Upttew three

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A good direct route, which is what I walked while following UPTTEW 1 (which is fine apart from the section through the gravel quarries south of Ryall and a couple of other places where the plotting is a little misleading, so I thought it was worth creating this more accurate alternative version).

I walked from Upton to Tewkesbury on a mostly bright and fairly mild winter day, with occasional showers one of which I caught during the least inspiring part of the walk, past the gravel quarries south of Ryall.

Leaving the meeting point at the church at Upton, we cross the Severn bridge and take the first path right which leads through houses, past a marina and along the river before heading up into Ryall. We turn left up Ryall Meadow then take the path from the first cul de sac on the right. This leads into fields, and one of the gates was tied in three places, so I decided climbing it was the quicker option. The path is soon in the middle of the gravel workings, initially alongside the quarry roads, then enclosed between fences and diverted further west than the right of way line. Once past the fences there is a choice - no footpath signs so I stayed on the lane past Saxon's Lode farm, a decision vindicated by the lack of a stile where the alternative footpath reached the lane. There is no marked footpath across the first field right, but the crops were low so I headed straight across.

We are soon on the road through Uckinghall, and we pass below Ripple (anyone desperate for a drink may want to investigate the pub a little further up Station Road). Our path continues on a quiet lane that heads south over the M50. Just beyond the left turn where we cross a stream and enter Gloucestershire, we turn right along a bridleway that goes through fields by the old railway, then goes further right across more open fields to a farm where the bridleway turns left and our path continues straight on on an enclosed lane and then through woods. At one point I had to clamber over a fallen tree.

Eventually we reach a surfaced road, where we go right a short distance to join the river path on the left, which we follow to Mythe Bridge. Just before the bridge, the path is forced further right by a garden, but it is there, and it does lead through one of the arches (see photo 10 - the path goes one arch further left than the grille), then over a metal staircase over a flood barrier to join the Severn Way alongside the rather impressive water works building. At one point the path is on a metal platform directly above the water, but once past the works we are in an open field. We are forced to head back north by the river Avon, which we cross on the main road bridge, then head down steps onto the island and past the Avon lock to a footbridge, which we cross then go right a short distance before turning left up Smith's Lane and up an alley to High Street, where we turn right to reach the meeting point by the museum just beyond the junction (those with time to spare should continue down Church Street to see the Abbey).

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