The best walks and hikes around Cirencester

Walking through history

This Roman town sits on the Fosse Way, a road built by the settlers to link Roman Exeter with Lincoln – a near perfect line diagonally across England. Corinium soon became one of the largest towns in the country and was encircled by a wall, part of which can still be found on your walks around Cirencester today. In the north west of the town, seek out the amphitheatre, one of the largest ever to be built in Britain. 

This market town’s history may have started with the Romans but it continued to thrive long after they left. Walks through the streets reveal medieval buildings, timbered houses and a 15th century church. Outside the town, forts, earthworks, abandoned railways and historic churches are awaiting discovery.

From woods to water

There’s a fantastic variety of landscapes and sights to see on hikes in Cirencester. Immediately west of the town lies the Cotswolds AONB and Cirencester Park, one of the country’s oldest privately-owned parks. It’s open to the public and provides a large array of tracks and trails to explore. Spot the resident herd of fallow deer grazing, walk the beautiful avenues and ramble in the well kept Oakley Wood. 

Some of the best hiking trails from Cirencester lead you south to the incredible Cotswold Water Park. No, you won’t find flumes and log rides here. Instead, you’re greeted by the country’s biggest marl-lake system with nearly 200 lakes. Weave your way between them on narrow footpaths to spot the visiting birdlife. The Park is an important habitat for innumerable life, from reptiles and invertebrates to birds, flowers and small mammals. 

Fancy finding the source of England’s most famous river? It’s easy to add the source of the Thames into your walks from Cirencester as it is situated just 3 miles (5 km) south west of the town, next to Trewsbury Camp, a hillfort. 

As Cirencester lies in the eastern foothills of the Cotswolds, it’s easy to plan gentle walks. If you’re up for a larger or longer adventure, you can take advantage of several long-distance trails that flow through the town or nearby. For hills and heights, head west into the AONB proper, which has plenty more magic to offer.