Sunday January 29th Shab Hill Walk
On Sunday January 29th, 33 walkers, including two guests, set off for a 5¾ mile walk from Barrow Wake Viewpoint, near Birdlip. The group started off in a low mist, weather cold but fresh. The walk took the group up to Shab Hill and then along the Gloucestershire Way passing by Rushwood Kennels where the dogs were excitedly yelping. The next section was a pleasant walk along the top edge of the long valley at Coldwell Bottom. The views were still partly restricted by mist.
With the edge of Coberley barely visible on the left hand side, the walk left the Gloucestershire Way, turning south through a new kissing gate for a flat route to Cowley, going over a stream and then across three fields.
The weather then lifted to become almost spring-like, with the walk continuing through the village, taking a right fork past an old stone cross and the previous village school. A coffee break was taken in an adjacent field before a steady uphill walk going past Hill Barn.
The remainder of the walk was across a large level field to the edge of Stockwell and then a long path across fields to return under the A417 road bridge back to the start point, where the viewpoint was found to be still shrouded in mist.
Crossing a stile near Cowley
Taking a drink break