This circular walk offers magnificent views of the Box Valley in the Cotswold National Landscape from several viewpoints. The walk will include visits to Speke’s Monument and Brunels’ famous railway and tunnel. Bring a packed lunch.

Starting at Box Rec and the Rock Circus this walk follows the very popular Box Heritage Trail. Occupation of the village dates back to Roman times and today Box is best known for its Brunel-designed Box Railway Tunnel.

Leaving the Rec we head upsteam following the By Brook past Box Mill, now the home of Real World Studios owned by Peter Gabriel, to emerge on to the flood meadow and on towards Drewetts Mill recorded in the Domesday Book and contnuied as a mill until the 1990s.

Up to the A4 and on towards Box Lower Common, the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and The Quarrymans Arms for spectacular views down the By Brook Valley to Box, Bath and Beyond.

On past Box Upper Common and its views down the GWR towards Middle Hill we enter Quarry Hill Woods to emerge on the Hazelbury/Wadswick Loop that will take us to the Speke Monument and back out to Chapel Plaister a Grade I listed chapel formerly a lookout post for the highwayman named Bouler, alias Baxter.

We descend now through Quarry Hill Woods towards the 2000 Millennium Lacy Woods and the famous western portal of Brunel’s Box Tunnel. Crossing the A4 we head back into Box past the former home of the author of ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ to the Rec.