Cleeve Hill routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
330 m · Central and Eastern England · OS grid SO996245
Cleeve Hill is the highest point of the Cotswolds and the county top of Gloucestershire, a broad limestone common above Cheltenham with the Cotswold Way along its edge.
Peakify lists 1 measured route up Cleeve Hill, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Cleeve Hill routes, easiest to hardest
There is one measured route so far, graded Easy. Grades run Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleeve Hill along the Cotswold Way | Cleeve Hill common car park | 3.0 km one way | 138 m | 0h 50m | 1h 25m | Easy |
Cleeve Hill route times by Naismith's rule
The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.
Each Cleeve Hill route
Cleeve Hill along the Cotswold Way
Follow the Cotswold Way along the escarpment, then cross the common east to the high point by the masts. Grass and stony tracks the whole way. It starts from Cleeve Hill common car park. 3.0 km one way with 138 m of ascent. About 0h 50m to the summit and 1h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Easy.
Cleeve Hill route GPX
This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Cleeve Hill route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Cleeve Hill, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.
Before you pick a route
The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Cleeve Hill today and the Cleeve Hill 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Cleeve Hill routes
The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.
Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.
Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
If you are new to Cleeve Hill, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.
Questions about Cleeve Hill
What is the easiest route up Cleeve Hill?
The one measured route listed here is Cleeve Hill along the Cotswold Way (Easy).
How much time does each Cleeve Hill route take?
Cleeve Hill along the Cotswold Way: about 0h 50m up and 1h 25m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.
Can I get a GPX file for a Cleeve Hill route?
Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.