The Golden Valley Pub Walk –
From the Wild Duck in Ewen to The Tunnel House in CoatesWith a combination of traditional and gastropubs on this walk, it’s one of our favourites, carefully crafted beers and classic Cotswold scenery will impress you on this 12-mile walk taking in the part of the Thames footpath and its source, the Thames and Kennet canal and the beautiful Golden Valley.
Route Map
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At Glance
STARTING ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE COTSWOLDS THIS WALK TAKES IN SOME OF THE LESSER KNOWN COTSWOLD VILLAGES AND PUBS
Distance
12 miles
Time [approx]
7 Hours
Pub Count
7
CBA Grade
Middleweight
Total Ascent
750 ft
Start Point
The Wild Duck
Highlights
Itinerary
The Wild Duck is currently undergoing a major refurbishment so check the website before planning to start the walk from here. [May 2019]. An alternative start point would be the Cafe at Kemble station that will provide you with a very acceptable coffee and bacon butty. The Thames path is sign-posted from the station platform

10:00 - 10:30: THE WILD DUCK - EWEN
Opening at 09:00 for Coffee for non-residents (The Bar opens at 11:00) this iconic Cotswold Inn is a great starting point for a pub walk. At the time of writing this (May 2019) the Wild Duck was undergoing extensive refurbishments under the expert stewardship of the Lucky Onion Group so if you planning this walk check their website first.
12:00 - 12:15: THE TUNNEL HOUSE - COATES
The First of two stops at the Tunnel House on this walk – Drop in to confirm your evening meal reservation and sample one of their well kept real ales. Take 10 minutes to walk down to the entrance of the ‘Tunnel”. The Sapperton Portal is the entrance to the 2.17-mile canal tunnel that once carried canal boats under the highest part of the Cotswold Hills connecting the Seven with the Thames. The tunnel was completed on 20th April 1789 and at that time was the longest tunnel ever dug in England.
Pick up the path to the side of the pub and head west towards Tarlton
Lunch [13:30 – 14:00]
The Crown, your next stop does excellent food so this is a viable option for Lunch however if the weather is good we recommend you stop just before you get to the pub. Find the bench by the phone box in Frampton Mansell and enjoy a picnic admiring the views down the Golden Valley
14:30 - 15:00: THE CROWN - FRAMPTON MANSELL
Stunning views and regular local beers feature at the Crown including Stroud Brewery’s Organic Ale and Uley Brewer’s Laurie Lee’s Bitter. From the beer garden situated at the front of the building, you have stunning views down the valley.
15:30 - 16:00 THE DANEWAY - SAPPERTON
The Daneway Inn has recently reopened after a long overdue refurbishment. It’s a stunning location positioned at the head of the Golden Valley half a mile from the western end of the Thames and Severn Tunnel. It was built to house the navvy’s who built the Seven and Kennet canal. The new owners have done a great job providing a good honest pub in this beautiful location. The Lunch menu is simple but good, great to see a ploughman’s making an appearance. The Daneway Inn is a Wadsworth pub so the beer selection can be limited.
16:20 - 17:00 THE BELL - SAPPERTON
Last stop before striking for home so take your time and enjoy this smart gastropub. The bell has cosy corners in the winter and a beautifully landscaped garden for the summer. It will be hard to prise yourself away from this award-winning pub
18:00: THE TUNNEL HOUSE - COATES
Situated the opposite end of the Seven & Kennet tunnel from the Daneway Inn, The Tunnel Pub, Like the Daneway was built to provide housing for navvys who worked on the canal. Today it’s a ‘proper pub’ serving burgers, steaks, fish & chips and other honest pub food. Perfect to address the appetite of any hungry beer adventurer. Beers are local such as Hooky and Uley Bitter and they always have a good strong scrumpy on offer as well.
Logistics:
GETTING HERE
The closest train station to the start of the walk is Kemble only 5 minutes taxi ride from the Wild Duck. Swindon is half an hour away as is Cheltenham
TRANSPORT
Local taxis from Kemble need booking in advance. We recommend P & A Travel
Email info@pandatravelcirencester.co.uk
Phone 01285 657 983
Mobile 07946 006 847
ORGANISED BEER ADVENTURE:
If you’re in a large party, organising a stag or corporate event or simply want local insight we can help to ensure you have a fantastic weekend or day out in the Cotswolds – Let us help you create your own true Cotswold Beer Adventure. please contact us with your enquiry.
Staying
This is our recommended selection of accommodation in the area. They are convenient for this particular pub walk and we like them! Those listed provided a range to suit most pockets but if you don’t find what you’re looking for use the booking.com map below to find the best deals in the area
- The Crown – Frampton Mansell. As featured on the walk itinerary
- Well Cottage Bed and Breakfast – Ewen. 5 Mins from the Wild Duck
- The Daneway Inn – Camping
- Cotswold Lakes Camping
- Habitat Escapes – Holiday cottages 5 minutes from Ewen
Cirencester is 10 minutes from Ewen and has a number of quality hotels
Booking.com
If you have completed this walk or would like to know more we would love to hear from you – please leave a comment bellow
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