Sheep & Cattle
Galloway cattle posing for the camera. Image Credit Jo Rayner
How do I find out when there are sheep on the Common?
We keep the Sheep Status banner on this website up to date. You can also find regular updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Under the Bylaws, those who have grazing rights may put animals on the Common from 25 April until 30 November, although normally sheep are removed earlier in November.
Why are there cattle as well as sheep on Cleeve Common?
Sheep are selective grazers, preferring the shorter, sweeter grass and flowers. Cattle are less fussy and will tackle the longer, coarser grass, especially during the winter. They are an essential element of our conservation programme. Read more about grazing.
Isn’t grazing bad for the wildflowers?
Though livestock do eat flowers as well as grasses, they move on once an area has been grazed, allowing the flowers to bloom again. The overall effect is very beneficial: without grazing, the wildflowers would be choked out by the spread of coarser grasses and scrub. So grazing increases, not decreases, the diversity of flowers: the trick is to control the grazing pressure, so that not every last flower is grazed off, and to rotate the grazing, ensuring that some areas in some years are left alone.
What should I do if I come across a dead or injured sheep?
Though the sheep do not belong to Cleeve Common Trust please phone the Ranger on duty immediately on 07756 828 458. We will deal with it and contact the owner of the sheep.
Dog Walking
Dogs under close control on Cleeve Common. Image Credit Gaye Doig
Do I have to pick up my dogs’ poo when walking on Cleeve Common?
YES!!! It is very important you pick up after your dog when exercising it on Cleeve Common.
Cleaning up after your dog is one of the key responsibilities of dog ownership, especially in public places. We have litter bins at all main entrances to the common and there are a few in discrete spots across the Common. We do not have bins every few hundred metres as Cleeve Common is wild open countryside, it is not a municipal park. A lack of a nearby bin is no excuse not to pick up. Also bagging it and leaving it for one of our rangers to deal with is also completely unacceptable and extremely bad for the environment.
In addition, Parasites found in some dog faeces can seriously harm or kill livestock. There are two diseases of particular concern these are neosporosis and sarcocystosis. Dog poo from infected dogs can contaminate the land and stay in the soil for years.
When do I have to have my dog on a lead?
From 1 March to 31 July it is the law under the Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000, to keep your dog on a lead of no more than 2 metres on open access land and at all times around livestock. On public rights of way, it is the law to keep your dog under effective control at all times. Effective control means near to you and that you have complete confidence that your dog will return immediately and directly to you when called.
Sheep and lambs are on Cleeve Common from April until November so it is essential to keep dogs on leads during this period. We lose over 20 sheep a year to dog attacks. This is simply not acceptable. Cattle are on the common year-round. They are in paddocks in the winter and roam free when the sheep are on the hill.
We ask all dog walkers to abide by the Canine Code. Please click through for the full document.
Ownership & Rights
What area is Cleeve Common Trust responsible for?
We look after Cleeve Common only - that is, the common land at Cleeve Hill. We have no responsibility for, or remit over, adjacent land.
If you need to report a problem with, or the misuse of, a Public Right of Way which is not on the Common we suggest that you log it with Gloucestershire County Council. If your query relates to the Cotswold Way, we suggest that you contact the Cotswold Trails and Access Officer at the Cotswolds National Landscape.
If you wish to report fly-tipping, abandoned cars etc, we suggest that you contact the Local Authority (for example Tewkesbury Borough Council) which is responsible for that particular location.
If you have any concerns or objections to a local planning application, we suggest that you log these with the relevant Planning Authority, and contact the Planning Officer at the Cotswolds Conservation Board.
If you witness joy-riding, you should report it to the police. Criminal activity should always be reported to the police – If you see an incident, and it is not urgent you can either call 101 or email 101@gloucestershire.police.uk. You should state what is happening, reference CLEEVE COMMON, and provide as much detail as possible, including pictures where you can. If you feel threatened, or a criminal offence is underway, please call 999.
Does the Common belong to everyone?
Definitely not! The term ‘common’ refers to the ‘rights of common’, in this case the rights of registered local landowners to seasonal grazing.
Cleeve Common is privately owned, and managed by Cleeve Common Trust. The public has right of access on foot under the ‘Right to Roam’ – the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000.
What right does Cleeve Common Trust (and its staff and volunteers) have to tell me what I can and can’t do?
The body of Conservators, which makes up Cleeve Common Trust, was established by Act of Parliament in 1890. It was given powers to make Bylaws and regulate what activities may take place on the Common. Cleeve Common Trust exercises these rights to ensure that long-term conservation goals can be met and that different activities can peacefully co-exist.
What is Cleeve Common Trust doing to look after the Common?
