The Honeybourne line - it’s a classic!
This old railway track is a favourite walking, running and cycle route for Cheltonians and is perfect for a pram or buggy. I love the ever-changing graffiti along the route and the flexibility of being able to essentially hop on and off it at various points.
Linking Cheltenham Spa station to town and as far North as the Prince of Wales Stadium, there are lots of entrances/exits along the way, including Waitrose – ideal if you need to pick up something or even to use the baby changing facilities.
When I’m on my own with just the baby, I usually start at its Northern most point, with the entrance just opposite the Leisure Centre and drop off the route into town via The Winston Churchill Memorial Garden, or the other way around. This stretch is also a nice link into the top of the Pittville Lake walk.
It’s great for quicker winter walks as this route is tarmacked so rarely gets muddy or too waterlogged.
With scooter or biking age children in tow, you could do the full route taking around an hour from one end to the other if you’re going slowly. There are a few play areas and outdoor gym stops along the way, our favourite being the playground in The Winston Churchill Memorial Garden, which is nice and spacious, and the garden itself is really pretty.
NB. Do be careful to keep younger children on bikes close by as there are a few hazards like old steel girders and cross bars on the route.
The Pittville Park and lake loop – really photogenic on a nice day
Pittville is my favourite Cheltenham Park. It has everything – stunning Pump Rooms, huge playground and aviary, cafes, boathouse, lake and a famous family of swans to boot!
For an easy walk that still gets the blood flowing, I start at the Southern Pittville Lawn, make my way up the eastern side, over the bridge and up to the Pump Rooms. After catching my breath from the hill climb with a heavy buggy, I return southwards, past the playground, through the underpass and towards the lake. A lovely stroll around the lake can then either connect to the Honeyborne line, or easily bring you back in a loop to the Central Cross café at the edge of Pittville Lawn.
On the whole pathways here are easy for buggies, however lately due to peoples’ valiant efforts to socially distance up onto the verges, the pathways have been getting very muddy and I’ve had to clean down my wheels when I get home.
The Sandford Park and town loop – tie in with a nip to the shops!
Sandford Park can be accessed from town via its northeast or northwest entrances so it’s a great walk to tie in with a trip to town, however beware that these official entrances are impossible on your own with a pram or buggy (unless you have super buggy step skills which I unfortunately do not possess)!
The nearest pram-friendly entrance from town involves a sneaky little park-side lane entrance accessed by crossing the road from Prithvi, heading down Bath Parade and into St Luke’s Place. This will bring you into the gloriously landscaped smaller section of the park complete with stream, statues and fountain – gorgeous for a sit down and a picnic in the summer.
I usually head across the main road into the larger section of the park where you can easily loop around the walking and cycle path and come back on yourself, or carry on out of the park, turning left up towards London Road and then back into town.
It’s a nice route for the winter months as on the whole it is fairly sheltered by trees and pathways are raised and rarely muddy.
This walk is also great when you have toddlers or older children with you as the park is a lovely one for scooting around or running down the gentle hills, and there is a fab playground on the southern edge where we have spent many an hour!
