England · United Kingdom
Cleeve Hill
B4632Cheltenham to Winchcombe
Escarpment road over the highest Cotswold point.
This road climbs the Cotswold escarpment between Cheltenham and Winchcombe past Cleeve Hill, the highest point of the Cotswolds at 330 metres. The open common gives wide views west over the Severn vale toward the Malverns and the Black Mountains of Wales. Mind the cattle and sheep that roam the unfenced common, golfers crossing and parked visitor cars on the verges.
On the road
The road runs from Cheltenham to Winchcombe. Near the top of the climb it skirts Cleeve Common, which at more than 1,000 acres is the largest common in the Cotswolds. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its plants and geology, looked after by a small charity, the Cleeve Common Trust. Sheep roam freely across most of it in season, and a herd of Belted Galloway cattle lives there too.
For the view, turn off at the top of the hill towards the golf club. The Quarry car park faces the clubhouse, and a walk from there leads to a trig point and toposcope. On a very clear day the view reaches about 90 miles (140 km) to Exmoor, with Cheltenham Racecourse below. There is also roadside parking at the Stockwell Lane viewpoint. The Quarry car park gate is locked at night, and no vehicles are allowed on the common itself. There are no public toilets on or next to the common, but the golf club and the Rising Sun serve food and drink.
Winchcombe sits on the Cotswold Way, which also crosses the common. Just outside the town, Sudeley Castle is the burial place of Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s six wives. It opens daily from mid-March to early November.
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
Cleeve Hill on the map4.6 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners
busiest around mile 1Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%61 to 239 mPoints of interest2 stops
- Southam and Cleeve Hill War MemorialLandmark1.9 mi in
- Cleeve HillViewpoint3.2 mi in
Hazards
- Free-roaming cattle and sheep
- Golfers crossing the common
- Cars parked on verges
Sources
“On a clear day the views sweep across the Severn Valley and into Wales.”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
Routes for iPhone carries Cleeve Hill offline, with live weather and a 7 day forecast.
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