Dursto three

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Walked from Dursley to Stonehouse on a hot hazy late summer afternoon. This is a direct walk, mostly on field paths of varying quality - either well marked or across open pasture land, but the owners of Field Farm at Coaley seem determined to make life difficult for walkers by putting electric fences across rights of way and their own lanes - these are avoidable but the detour lines are not well marked or obvious on the ground. There is still building work going on on the new estate we use to leave Dursley so minor detours may be needed here. The rest of the route is enjoyable and easy, and overall it is shorter and easier than DURSTO one/two, but less spectacular.

From the meeting point in Dursley, cross Castle Street at the pelican crossing then head down Long Street, following it left onto Lister Road. We turn right onto Graham Edge (was the developer a Moody Blues fan?) and left along Bailey Way. A surfaced path crosses a footbridge then continues through a playground to Budding Way. We leave the estate on a path which appears to start on a domestic drive, but once on grass the paths are well trodden (though not as straight as the right of way line suggests). Careful navigation should bring you out on Springhill Old Court, which we follow out to Springhill, then continue on a well marked field path which starts just to the right.

We cross open fields and continue over a footbridge on a good path up to Ashmead Green, where we head straight on. The field paths are open to start with, but beyond the junction we are forced by electric fences onto the farm lane. The route past Field Farm is blocked by more electric fences, but there is an overgrown bridge over the last stream which leads up to marked gaps in the fences. From here it is easy to follow the farm track out to the gate and Field Lane.

We go straight on here and follow the field edge into the housing estate and Coaley. There is a pub just off route on The Street. We cross the road and head along the side of the park, then left to a bridge that leads us into open fields. The path to Frocester disappears in some of the pastures, but is unimpeded and Frog Lane should be reached easily enough. Take care on Peter's Street, which has no pavement. The pub at Frocester is much bigger than one would expect in such a small village.

We turn left past the pub down Bath Road, where our path right is hard to spot until you have walked past it. The gates on this path are quite well marked, but at one point there is an electrical fence with a plastic tube to help walkers - its height makes it easier to crawl under than climb over. A well marked field path takes us easily to Downton Road. Initially there is no pavement, but there is one beyond the junction with Stanley Downton Road, though it changes side a few times as we descend.

We follow the road through suburban houses and over the Stroudwater navigation to a light controlled junction on the A419 Bristol Road. We continue up Regent Street, then go a short distance (past a convenience store) left to reach the pelican crossing on High Street, then go right, then left up Burdett Road to reach the meeting point by Stonehouse railway station.

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