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ROUTE 1

Shipston-on-Stour Loop via Brailes Hill

Start/Finish	The White Bear Inn, Shipston-on-Stour (SP 258 405)
Distance	23km (14 miles)
Total ascent/descent	260m
Grade	Easy
Terrain	100% roads
Refreshments	On route: The George Inn (Lower Brailes); La Tradition Bakery (Upper Brailes); The Gate Inn (Upper Brailes); White Bear Inn (Shipston) Short detour: Cherington Arms PH (Cherington); various in Shipston
Parking	Car parks in Shipston (free)
Cycle hire	Chipping Campden or TY Cycles (mobile)
Road bikes?	Yes
Connecting routes	Route 2

This is a fairly gentle introduction to the rolling Cotswold hills. Sibford Lane feels steep, but is short in reality, with good views. There’s a choice of pubs and even a French bakery en-route.

Head S from the pub, then turn left onto the one-way West Street (a small gyratory system), following NCN5 signs. You can follow these signs all the way past Sutton-under-Brailes. Give way to incoming traffic from your right and use the right-hand lane at the next junction. Take the next left off the gyratory onto Mill Street (B4035) towards Brailes. Continue over a narrow bridge and gently uphill. Where the road bends left, turn right to Barcheston. As soon as you leave the B4035 you feel out in the quiet countryside, with good views, particularly of Brailes Hill on the left.

Turn right at a triangular T-junction and continue past the edge of Willington, initially heading towards Burmington and then towards Cherington. The road now rises steadily uphill to reach an incoming track just past Burmington Grange.

Turn right here and descend gently to a T-junction roughly 500m later. Turn left (effectively continuing straight ahead) towards Cherington. Take the next left to Sutton-under-Brailes, roughly contouring to the village. Bend right then left past a church and pass a large village green. Turn right just beyond this and descend towards Stourton.

Take the next left towards Sibford. This takes you around Mine Hill on the way to Brailes Hill.

Brailes Hill is one of the highest hills in the region, and at 232m is less than 30m lower than Ebrington Hill near Ilmington (the highest point in Warwickshire). It is the main hill that the route circumnavigates.

The road continues for roughly 2.5km before reaching the next junction. It rises, initially, for 600m on a sustained uphill. In reality you are barely gaining 50m – it just feels like a lot more! That said, the views to the right once you’ve gained some height are well worth the effort. It then levels out before descending past a sharp bend left to a T-junction.

Turn left towards Brailes and climb gently over another rounded shoulder of Mine Hill before descending, 1.8km later, to a road on the edge of Lower Brailes. Turn left here and enjoy the descent into the village, passing The George PH as the gradient levels. Now head uphill, staying on the major road and passing an excellent (if unexpected) French bakery on your left as you come into Upper Brailes. The road now rises, passing The Gate PH.

Roughly 400m beyond this, turn right onto Castle Hill. This is both easily missed and potentially dangerous; make sure you continue past the former spring to take the one-way entry lane to this road.

A former motte and bailey castle once stood proud above Upper Brailes. Only earthworks and buried remnants still exist, but it is thought the castle was built on a natural knoll, which was raised further by the Normans to form the ‘motte’ of the motte and bailey.

This road gently rises to a sharp right-hand bend and then descends gently towards a T-junction. Immediately before this junction, turn left onto a minor road towards Whatcote.

The valley just north of Upper Brailes is surprisingly flat

Enjoy a fantastic descent to a crossroads and turn left towards Honington. Continue descending very gently for nearly 4km further to a T-junction. Turn left towards Barcheston and rise gently uphill. Pass the entrance to a sewage works and then turn right onto a minor road. Rise initially and then descend gently to a T-junction on the edge of Shipston-on-Stour. Turn right and continue over the narrow bridge.

Continue past a car park to reach a junction with the one-way system. Give way to traffic on the right – there is a cycle lane to help you. Turn right onto New Street, and a dog-leg left then right takes you back to your start point.