The CWA is working with the Cotswold AONB Trails Officer to identify projects which the Trustees can support.  The sort of things we have in mind are …

• Provision of handrails to help on the steeper slopes. 
• Surface improvements in sections that are particularly muddy.
• Modifications to gates and replacing stiles to make sections of the trails more accessible to child buggies, wheelchairs and  “Tramper” disability scooters.

The Cotswold Way and its circular routes are the CWA’s priority but the Trustees will also consider funding improvements on other named Cotswold trails.  These are the Winchcombe, Wardens, Windrush and Diamond Ways, plus the Cotswold sections of the Wychavon, Monarchs, Macmillan, Heart of England, Gloucestershire and Wysis Ways.

We hope to compile a list of projects at the end of April so that they can be prioritized for implementation during the summer.

Please send your suggestions to John Bartram at info@cotswoldwayassociation.org.uk or Simon Mallatratt at admin@cotswoldwayassociation.org.uk  

We recently received a cheque for £246 from Waitrose Cheltenham as a result of the CWA being one of their charities as part of their Community Matters scheme. Many thanks to those who put their green tokens in our bin.

The Cotswold Way Association is pleased to welcome Stroud & District Athletics Club and Emersons Green Running Club as affiliate members. Many thanks for your support.

Just before Christmas, a small team of Cotswold Wardens used the successful model adopted in Broadway to improve the drainage of three muddy and flooded kissing gates on the Cotswold Way near Old Sodbury.  The locations are shown here

Kissing gates undoubtedly improve access on the Cotswold Way but their constant use often makes them wet and muddy so the CWA has embarked on a trial project to improve the surface around a few kissing gates.  The first project has been completed on a gate where the trail crosses West End Lane, SW of Broadway using eco plastic grid, geo-textile and gravel.  The location is point A as shown here.

The Cotswold Way Association has recently funded a much needed handrail along the steep steps at Bunkers Bank, near Haresfield Beacon. The installation was carried out by a work party from Central District of the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens. No more will you have to risk twisted ankle or a wet backside to get down this section of the trail.