Skylark
The parish has a healthy skylark population and in addition you may see many other species of bird for example, buzzards, kestrels, lapwing, heron and many of the hedgerow songbirds.
Begin the walk at the main map board. Head for the crossroads and turn left. After a few yards turn left through the KG by the post box. Pass the
footpath gate on your right, then at the crossing of the footpaths turn right towards Friday Street and the Arlingham Free Church. Turn left. After passing Barleycorn Cottage and Blacknest Cottage take the footpath to your right and through the KG.
Walk in a straight line through a SG and a KG. Keeping the low hedge on your left hand side, go straight ahead through the gateway. Cross the field to the KG in the hedge ahead. Cross the next small field and carry on into the lane. After crossing the lane with care, continue ahead through three fields to the next lane.
Cross this and go through the KG heading for a KG in the far left hand corner of the field. After going through the KG keep close to the hedgerow on your left hand side until you reach the signed marker post. Go ahead to the KG immediately to the right of the farm buildings. Three more KGs will bring you to Overton Lane.
Cross the lane and go through the FG and follow the footpath to the top of Barrow Hill.
On the way up look right for a glimpse of both Severn Bridges. Pause at the top of Barrow Hill to admire the view across the river to The Forest of Dean, May Hill, the Malvern Hills and a glimpse of Gloucester Cathedral. This is the highest point on the Arlingham peninsula (62m).
When you move on, notice the river view on your right with a good view of Fretherne Church. Continue down the hill to the KG on the edge of the wood. Keeping the wood on your left hand side continue down to the bottom of the hill to the hedge. Turn right keeping the hedge on your left hand side to the
KG in the corner of the field. Cross the next field diagonally right to a KG, pass through and continue through another KG, which is straight ahead. Keep the fence on your left hand side until you come to a KG on the left.
Pass through and immediately turn right. Keeping the fence and hedge on your right hand side, walk down the hill to the road.
Turn left at the road and walk along the road for about 400 metres until you see a footpath sign on your right hand side. (Please be careful walking along this stretch of road). Follow the footpath sign into the field. Continue straight ahead on the footpath until you reach the flood bank. You are now on the Severn Way. Turn immediately right.
Admire the views to your left down the Severn Estuary before taking the Severn Way through Long Wood and Smith’s Wood.
After you emerge from Smith’s Wood, continue along the Severn Way, and pass through three KGs. Immediately in front of the fourth KG, turn right off the Severn Way keeping the hedgerow on your left hand side until the KG on your left. Pass through keeping the hedge on your left hand side again to the next KG leading to Pound Lane, a restricted byway.
This part of the walk will give you some idea of the type of land and agriculture of the area. It is also important to realise the value of the defensive flood bank you recently left. Continue down the lane to Church Road. Turn right and follow the road past the church to return to the start of your walk.
The road will at one time have been a hive of activity with a number of shops including a slaughterhouse, a bakery, a dairy, a builder’s yard and a workhouse.