When the summer of 2024 finally turned sunny, and before the trip to the wooden gothic light and height of Tetbury (1), a trip to the romanesque solidity and mass of Malmesbury Abbey. Oddly, despite the great mass of Norman stone bearing down on the Saxon borough and the apparently solid limestone ridge on which it stands, the Abbey was collapsing of its own accord before the reformation removed the chancel and monastic buildings. Both the west end of the nave, and the central tower fell in the middle ages.

Starting as usual from Yate station and proceeding to Chipping Sodbury I followed Portway Lane up at moderate gradients past Little Sodbury, then a steep holloway onto the Cotswold plateau to turn northwards, passing above prehistoric Horton Camp to touch Hawkesbury Upton, where the route turns west and south to cross the A46 towards Badminton, turning off at Shepherds Cottage to cycle north through an avenue of trees on the immense estate.

After turning east through the darkness of Bull Wood pass south of Sopworth and on to Sherston. Lunch at the Rattlebones Inn in Sherston and down the Avon valley. Due to a navigation error I went along the fast but fortunately not too busy B4040 into Malmesbury where the Abbey is obvious. (I had meant to go through Shipton Moyne, but turned off too soon - the correction is obvious.) Admired the immense remains of Norman work, enjoyed the more domestic English quaintness of the town centre and then left by the much quieter road through Foxley, Norton, Alderton and Littleton Drew to reach Acton Turville. After which I took an ill-advised minor road route past Tormarton, peace returning on crossing the A46 to descend from the Cotswolds into the Ladden Vale, with views of Old Sodbury church above on the Cotswold slope to the north. Thence home into the south side of Yate and the station.

The route is as usual constrained by crossing of the A46. I have mapped it as I went, but the dogleg between Sherston & Easton Grey resulted from turning too soon on a route meant to go through Shipton Moyne and avoid most of the B4040. The minor road return route through Sherston is much quieter, this and other options south of the B4040 would be more direct for an out and home trip. Between Acton Turville and Tormarton the minor road was surprisingly unpleasant, it is both narrow and plainly the main route east from the motorway. I recommend avoiding it by continuing south from Acton Turville to Burton then following what I know to be the much quieter road south of the motorway to Tormarton, then up to the A46 crossing. This light controlled crossing is interesting, motor traffic must turn left, but signs permit horses and bicycles to go straight across, which proved unproblematic, but pay careful attention to the light phases as you are crossing both lanes of a wide dual carriageway held back by traffic lights. Once over the A46 the minor road into the Chipping Sodbury - Yate boundary area takes you to cycle tracks starting along the main through road, then back over the common.

Inns in Sherston and some of the other villages. As befits a former monastic town Malmesbury also has plenty of options, including a cafe in the nave.

(1) https://cycle.travel/by/wjhall/a_marvel_of_light_and_height__through_golden_barley_to_tetbury_spire.

Early autumn and golden barley stubble on the plateau above Little Sodbury.

Along the Cotswold edge: the Little Sodbury - Hawkesbury Upton Road.

Sherston: the 17th century Rattlebone Inn commemorating a Saxon hero who fought Canute here in 1016.

Malmesbury Abbey porch - the six apostles.

The Norman solidity of Malmesbury Abbey nave with its startling termination in a blank wall at the medieval collapse. Cafe to left.

Foxley church - a modest English parish church on the way back.

The final stretch below the edge: Old Sodbury church seen above the Ladden Vale.