Walking Solsbury Hill: A Guide to One of Bath's Most Beloved Landscapes
"Climbing up on Solsbury Hill, I could see the city light..."
Peter Gabriel wasn't exaggerating. From the flat-topped summit of Little Solsbury Hill, just a couple of miles north-east of Bath city centre, the view across the World Heritage City and the River Avon valley is genuinely breathtaking. This ancient hill, standing at 191 metres (625 feet) above sea level, has drawn walkers, dreamers, and adventurers for thousands of years — long before Gabriel immortalised it in his 1977 hit.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or just looking for a rewarding afternoon out, Solsbury Hill and the surrounding countryside offer some of the finest walking in the West of England. Here's your guide to making the most of it.
A Little History Before You Lace Up
Little Solsbury Hill is no ordinary patch of high ground. Archaeological evidence shows it was occupied as an Iron Age hill fort between roughly 500 and 100BC, home to around 30 timber-framed buildings and a community of several hundred people. You can still trace the outline of the ramparts as you walk the plateau edge today.
The National Trust has owned and managed the hilltop since 1930, while the slopes are looked after by the Batheaston Freeholders Association. In spring and summer the hill comes alive with wildflowers — look out for early purple and pyramidal orchids among the unimproved limestone grassland. Skylarks nest here too; listen for their distinctive warbling song drifting up from the grass on warm mornings.
The hill also carries a more recent chapter of history. In the early 1990s, the construction of the A46 Batheaston bypass sparked one of Britain's most significant environmental protests, involving prolonged direct action that has since become a landmark case study in environmental politics. You can still see mysterious crop circles on the hilltop — remnants of an eco-ritual performed by protesters as a symbolic act of resistance.
Walk 1: The Batheaston Circular (Bathscape Walk 9)
Distance: 5km (3.1 miles)
Time: Approx. 1.5–2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate — one steep ascent, can be muddy in wet weather
Start/Finish: Batheaston High Street car park, London Road East, BA1 7NB (free for 3 hours)
Getting there without a car: Buses 3, 13, or 231 run regularly from Bath city centre to Batheaston
This is the classic Solsbury Hill route, developed by the Bathscape Landscape Partnership with National Lottery Heritage Fund support. It's the walk most local people do, and for good reason — it packs history, views, and village charm into a manageable circuit.
The Route:
From Batheaston High Street car park, turn left and cross the road. As the road bends left, take the steps on the right, then follow the path uphill and take Solsbury Lane on the left. After 150 metres, pass through the kissing gate on the right and follow the field path toward the church, then rejoin the road briefly before turning left onto Seven Acres Lane.
Where the road bends sharply right, take the marked footpath ahead, keeping to the right side of the field and heading steadily uphill. About halfway up the second field, follow the hedge sharply right through a kissing gate. You'll find a narrow, tree-lined path dropping to a wooden gate — keep the hedge on your right along the field edge.
Take the wooden stile into the woodland. The path climbs steeply here and can be quite uneven and muddy; this is the most challenging section of the walk, but it eases once you're through the trees. Leave the woodland via another stile and emerge onto the open plateau.
Once on top, ignore the waymarked path going downhill to the right and follow any of the informal paths to the wide perimeter track. Bear right along the edge of the old hill fort until you reach the trig point — and catch your breath. The view takes in the city of Bath, the River Avon valley, Brown's Folly and the hills stretching towards Wiltshire.
To descend, with your back to the view, turn right and follow the hill's edge until you see the back of a National Trust sign, then turn right downhill through a gate. Follow the lane all the way downhill, descend some steps, and turn right back onto the lane. At the T-junction turn right, passing the Church of the Good Shepherd, then take the flight of steps straight ahead. At the bottom, turn left back onto Batheaston High Street.
Top tip: After the walk, the shops and cafes of Batheaston are right on your doorstep. A well-earned coffee or a pub lunch is very much part of the Batheaston experience.
Walk 2: The Larkhall Circular (via Solsbury Lane)
Distance: 4 miles (approx. 6.5km)
Time: Approx. 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging — steep grassy slopes, some road walking
Start/Finish: Larkhall village, Bath BA1 6TA (start near the pub)
This route approaches Solsbury Hill from the south-west, starting in the characterful neighbourhood of Larkhall and following a combination of lanes, field paths and open hillside. It's a fine option if you're staying in that part of Bath.
