This Cotswold walk starts at the quaint village of Luckington and takes you along the Hancock’s Well Spring, a tributary of the River Avon, to the lovely village of Sherston. From there, this circular walk leads you across lush fields and along charming country lanes back to Luckington.
The Luckington to Sherston walk is part of the River Avon walk series, exploring one of the key places along the River Avon. This easy walk follows part of the Macmillan Way. You can start this walk at either Luckington or Sherston.
Location: Luckington, Wiltshire
Walk difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours
Distance: 4 miles (6.4 km)
The quaint village of Luckington
This Cotswold walk starts at the quaint village of Luckington. Surrounded by farms and featuring charming honey-coloured cottages, Luckington is located near Badminton on the border between Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The Luckington to Sherston walk begins by taking you along the village streets and across St Mary and St Ethelbert’s churchyard.
A typical Norman church, St Mary and St Ethelbert was built in the 13th century and restored in the 15th and 19th centuries. Next to the church, you can spot the grand mansion of Luckington Court. This 18th century Cotswold manor was the filming location for the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice. The village’s second mansion, the 17th century Luckington Manor, can be found along The Street.
Along Hancock’s Well Spring
The Luckington to Sherston walk then leads you along country lanes beside the Hancock’s Well Spring. A tributary of the River Avon at Sherston, the spring starts at the nearby village of Acton Turville. You then go through the charming hamlet of Brook End. Boasting picturesque Cotswold cottages, Brook End is filled with charm.
Walking along Hancock’s Well Spring, you follow the Macmillan Way from Luckington to Sherston. The Macmillan Way is a long-distance footpath between Dorset and Lincolnshire, named after Macmillan Cancer Support to raise money for the charity.
This river walk then takes you across fields where you can enjoy limited views of the valley and the surrounding hills. In the distance, you can spot the village of Sherston with its quaint cottages and its tall church tower. You once again follow Hancock’s Well Spring, this time through Grove Wood. The river flowing through woodland paints a picturesque scene.
Sherston and back along country lanes
You then reach the outskirts of Sherston. Featuring a quaint high street, narrow side streets, honey-coloured cottages and a 12th century Norman church, Sherston is a typical Cotswold village. To explore this quaint village, you’ll need to make a small detour from this walk.
From Sherston, you cross several lush fields. From there, you can enjoy lovely views of the country, and if you look back, views of the Cotswold village. This circular walk loops back along charming country lanes and further lush fields to the quaint streets of Luckington.
Luckington to Sherston walk itinerary
1. From The Street in Luckington, turn onto Chapel Row, which then becomes Church Road. Turn left at the signpost to the church and follow the lane towards the church. Go through the kissing gate and cross the churchyard, following the path round the back of the church.
2. Go through the gate and turn right onto a pebble lane. Shortly after, turn left onto a dirt lane, keeping the brook to your right. The lane then gives onto a street. Continue along the road and go through the hamlet of Brook End. Turn right onto the path next to the ford and continue straight ahead along the country lane.
3. After a short ascent, turn left into a field, following the signposts. Cross over the stile and cross the field, following the man-made path. Continue over the next stile and cross the following field, keeping the shrubs to your right and following the signposts dotted around the field.
4. Go through the kissing gate and continue along the river path. Go through the following kissing gate onto a woodland path, keeping the river to your left. Then, go through the next kissing gate, go over the bridge and cross the field, keeping the river to your right and aiming for the far corner.
Detour to Sherston: You’ve reached the outskirts of Sherston and may wish to make a small detour to explore the village. Go through the kissing gate at the far corner of the field and turn right onto a road.
5. Go through the kissing gate and turn left onto the road. Veer right up a driveway, following the signposts. Go through the kissing gate into a field, turn right and follow the man-man path, keeping the shrubs to your left. When the shrubs give way, turn left up the hill. At the top of the hill, keep the stone wall to your left.
6. Go through the kissing gate and cross the field, keeping the stone wall to your left. Go through the next kissing gate and continue straight ahead across the field, following the man-made path. Cross over the stile, turn left onto a country lane, then right onto the next lane and follow the lane to the end.
7. Turn right onto a road, then immediately left onto a track. Cross over the stile on your left into a field (the stile is hidden in the hedge at the base of a tall tree). Continue straight ahead along the field boundary, keeping the hedge to your left.
8. Go into the next field (there is no gate) and veer left to cross the field along the man-made path, aiming for the hole in the hedge. Cross over the stile into a field and veer left, aiming for the far left corner of the field. Go down the steps and through a kissing gate and turn right onto a country road. Veer right at the fork in the road and at the following intersection, you’re back on The Street in Luckington.
Download the walk itinerary pdf: Luckington to Sherston walk by adragonsescape.com
Find the walk map and download the GPX file: Luckington to Sherston walk on outdooractive.com
Luckington to Sherston walk details
Location: Luckington, Wiltshire
Walk difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours with regular stops
Distance: Approximately 4 miles (6.4 km)
Ascent: Gentle
Trail condition: Good, but the trail can get muddy in wet weather and in winter
Accessibility: Not suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs or bikes
Parking: Lay-bys along The Street in Luckington (SN14 6NT)
Facilities: Toilets, shops and pubs in Luckington and Sherston
Notes: Please be mindful of livestock and keep your dogs on a lead. Please beware of oncoming vehicles when walking on roads.
Explore more walks in the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds offer beautiful walks with spectacular scenery over rolling hills, across enchanting valleys and through captivating woodland and picturesque villages. From Badminton to Sherston and Malmesbury, find your next walk with the Cotswold walk guides.
