Three Hills Around Dursley - what secret does one of them hold? Cotswold Walks 22
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Maps mentioned in the video:
Map of the route I walked:
explore.osmaps...
Map of an alternative route starting and ending at Cam & Dursley Railway Station, and returning from the hills via Dursley town:
explore.osmaps...
#cotswolds #hiking
I noticed the iron post behind you when you did the final piece to camera, if you are interested I can tell you what that was.
Thank you!
Yes, it is still used (I think) to support the Christian Cross to commemorate Easter each year, but, I don't think I remember seeing it on this hill this year - but I could be wrong.
There is another one like that at Carn Brea, Nr Redruth in Cornwall.
Cheers,
Paul
@@westcountrywanderings That post is the base of a sawn off flag pole and it flew a warning flag (red I assume) to warn locals when the rifle range was in use. I don't know where exactly the range was but it would've been nearby. The range was set up for the Dursley Volunteer Rifle Brigade established in 1861. The DVRB became a company in the 2nd Volunteer Btn of the Gloucestershire Regiment and that eventually became 5th Glosters. I used to live in St Georges Road and the hill was visible from there and I have been up it many times.
@@andrewcooper7957 Thank you! I see the rifle brigade used the former chapel in Boulton Lane Chapel (now demolished) - looks like it was G Company, but that's from Wikipedia so it is unverified. Thanks for the information about the rifle range _ I was unaware of it. I will pin your comment to the top. Cheers, Paul
A great video showing why, having travelled all over the world, lived in different counties, I now live in Glorious Gloucestershire. Keep up the good work.
A lot of truth in that Frank!
Despite living in Cornwall for most of my life, I do particularly enjoy the multiple delights of The Three Counties (Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire) - we are so lucky, it is still relatively unspoilt and less crowded than seaside places further south. The Malvern Hills (which lie across parts of all 3 counties) is my still my absolute favourite place in the wider region of the area that I cover on my channel.
Take care,
Paul
Daughter took me up Skirrid Fawr when she was teaching in Monmouth... lovely memory, you reminded me, thank you 🫠
Thank you!
Yes, it is quite a view from the tops of those hills on a clear day.
I don't think I have ever been up there.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Cheers,
Paul
We are so lucky to live in beautiful shire.I do like dursley always have a mooch in the ironmongers proper old school 😊 thanks for posting 👍👍
Thank you Lee!
Yes! That ironmongers is fab! Not many shops like that left now.
Cheers,
Paul
Hello Paul - greetings from Poland
What a wonderful video. Beautifully filmed, superbly presented, with gorgeous music and lovely photographs.
05.45 in Dursley (so the clock said) certainly gave you the opportuntiy to explore in relative peace and quiet. The 3 hills walk was fabulous. What spectacular views in every direction and not a soul in sight. The story about Small Pox Hill was fascinating - what a shame there is no longer any remains of the hospital to see.
Thank you Michael!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks too for your kind words.
Yes, it was good to be out and about filming when it was quiet.
Still strange that virtually no one goes up there - as you saw, the views from there are amazing.
Take care,
Paul
What a lovely location, Paul. And a well crafted video, great commentary, as usual. Thanks for that.
Thank you Michael!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Take care,
Paul
And again a great watch Thanks Paul
Thank you Frank!
Cheers,
Paul
Great Watch Paul, lovely well presented Video as always! please keep them coming. Best wishes Darren👌👍👍
Thank you Darren.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed that walk - as you saw, the views are amazing.
Take care,
Paul
Thank you for getting up at an unearthly hour to make this video for us to enjoy. I have never been to this part of Glos.but did see your Dursley town video. I don’t understand no right of way to an open access area. Without the farmer giving ‘permitted way’ there’s no possibility of access! What a conundrum! Anyway wonderful views once there! And similarly at the highest point Cam Long Down.
You mentioned the farm was one for retired horses but much of the walk was through ragwort which is poisonous for them! I wondered how they kept it out of their fields?
Interesting story re the smallpox hospital and local man Edward Jenner.Thanks again Paul!
Thank you Diana!
Yes, I think I got up at 3.45am to film this one. It is lovely at that time of day though in the summer - there is a wonderful soft blue light, the air is clear, and it is generally quiet!
You are right - it is a bit of a condunrum regarding lack of a right of way up onto the hill, which is open access land! Fellow UA-camr, Paul Whitewick, has done a few videos on that topic.
Take care,
Paul
Hi Paul, best time of day to do anything.
Very interesting story about smallpox hill. I can well imagine people avoiding going there to this day.
Dominating our valley we have something similar. A white building which you can see from most places. I always wondered what is was (and is). Last year I made my way up there and discovered the that it was a sanatorium built at the start of the 20th century for the treatment of tuberculosis. It was derelict about 30 years ago but is in good condition now although closed with no indication of it's purpose. The views were amazing but it had a eirie feeling to it, but then I was alone there, apart from a mountain goat which I surprised!!
I can imagine that the saddle formed between the hills would create a funnel channeling the wind.