From Larkhall, walk up Deadmill Lane and veer into Ferndale Road, then stay on Bailbrook Lane toward the bridge over the A46 bypass. Cross above the bypass — a reminder of that contentious chapter in the hill's history — and follow the lane to a second junction on the left, beyond which a footpath leads across fields and eventually onto Solsbury Lane.
Solsbury Lane is a quiet, tarmacked road that climbs steadily to the base of the hill fort's defensive ditch. Various paths lead up to the plateau from here; the ascent shown on most maps takes you anticlockwise around the top before dropping back down via a path to Swainswick Lane, and then returning to Bailbrook Lane and Larkhall. The full circuit is about four miles with a significant amount of elevation — not enormous, but enough to earn that pint.
Walk 3: From Bath City Centre Along the Canal
Distance: Approx. 8km (5 miles) one way, or make it circular
Time: 3–4 hours for the full round trip
Difficulty: Easy along the canal; moderate on the hill itself
Start: Bath Spa station or city centre
No car? No problem. One of the loveliest ways to reach Solsbury Hill is along the Kennet and Avon Canal, which provides a flat, scenic towpath walk eastward from the city.
Head east from Bath city centre along the canal towpath — the water on one side, the fields and hillsides rising on the other. After about a mile and a half, you'll reach the George Inn at Bathampton, a popular stopping point with riverside garden. From here, leave the canal and follow the Limestone Link waymarked trail to Batheaston and up to Little Solsbury Hill.
This approach makes for a particularly satisfying day out: flat and gentle going out, a rewarding climb in the middle, then the easy canal walk home. You can also follow the Limestone Link in the other direction from the hill, through Chilcombe Bottom — a tranquil nature reserve — toward Northend, passing a pair of reservoirs on the way before looping back to Batheaston.
Walk 4: Charmy Down and Solsbury Hill Combined
Distance: Varies — allow 10–12km for a full circuit
Time: Half a day
Difficulty: Challenging — multiple climbs, exposed moorland
Start: Batheaston or Larkhall
For those looking for a more ambitious outing, Bathscape's Charmy Down route combines a walk up to the atmospheric plateau of Charmy Down — a former wartime airfield with a wonderfully desolate feel — with a second climb to the top of Little Solsbury Hill. The ever-changing views as you descend and re-ascend make it a genuinely memorable walk, and the sense of real countryside just minutes from a city centre is striking.
This is a route for walkers who are confident on rough terrain and don't mind a bit of navigation. Download the Bathscape route PDF or use an Ordnance Survey map for this one.
Practical Information
Footwear: Sturdy walking boots or trail shoes are strongly recommended. The slopes below the trig point are notoriously muddy after rain and can be slippery. Trainers are fine in dry summer conditions on the Batheaston circular, but always check the forecast.
Livestock: Cattle are often present on the hilltop and in the surrounding fields. They are generally calm and uninterested in walkers, but give them space and keep dogs on leads near them.
Dogs: Welcome across the hill, but must be kept under control around livestock. Clean up after your dog.
Parking: Batheaston car park (free for 3 hours) is the most convenient. Street parking in Larkhall is possible for the Larkhall circular but space is limited. Avoid parking on Solsbury Lane itself.
Buses: Routes 3, 13, and 231 connect Bath city centre with Batheaston. The number 3 bus is particularly useful and runs regularly.
Best time to go: Any time of year, but spring and early summer are magical when the wildflowers and orchids are in bloom and the skylarks are singing. Avoid the muddy slopes in winter after prolonged rain unless you're prepared for a real slog.
No facilities on the hill itself — there are no toilets, cafes, or shops. Bring water and snacks. Batheaston village has shops, a pub, and a cafe for before and after the walk.
One Last Thing
There's a small turf labyrinth on the hilltop — laid in 1994 by protesters during the A46 bypass campaign as an act of eco-magic and community ritual. It's easy to miss, but worth searching out. Walking its spiral is a small, quiet act that connects you to the long and layered history of this remarkable place.
From Iron Age settlers to Eighties rock stars to bypass protesters to Sunday afternoon dog walkers — Solsbury Hill has absorbed them all. Now it's your turn.
For official route maps and PDFs, visit bathscape.co.uk or the Cotswolds National Landscape website. The Bathscape Walking Festival takes place every September and includes guided walks across the area.