| Great trails - Cheltenham |
| Regency ramble |
| Elegant architecture and landscaped parks make Cheltenham
a wonderfully civilized place to enjoy culture and shopping |
Cheltenham was built around its natural spring, but this elegant spa town is now also renowned for its Regency architecture, splendid shopping malls, landscaped parks, horse racing and festivals. Our town walk is the perfect way to see the very best of its charms.
And with over 100 shops open seven days a week, there's something to occupy all the family.
1. HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVE
From The Camping and Caravanning Club's Winchcombe site, zero your motorhome's trip meter and turn left onto the B4077. At the roundabout at 3.3 miles turn left onto the A46 for Cheltenham. On entering the town at 11.2 miles, turn right at the traffic lights then immediately left and left again into the car park on North Place. (Charge: £2.50 for up to four hours). Leaving the car park on foot, turn right onto North Place then first left onto Clarence Road to enter Clarence Square on West Drive.
Clarence Square was built in the early 1800s and named after the Duke of Clarence, later crowned William IV. Next to it is Wellington Square. Both are delightfully
landscaped greens well worth
taking a stroll around.
2. TAKE THE WATERS
Return to West Drive and head north, following the road around until you meet Evesham Road. Cross the road via the underpass, which brings you out next to the beautiful ornamental lake in Pittville Park's splendid gardens.
Pittville Park is home to the famous Pump Room Museum. Dating back to 1825, the elegant spa building is the centrepiece
of Joseph Pitt's estate of villas,
terraces and lawns. The Room still houses the pump which dispenses the spa water, and it is still possible to 'take the waters', whose alkaline properties were hailed in the 18th century as a miraculous cure
for all known maladies, from
rheumatism to worms. We tried some, and it just tastes a bit salty.
3. A MUSICAL BIRTHPLACE
From the Pump Room, continue through the Park, keeping to the left of the lake until you get to a road called Pittville Lawn. Follow this road all the way to Pittville Gate (originally the official entrance to the Pittville estate) and the Holst Birthplace Museum, on the other side of Clarence Road.
No. 4 Clarence Road is the
birthplace of Gustav Holst,
composer of The Planets, and
home to a museum telling the story of his life. Not only can you can see his piano and listen to his music here, but the Museum also offers a fascinating insight into Victorian and Edwardian life.
4. HOMES FOR THE NEEDY
Turn left outside the Holst Birthplace Museum and left again onto Portland Street for the Holy Trinity Church, with its crypt and war memorials, before continuing down to the main road and Pittville Street. Take the second
left turning, onto Albion Street. Fifty yards up on the left are
the Almshouses.
The six almshouses standing here date back to 1811, though their
history began 400 years ago when their founder Richard Pate built them for needy, church-going Cheltenham pensioners.
5. GARDEN DELIGHTS
Return to Pittville Street and head south towards the town centre. Turn left onto the High Street and immediately right into Regent Street. Fifty yards down on the left, stop at the Fine Cheese Company to pick up an award-winning cheese and some freshly baked bread for a picnic. Pass the
impressive Everyman Theatre on the left and follow its bend around to the left onto Imperial Square. Turn right here, cross the road and enter the Imperial Gardens behind the splendid town hall to enjoy your picnic. Continue along Imperial Square and follow the road round to the left and onto Montpellier Spa Road, where the new terrace incorporates an alcove housing a marble fountain. This brings you to Montpellier Gardens. Walk through to the centre of the Gardens, to the bandstand.
Dating back to 1864, the
bandstand in Montpellier Gardens is the oldest still in use in this
country. The gardens themselves date back to 1809 and are framed by majestic lime trees. Across the park, on the other side of the bandstand, a Barclays Bank now occupies the old Montpellier Spa Building, formerly a venue for high-society parties. Visitors are still permitted to view the interior, however. Opposite is a statue of Edward VII known locally as the Rotunda which was erected four years after his death.
6. SHOPPING GALORE
Stroll up Montpellier Walk and turn left into Montpellier Street.
The shops in Montpellier Walk are distinguished by the use of statues (the Caryatids) in place of
supporting pillars. In the summer they are ablaze with colour from hanging baskets. There's an
abundance of pavement cafés and wine bars and the Courtyard is a delightful shopping centre. At the end of Montpellier Street is a good view of Cheltenham Ladies' College with its copper dome and Princess Hall. Turn right and join the tree-lined Promenade, one of the finest shopping areas in the country. The avenue of elms and horse chestnuts was planted in 1818; Neptune's Fountain,
modelled on the Trevi Fountain
in Rome, was added in 1893.
7. ARTS AND CRAFTS
Turn left soon after the Tourist Information office and bear
right when you reach Royal Crescent Street. Turn left where
the road joins Clarence Street
for the Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum.
The Cheltenham Art Gallery
and Museum is host to a
world-renowned Arts and Crafts Movement collection, including local furniture and metalwork.
It also contains rare Chinese and English pottery and exhibits 300 years of painting by Dutch and British artists.
8. CENTURIES PAST
Turn left out of the Museum and immediately left again, when you will see the mediaeval church of
St Mary's. The town's oldest
building, it houses memorials
associated with Henry Skillicome, the founder of the spa.
Continue onto the High Street, turn right and then first left up North Street which takes you back to the car park on North Place.
|
|
|
Distance 3 miles
Time 3-5 hours
Start/finish North Place Car Park, Cheltenham
Suitable for All the family
ATTRACTIONS
Pittville Pump Room Museum
Tel 01242 523852
Holst Birthplace Museum
Tel 01242 524846
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum
Tel 01242 237431
Pittville Pump Room Museum
Tel 01242 523852
Holst Birthplace Museum
Tel 01242 524846
INFORMATION
Cheltenham Tourist Information Centre
Tel 01242 522878
Click for Website
|
|
