The Soudley Ponds Circular Walk: Big Views, Steep Banks and Blistered Feet

Walking in the Forest of Dean 

I had been meaning to try the Lower Soudley and Soudley Ponds Circular Walk for a while after spotting it on AllTrails. It looked like a decent route for a walk with my daughter Molly in the baby carrier. Scenic without being too long, and only about 45 minutes from our home in Ledbury, tucked into the beautiful Forest of Dean. Easter Monday arrived with glorious sunshine and a completely free day, so it felt like the perfect opportunity.

This came just a few days after a fairly ambitious Good Friday effort where I had walked 22.5 miles from Ledbury to Worcester with five good friends. My feet were still covered in blisters and pretty sore. I wasn’t going to let that get in the way of another decent walk though. I stuck a load of Compeed plasters on, laced my boots up tightly and convinced myself it would be absolutely fine.

We parked up at the Dean Heritage Centre, and that was the moment things became a bit more real. Strapping our 22 month old daughter into the carrier and hoisting a rough total of 15kg onto my back did not do my sore feet any favours at all. What had felt manageable suddenly felt like a bad idea, but as the planned route was only 4 miles or so, I told myself I could push through.

Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley, Gloucestershire 

The walk begins at Soudley Ponds, which is a properly beautiful spot. There were a lot of people at the Dean Heritage Centre on a sunny bank holiday, but it got pretty quiet once we hit the trail. Stace commented that it was like being in Canada and it really was. Then Molly shouted "bear!" and I started worrying we actually were in Canada before I realised she wanted some of the bear shaped crisps we had in the backpack. 

Soudley Ponds, Gloucestershire 

Stace, Me, Molly

Spillway at Soudley Ponds

From the ponds, the route gradually winds its way upwards towards the Blaize Bailey Viewpoint. The climb is pretty steady rather than punishing, but with a toddler on your back and sore feet it is quite gruelling. When you reach the top you are rewarded with a proper view. The River Severn snakes its way through the fields south of Gloucester, and on a clear day like this one it really is something special.

The ascent to the Blaize Bailey Viewpoint 

Blaize Bailey Viewpoint

The Severn from the Blaize Bailey Viewpoint

After that came a long descent through tall conifers, the sort of section where you can just amble along and enjoy the surroundings. I checked the route on AllTrails and noticed there were a couple more climbs to come. I tried not to think too much about that.

Another glimpse of the Severn from the Forest of Dean

A beautiful trail on the Soudley Ponds Circular Walk

A logging site in the Forest of Dean

The first of the climbs was pretty brutal. We came out into a field and were faced with very steep bank. Just up the road from here is Brockworth where the famous cheese rolling competition takes place. I reckon if they needed a substitute venue one year then this would be perfect. With Molly on my back and blisters on my feet, it took a fair bit of effort to get to the top. By the time we did, both Stace and I were properly tired.

Walking up a steep bank in the Forest of Dean

Now about three miles in, we found the perfect spot to stop. At the top of the hill, with wide open views stretching out around us, it felt like the ideal place for a picnic. I was definitely really happy to get the carrier off my back for a while. We sat down and worked our way through a selection of snacks that Stace had picked up from the Co-op in Ledbury on the way. Pork pies, sausage rolls, hash browns. All very beige. All very tasty. Molly was happy toddling about until she fell over. It was a beautiful spot. I guess this circular route isn't that popular, because despite the very busy heritage centre at the start, we hadn't seen anyone else for ages and no one passed during our long lunch stop in the sunshine. 

A fine picnic spot in the Forest of Dean

A happy child on the Soudley Ponds Circular Walk

After a decent rest, we carried on. The route took us over a stile and into woodland dotted with bluebells, which added a bit of colour to the walk. The path was up and down, but nothing too extreme, and eventually led us back down towards the Dean Heritage Centre where we had started.

Bluebells in the forest

An epic trail

Heading down towards the Dean Heritage Centre

On the way home we made a stop at the White Hart in Broadoak for a drink. It sits beside a wide stretch of the Severn, and the beer garden has a slightly seaside feel to it, which is a bit unexpected given how close you are to Gloucester. It was a nice way to round off the walk.

The beer garden of the White Hart, Broadoak, Gloucestershire 

The Severn at Broadoak

This slide was quick

We then headed home and for a most of the journey it felt like we'd had a perfect afternoon. Then Molly decided to be car sick and managed to cover herself, the car seat and a large section of the upholstery in the back of my new car. Fantastic. Still, as I was busy cleaning up vomit when we got home, I stopped thinking about my feet for the first time all day, so perhaps there was a silver lining after all.

Walk Details

Route: Lower Soudley and Soudley Ponds Circular Walk

Distance: 4.2 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Terrain: Hills, woodland paths

Dog Friendly?: Very

Pushchair Friendly?: It would be for most of the route with an Out n About or similar. I wouldn't have wanted to push it up the hill in the field though. There are suitable detours which aren't difficult to follow if you look at the map on AllTrails.

Pub Stop: None on the walk. If travelling home past Gloucester, I definitely recommend stopping at the White Hart at Broadoak 

Found on: AllTrails - Lower Soudley and Soudley Ponds Circular Walk