Adlestrop to Chastleton

The walk starts in the sleepy village of Adlestrop. It was not always so quiet, for trains used to stop here. The poet Edward Thomas (1878-1917) wrote a wistful little verse in which he recalled stopping here unexpectedly on the express train, apparently in the middle of nowhere, and listening to the birdsong. Set in deep, lush countryside, Adlestrop still feels well off the beaten track. Its houses are a pleasing harmony of old and new, stone roofs alternating with thatch, and cottage gardens to die for.

One of the finest Jacobean mansions in England, Chastleton House stands on the hillside above its village, aloof and self-contained. The house has a magical stillness about it. It was built between 1603 and 1618 by a local wool merchant, Walter Jones, on land purchased from Robert Catesby, one of the Gunpowder plotters. Unusually, the house was to be occupied for the next 400 years by the same family.

Its handsome grey stone frontage, with its tall windows and symmetrical gables and staircase towers, is seen clearly from the road. If you want to see inside, however, you are urged to book ahead, for opening hours and numbers are strictly limited. Chastleton is no grand showplace and, since its recent acquisition, the National Trust has been careful to conserve it in its peaceful, time-worn perfection, rather than attempt to restore it to some former glory. There is a panelled hall, an ornate great chamber and a vast long gallery with plastered ceiling on the top floor looks out over the gardens. Much of the furniture is original, and chambers are richly furnished with embroideries, quilts and tapestries.

Chastleton may have led a quiet life, but hardly a dull one. A secret room above the parlour was used to hide a fugitive in the Civil War. Arthur Jones was a Royalist, and had fought for the King - and lost - at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. He fled to his father's house at Chastleton and was forced into the hiding place when a party of soldiers arrived in hot pursuit. Arthur's wife, Sarah, was obliged to put them up for the night. This resourceful woman laced their ale with laudanum and, while his pursuers snored, Arthur made his escape. He was able to return at the Restoration and planted an oak in the grounds to celebrate his narrow escape.

The formal gardens at Chastleton are contemporary with the house, its lawns studded with dark topiary. It is sometimes claimed that croquet was invented here. In fact, the game had been around for centuries, but was only introduced to England in 1852. The rules of the game were set out for the first time here at Chastleton in 1865.

While you're there

The walk offers excellent views across to the busy market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, reached along the A436. Perched on the very edge of the Wolds, it is known to catch any blast of wind, and can be icy in winter - hence the local saying, 'Stow-on-the-Wold, where the wind blows cold.' This is antique-hunter's heaven, however, and there's a steady flow of visitors to explore the shops whatever the season.

What to look for

Walking into the green ring of Chastleton Barrow is an eerie experience. Surrounded by a bank or rampart planted with trees, it clearly functioned once as a defensive site, most probably in the Iron Age. An ancient track linked the camp with the Rollright Stones. This wide grassy amphitheatre on the hilltop is now used to hold cattle.

Where to eat and drink

The venerable villages of Lower Oddington and Upper Oddington offer an appealing diversion on your way to Stow-on-the-Wold and are served by two good pubs. The Fox at Lower Oddington is set opposite a beautiful little manor house. Continue through the villages to reach the Horse and Groom at Upper Oddington, which describes itself as village inn and has the bonus of a big car park behind.