill, Cleeve Common and Crickley Hill.