Alderton & Dumbleton Hills – New Year Walk
Dumbleton and Alderton Hills form twin limestone knolls lying between Bredon Hill and the Cotswold escarpment. This is a gentle, scenic walk — ideal for starting the year and working off the festive excesses.
We begin in Alderton, picking up the Winchcombe Way and crossing a couple of flat fields before skirting the base of the hill. Much of this section passes through woodland, opening up to fine views of Bredon Hill and, beyond it, the Malverns.
Reaching the estate village of Dumbleton, we’ll pause here for a lunch break.
The return route takes us around the east side of the hill, with unfolding views of the Cotswold escarpment. At times you may hear the distant toot of the steam trains from Toddington station, and on a clear day you can spot Damien Hirst’s plastic-encased hall at Toddington. If you get the chance on another day, visit the Hall’s church — a remarkable neo-Gothic gem.
Back in Alderton, we’ll adjourn to The Gardeners Arms
Dumbleton – Notes of Interest
- Dumbleton Hall (now a hotel) once belonged to the Cocks–Baron Somers family, influential in politics and public life.
- In the 1930s it was home to Colonel and Lady Churston, the latter the imother of actress Angela Lansbury, who spent parts of her childhood here.
- The Hall, rebuilt in the 1830s, was deliberately positioned so it could not be seen from the village, a typical Georgian assertion of exclusivity.
- St Peter’s Church has Saxon origins — rare in this region — with Norman and later medieval additions. The churchyard is the resting place of Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor, one of the great travel writers of the 20th century.
- Dumbleton benefits from a favourable micro-climate where warm air rising from the Vale of Evesham meets the early rise of the Cotswolds, meaning many plants flower slightly earlier than in nearby villages.
Alderton – Notes of Interest
- Ancient transport crossroads: Alderton lies where a Roman road between Worcester and Cirencester met the springline. Traces of this route still shape modern circular walks.
- The Gardener’s Arms: Dating from the 17th century, the pub is known for its large inglenook fireplaces and long-standing role as a stop for drovers moving livestock across the Severn Vale.
- St Margaret’s Church: The tower appears “cut off” because it collapsed in the 17th century and was never rebuilt. Inside is a fine Norman chancel arch.
- WWII training landscape: Fields between Alderton and the escarpment were used for air-training exercises during the Second World War; aerial photographs still reveal faint landing strips and dispersal areas.
