Painswick Beacon – Stroud Farmers' Market loop from Cheltenham Spa

Bike touring routes & trails

Painswick Beacon – Stroud Farmers' Market loop from Cheltenham Spa

Hard

riders

Painswick Beacon – Stroud Farmers' Market loop from Cheltenham Spa

03:37

53.6km

650m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 7, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 0 m for 274 m

After 53.3 km for 274 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

9.91 km

Green Street 25% Climb

Highlight (Segment) • Climb

Far more terrifying than the first section up to Painswick Road. 400 metres of above 20% gradient "road", loose and mucky in places, which makes wide tyres and picking your line essential. The top does improve in surface quality though. I had to get out of the saddle to get up it even with a slightly less than 1:1 gear ratio - 32 front - 34 rear. This caused me a couple of wheel spins on my 40mm tyres, but I pushed through. A real test of character and an amazing sense of achievement when I got to the crossroad at the end of the steep stuff.

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12.6 km

Lodge Wood

Forest

13.8 km

Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods

Nature Reserve

15.0 km

Painswick Beacon

Highlight • Natural Monument

It is a lovely walk up to Painswick Beacon and the views are very impressive. You are afforded a full panorama from the summit and the views over to the Severn estuary are exceptional. The route to the top does pass through a golf course, though, so watch out for stray balls.

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23.9 km

Stroud Farmers' Market

Highlight • Settlement

24.0 km

Woodruffs Café

Highlight • Cafe

27.1 km

Worgans Wood

Forest

28.7 km

Folly Lane Path

Highlight • Trail

Great section of off road.

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32.4 km

Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods

Highlight • Natural Monument

38.4 km

Gravel Track to Buckholt Road

Highlight • Climb

A technical but definitely doable climb up to Buckholt Road. The surface changes and improves as you near the top, which is just as well... the last bit is quite punchy.

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41.8 km

Prinknash Viewpoint

Highlight • Natural Monument

This is a lovely spot to stop and watch the sun set over the hills and woods of the Vale of Gloucester.

The road leads around the edge of Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods Nature Reserve. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a skylark or tawny owl that live in the woods. Buckholt Wood around the corner has over 780 species of fungi!

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