Walk 1: Aerial Picture of Coate Water Swindon Car Park.
Easy to moderate 3 hours + (small hill assent 100m and distance)
In the summer there are refreshments available around the lake. This is also a good area for water fowl, there is a small ride on steam, electric railway and other activities. The walk passes an Iron Age hill fort (small detor to investigate), goes along the Ridge Way for a short distance, and old railway line, views over Swindon.
From M4 exit Junction 15, head north (note Swindon has 2 motorway junctions, 15 in on the London side, east of Swindon)
(stay in slow lane of dual carriageway, towards Cirencester) on A419 for 1.5 Km. Take exit for roundabout to Swindon City centre and Great Western Hospital (stay in slow lane for a slip road onto dual carriageway by passing roundabout) Stay on dual carriageway straight over 2 sets of traffic lights (the first is for Hospital on left) to roundabout 1.5Km.
Approach roundabout in slow lane and take the very first exit (minor road to Coate Water Country Park). There are 6 exits on this roundabout including the minor road and the one you drove in on. Drive to the car park a few hundred yards (watch out for speed bumps, free parking Jan 2011, see aerial picture).
From the south leave Marlborough on A346 head for M4 Swindon. After 12 Km down hill to roundabout Junction 15 on M4. Straight over roundabout and follow directions from motorway as stated above (in the Directions from East, London or West, Bristol).
From the north Cirencester follow A419 south. Follow signs for Motorway M4, on outskirts of Swindon, observe on right hand side large Honda car plant at the Stratton St Margaret exit, stay on the A419.
The next exit should be sign posted Swindon Centre, Oxford A420 Sainsbury’s super store, stay on the A419. Leave A419 dual carriage way at next exit 4.2Km (this is the last exit on A419 before M4 junction 15 roundabout).
At roundabout take fourth exit (3 o’clock) Swindon Town centre (Great Western Hospital) on another dual carriageway. Stay on dual carriageway straight over 2 sets of traffic lights (first is for Hospital on left) to roundabout 1.5Km.
Approach roundabout in slow lane and take the very first exit (minor road to Coate Water Country Park). There are 6 exits on this roundabout including the minor road and the one you drove in on. Drive to the car park a few hundred yards (watch out for speed bumps, free parking Jan 2011, see aerial picture).
From north east Oxford follow A420 south west. Outskirts of Swindon near Police Head Quarters and Sainsbury’s super store, go over superstore roundabout at the next roundabout take first exit following signs for M4 join A419 south bound.
Leave A419 dual carriage way at next exit 4.2Km (this is the last exit on A419 before M4 junction 15 roundabout). At roundabout take fourth exit (3 o’clock) Swindon Town centre (Great Western Hospital) on another dual carriageway.
Stay on dual carriageway straight over 2 sets of traffic lights (first is for Hospital on left) to roundabout 1.5Km. Approach roundabout in slow lane and take the very first exit (minor road to Coate Water Country Park). There are 6 exits on this roundabout including the minor road and the one you drove in on. Drive to the car park a few hundred yards (watch out for speed bumps, free parking Jan 2011, see aerial picture).
Future Walks: Coate Water Country parks is an ideal place to start your walks from footpaths to the east south and west of Swindon.
Walk 1: Aerial Picture of Coate Water Swindon Car Park.
Walk 1: Coate Water Walk Map (pdf 350 Kbytes download).
Just to orientate you at the start. In the car park is a large brick house just below the bank to the lake. See aerial picture.
Facing the back of the house (looking towards the lake over the bank). Take the lower path to the left of the house, after a short distance the path splits keep to the left, (the other path goes up to the lake). The path makes a T junction take the path on the left which passes the small railway building then exits the park.
Follow track to "Day House Lane", turn right continue for about 2 miles, going under the A419 dual carriageway, then the lane runs beside the M4 (sorry for the noise, but it is short lived). The lane leaves the motorway bearing left, then shortly sharp left bend to T Junction turn right heading uphill on "Medbourne Road".
At the end of this road is an off-set cross roads, cross over the main road (B4192) and continue heading in roughly the same direction as before along "The Street" bear left downhill onto "Bell Lane".
"Bell Lane" changes name to "Ham Road" at the outskirts of Liddington pass track to Parsonage Farm on left almost immediately the road the bends to the left. On this bend, turn sharp right onto a lane going up hill.
Keep on this track for approx 2 miles (almost straight) running behind "King Edwards Place" and an outward bounds centre on left. Soon after a 90 degree left bend followed by a 90 degree right bend to T junction on Main road "The Ridge Way" turn right and go over M4 motorway.
From the Motorway gentle bends lead to a T junction with the B4192 turn right and immediately left to continue on "The Ridge Way" (by effectively making a dog leg). This road is quite busy and fast please take care (Iron Age fort on left hand side).
Follow this road to crossroads at main road, turn right onto A346, and then first left immediately after petrol station, (good point for coffee stop, a bit further if you want a beer). You are now on "New Road" Chiseldon the B4005.
From the petrol station continue ahead for 1/2 mile until you reach public house The Patriot Arms on the left (good point for a beer stop). At the mini roundabout turn right onto "Hodson Road". After 1/4 mile on outskirts of Chiseldon village on fairly sharp left hand bend with two tracks leading from it, take care crossing the road and take path sharply to the right signposted Bridle Path.
Take first left after approximately 35 m (40 yards) take path to the left, follow green signs on gravel/tarmac path, heading generally down hill towards motorway (this is the old railway line). The path runs beside the motorway to a spiral bridge crossing the motorway.
At the other side of the motorway follow tarmac/main path to Coate Water Country Park. Cross over bridge to the right and keep to path following lake on left hand side to the car park.