Norbury Camp (Upper Coberley)

I come here quite regularly and see more of the hill fort each time I come!

It’s marked by Victorian beech trees – while they are good for marking the layout of the banks and ditches, they do obscure photos! The banks and ditch sweep round in an arc and act as the field boundary, which is planted with rape at the moment. I mistook it for just a field boundary on previous visits which is part of the reason I’d never managed to see much before!

It’s a lovely walk up there though, easily accessible if you park just off the road from Colesbourne to Hilcot (off the A435 Chelt to Ciren road) and walk up the gently sloping track. Skylarks and woodpeckers provided our soundtrack today.

Also worth seeing (although not strictly within the remit of this website!), is the beautiful, little, unusual cottage further along the track. It’s like someting from a fairytale and you come up to it unexpectedly. I think it used to be a toll house.

Such a peaceful place: great views and no traffic noise (despite being fairly close to the A435).