Laurie Lee Wildlife Way, Slad, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Sometimes you find yourself somewhere that’s just too beautiful to put into words; so it is with The Laurie Lee Wildlife Way. This 5 mile circular walk takes you around the breathtaking Slad Valley, where Laurie Lee grew up and the inspiration for his many of his poems and his most famous work ‘Cider with Rosie’. You’ll walk the slopes, crossing rivers and streams and amble through peaceful woodlands, the whole area being rich in wildlife where mammals and birds live undisturbed, wildflowers grow (including 14 species of orchid) and butterflies dance. The terrain is moderate going, with some slopes though only one that’s noticeably steep; it can get muddy underfoot after rainfall so make sure you wear stout boots.
Deep in The Cotswolds National Landscape, this is the English countryside at its best, little changed over the last 50 years, perhaps even longer, so allow time to stop and stare, and to read the strategically placed wooden Poetry Posts. At the end of your walk, it would only be right to go to The Woolpack in Slad for refreshments. Laurie Lee was a regular visitor there and quite aptly, the pub has a Laurie Lee beer bottle collection and a tiny bookshop that has a cabinet dedicated to his writings.
All information correct at the time of writing