River Chew Circular Walk

4.8 miles (7.8 km)

This circular walk from Pensford visits Pensford Viaduct, Stanton Drew and Norton Malreward. Along the way you will enjoy riverside sections along the River Chew and use sections of the Two Rivers Way and Three Peaks Walk long distance trails.
The walk explores the attractive Chew Valley, an area of gently rolling countryside, historic villages and fertile farmland lying south of Bristol.... The River Chew meanders through water meadows and pastures, supporting kingfishers, grey herons, little egrets and a variety of other waterside wildlife. Quiet country lanes, hedgerows and old orchards add to the rural character of the landscape.
Pensford is best known for its impressive Victorian railway viaduct, one of the largest structures on the former Bristol and North Somerset Railway. With its series of tall stone arches spanning the valley, the Grade II listed viaduct remains the village's most recognisable landmark and can be seen from many viewpoints around the surrounding countryside.
A highlight of the walk is the village of Stanton Drew, home to one of Britain's most important prehistoric monuments. The Stanton Drew stone circles are among the largest Neolithic ceremonial complexes in Europe, comprising the Great Circle, North East Circle and South West Circle together with the Cove, a group of standing stones within the village. Dating from around 4,500 years ago, the monument is second in size only to Avebury among Britain's stone circles and forms part of a remarkable prehistoric landscape overlooking the River Chew.
The walk also visits the quiet village of Norton Malreward, where historic limestone buildings and surrounding farmland preserve the area's rural character. Together with the nearby villages of Pensford and Stanton Drew, it provides an excellent base for exploring the Chew Valley's rich mix of archaeology, history and unspoilt countryside.
You can extend your walking at the nearby Chew Magna and Chew Valley Lake.