The views through the telephoto lense were superb. Look forward to the geopark walk when it arrives.
Have a great weekend!!
Thank you David!
yes, I think the stigma still goes on, but it is also quite difficult to work out how to get up the hill, as it isn't marked on the map, and the accesible path is hidden away somewhat.
I really enjoyed this walk! It was glorious light and the views were clear looking to the horizon.
Yes, there were quite a few isolation hospitals for TB dotted around. We had one here which became a regular hospital - sadly now closed, and it is housing now!
Glad you enjoyed it - sorry for the delay in replying - been prepping yesterday and filming the last Dramway video today - lots to see on that! Editing it soon.
Hope you have a good week.
Take care,
Paul
That was another early start for your beautiful walk. The views were amazing from the hills & you walked some lovely lanes. I thought that the North West was ragwort central, but no, there is plenty in the Westcountry.
Hi Faith,
Yes, there seems to be an abundance of ragwort this year - I have never seen so much before!
Glad you enjoyed watching - I really enjoyed walking this one.
Hope you have a good week!
Take care,
Paul
Splendid lush greenery, with panoramic views in all directions. What could be better 'early one morning'. Dursley seems to have spruced itself up since my only visit about 40 years ago. Wikipedia entry for Uley mentions Downham Hill isolation hospital and also the remains of a tower. Were the two connected? Marvellous scenic walk. Thank you.
Thank you Malcolm.
Dursley was indeed looking resplendent that morning. Some people have made a real effort with the floral displays and keeping the streets swept. In contrast to Bristol, I never saw one spec of graffitti, or litter.
I am not sure where the tower would have been, or what it was for. Finding real information on this hill remains difficult!
Cheers,
Paul
I used to have photos of the rabbit warrens on Smallpox Hill. Even to this day there are some locally who still think they are the old hospital foundations, but other images show they were not in the same place.
Another local misconception is the function of the tripod behind you on Cam Peak (local name for peaked down). Many believe that it was put there to support the Cross every Easter but in fact it was used to fly a red flag when the rifle range on the concave side of Long Down was in use. There were butts all along the side of the hill at 200,300,400 yards etc and the target area was just over halfway along towards the quarry at the end. We used to go there as kids and collect the lead!
Thank you!
Oh, wow! Those photos of the rabbit warrents would have been amazing to see.
It is really difficult to seperate fact from fiction when it comes to Downham Hill, and it seems to be spoken about in hushed tones - maybe the Kingsholm and Wotton areas of Gloucester will be spoken about like this too, when the Royal Gloucestershire Hospital building there is flattened in a couple of hundred years (or less, given the buildings condition!) and no trace is left.
Thank you for giving more information about the Cam Long Down rifle ranges - I tried (following an earlier comment about the purpose of the white tripod atop Peaked Down) to find out exactly where they were on old maps but could not see them marked.
Yes, strange about the name of Peaked Down/Cam Peak! My mum, who hails from Slimbridge, always knew it as Cam Peak, but I have always called it Peaked Down, as did my old geography teacher, who came from, and lived in, nearby Wotton-under-Edge. I wonder which name came first?
Thanks for the additional information. Much appreciated.
Cheers,
Paul
Well done Paul. as we discussed last week my old haunts. Not Downham Hill though. Caroline
Thank you Caroline.
Yes, as I mentioned, my very first walk up to the top of Downham Hill - I am so glad I got the chance to do it.
Take care,
Paul
Hi Paul.Very intriguing video. I remember reading that sycamore trees were used many years ago for their medicinal purposes. The sap was used as a derma logical solution for many types of conditions. I don't know how old these trees are but I know they can live for 300 years. They could have been used for the small pox patients. Just a thought. I'm probably completely off base. Loved the walk. Beautiful area. Thank you.👍
Thank you Daryl!
Yes, I remember doing the section of that walk from the Cotswold Way and it was one of my most favouite bits.
That's an interesting theory regarding the sycamore trees. I guess we will never really know as there is very little documented about the whole area and hill.
Thanks so much!
Cheers,
Paul
Another lovely video, Paul! I guess all the camera set-ups in the early part added a fair bit to your walking and the time the filming took. It was all very worthwhile.
Thanks Jim!
Yes, it is so much filming early in the morning - not least because of the recent heat we have had here - been up to 31 C - I am not a fan of hot days. I really enjoyed filming here! Such a joy.
Great to hear from you.
Take care,
Paul
I think it was back in 1976 when we had a very hot summer that the undulations of maybe the rabbit farm showed up clearly looking across from Cam Long Down and there was speculation it could have been the mass graves from the smallpox Hospital.
Thank you Ted!
Yes, I think that is entirely possible.
I don't think the hill has ever been the subject of a full archaeological survey.
Strange there is no plaque or stone there to remember all the people that died there.
Take care,
Paul
Hi Paul nice video and info ,and have a good weekend 👌👌
Thank you Roy!
Hope you have a good weekend too.
Thank you for the comment.
Take care,
Paul