Toddington & the Steam Railway Walk, Cotswolds

Toddington village is some distance from the station. The quiet street leading to the church has attractive, largely modern, houses and gardens.

The church of St Andrew is a spacious 1723 rebuild of a smaller church, paid for by the local Tracy family. Close to the church are the ruins of the Tracy’s original 17th century manor house.

This almost level circuit is generally easy, on lanes and good paths. However, there is a ¾ mile length of field edge path which may be ploughed and planted too close to the boundary. Depending on the season and the state of the crop this may or may not be difficult to walk over.

Toddington station is a short drive from Buckland Court, along the B4632; turn left at Toddington roundabout centre.

If parking at the railway centre go back to the B4077 road. Turn left to walk by the roadside for 100 yards to the roundabout. The Pheasant Inn is to the left.

1. Turn right to follow the footpath by the side of the B4632 road for less than ¼ mile. At a road junction turn left, over a signposted stile, to take a broad track across a huge field, heading for Toddington village. Ignore any footpaths to the right before reaching a waymarked farm gate/stile. Continue along a surfaced farm road. As a roadway bends to the left, go straight ahead to a kissing gate and track between garden fences to reach the village street in about 60 yards.

2. Turn right to walk towards the church. At a road junction bear left to the ‘church and village hall’. The inside of the church is worth a visit; the ruins of the old manor are a little further, on private land. Return along the same route, passing point 2 before reaching a main road (B4077), with an interesting signpost at the junction.

3. Turn left along the roadside footpath for about 200 yards. Turn right along a signposted lane, initially hard surfaced. As the lane bends to the left, look out for a waymarked stile on the left.

4. Go over the stile and commence the possibly difficult part of the route, keeping close to the edge of a large field. At the far end of this field go over a rudimentary and possibly part overgrown stile. Continue along the edge of the next (similar) field. Where the field boundary indents to the right, the approved line cuts across the angle. Otherwise keep generally to the edge of the field, passing a waymark on a post, although across the latter portion, there may be helpful wheel tracks a few yards to the left. Head for a gate giving access to the B4632 road, with a signpost close by.

5. Cross the road and carry on along a surfaced lane opposite, soon passing under a railway bridge and across the end of a terrace of cottages. The road bends sharply to the left’ opposite a cottage of obvious cruck construction turn left through a signposted kissing gate. Keep close to the fence on the left, cross a waymarked footbridge over a stream, then through another kissing gate. The path now stays close to the railway line. There are two more kissing gates before the signal box is passed. Go through yet another kissing gate, pass behind the station then bear right to pass behind two pairs of (former railway?) houses. There is a waymark on a post. Rise to a signposted kissing gate and join the B4077 road.

6. Turn left to cross the railway bridge, then left again down the station approach, to the car park.