Round the block (keep turning right!)

A good short walk, with or without a dog, is to turn right at the road and walk to the crossroads. It is worth crossing the road to the left to walk to the gate of Grittleton House- an imposing stone pile dating from the mid-1800’s intended to compete with the nearby Duke of Beaufort’s Badminton House. The house and grounds are not generally open to the public. In its heyday the house was full of fine art and presided over a 10,000 acre estate. Built like a castle, the huge cellars housed valuable artefacts in the war, including the Magna Carta.  

Back across the road and head north up the road until you have passed all the houses. Turn right through the gate and follow the path until you reach a kissing gate on the right. Go through that and follow a wooded path. You will reach a few former farm workers cottages- now much improved- and the former home of the village school teacher. Right at the end and past the former school.

You are now in “The Street”, which is the main road in the village. On the south side of the road there is a track leading to the Baptist Chapel- one of Grittleton’s many listed buildings. A little further on the north side of the road is the Neeld Arms pub ( www.neeldarms.co.uk) . Beyond that is the impressive Church House- which was considered suitable accommodation for the local vicar when it was built in about 1830. Through the churchyard- and back to the barn.

A longer local walk

Start as above but instead of going through the kissing gate, head north across the field, following the tractor tracks. This is an official path. Keep going across three fields and see if you can spot animals in Dunley Wood, to your right. At the end of the third field you can double back and return as per the above walk. Or you can keep going, following the field round to your left until you reach the road. Turn right along the road (which is usually not all that busy) and walk about 500 yards until you come to a turning on the left. Cross the road and take that. It is a track leading to a local farm- and also part of the Fosse Way. You are walking in the steps of the Romans. The track to the farm goes off to the right but you keep straight on, following the byway, the surface of which was probably much better 2000 years ago.

After about 800 yards there is a stile on your left. Go over that. The village is visible and you can head for it along the footpath which crosses three fields. Farm operations in the course of the year can make the path difficult to spot at times and it is unwise to tackle the fields in muddy conditions.