Cleeve Common Trust manages the Common through Rangers (7 days per week), a Clerk, Conservation Officer, Community Engagement Officer, specialist ecologists as required and a range of volunteers. Conservation work is carried out according to a Management Plan that is approved annually by Natural England.
Access
Enjoying the views from the trig point. Image Credit Nicky Wright
Where can I park to visit Cleeve Common?
There are several parking areas on the edges of the Common, see our parking map for more details. The main parking area is the Quarry Car Park near Cleeve Hill Golf Club’s entrance. Please note that this car park fills quickly on busy days for example fine weekends and when large events are taking place. If this happens we may temporarily close the car park to stop the lane getting blocked with traffic.
Note that it is an offence to park anywhere within the Common boundary except in the designated car parking areas.
Is there access for people with disabilities?
Access for visitors using wheelchairs, mobility scooters or buggies is possible at the Radio Masts, Quarry Car Park and West Down. Please note there are no surfaced paths on the Common. We are currently working on creating an accessible loop from the Golf clubhouse and hope for it to be complete by the end of 2024.
Can I reach Cleeve Common by public transport?
Yes. Take Stagecoach Service W from Cheltenham or Winchcombe. Alight at the Rising Sun Pub or Golf Club. You can also catch a local bus to Prestbury and walk up Mill Lane, but this is about a mile of steep uphill climb.
What long-distance footpaths cross the Common?
The Cotswold Way National Trail from Chipping Campden to Bath takes in all of the escarpment of Cleeve Common. There is also a Cotswold Way circular walk, the Cleeve Hill Ring. The Winchcombe Way and Gustav Holst Way also cross the Common. The Isbourne Way begins on Cleeve Common and follows the river to Evesham.
Are there any public lavatories on the Common?
Regrettably no. Patrons of the Golf Clubhouse may use their facilities.
Recreation
A cyclist and horse rider enjoying a break on Cleeve Common. Image Credit Katie Walpole
What activities are allowed?
Most types of activity on foot are permitted, such as walking, running and climbing.
Mountain biking is allowed on byways and other main tracks only. Horse riding requires an annual hacking licence.
What activities are prohibited?
Anything involving a powered vehicle (except for mobility scooters and buggies): this includes cars, motorbikes, quad bikes, minibikes and powered model cars and aircraft including drones
Parking on the Common except in designated car parks
Digging up, damaging or planting flowers, plants, trees or removing stone or fossils
Camping or erecting tents, gazebos or other structures
Lighting fires or barbecues
Using metal detectors
How do I stay safe on Cleeve Common?
Adders are present on the Common, particularly in long grass and scrub edges. Please read NHS advice here
Ticks are also present so please also read NHS advice on ticks and Lyme disease here
There are unfenced cliffs and quarries so please stay away from these.
We would advise you to make sure that someone knows where you will be and what time you are expected back. The Common is very large and it’s easy to get lost particularly if fog comes in. We would advise you to install What3Words app on your phone which can pinpoint your location.
If you get into any difficulty, you can call the Rangers on 07756 828458.
Can I run an event on Cleeve Common?
We generally support public events on Cleeve Common. However, conditions apply if it is more than a group of people on foot. Details can be found here. Whatever the event, please contact us first so we can help you plan it and ensure that Ranger assistance will be available if needed.
School & Group Visits & Talks
A school group visiting the Iron Age Settlement on Cleeve Common
Do you have materials for schools?
Yes – through our Countryside Stewardship agreement we can offer free half-day visits for groups from KS1 to GCSE who would like to study the links between farming, conservation and food production.
Find out more from our learning pages.
There are also many opportunities for self-guided visits which are also free, or other programs of study for which there is a small per-pupil fee.
Can you provide a speaker to talk to a local group?
We are happy to talk to local groups who have connections with the Common. We ask for a donation to cover our expenses and to support our work. Please get in touch if you would like to arrange a presentation.
Do you offer a guided tour?
Each year we run a programme of events which includes guided walks on the Common – see the What’s On page. We would be happy to discuss special tours for local groups – please contact us. We ask for a donation to cover our costs.
Memorials
The lone beech and memorial wall at dusk. Image credit Helen Deverson
How can I place a memorial on Cleeve Common?
We have a Memorial Wall near the Three Sisters trees on the southern edge of the escarpment, where families and friends can place plaques in memory of loved ones. For more information please see details of the Memorial Programme.
Can I donate a memorial seat or tree?
We regret that we cannot accept donations of seats or trees because we do not have suitable sites for either.
Can I scatter ashes on the Common?
Yes and this gives you a special place to remember someone who loved the Hill. Please select a spot that gives you some privacy – not the obvious viewpoints, including the lone tree and memorial walls – and do not dig a hole to bury the ashes or mark the spot with stones, flowers or other objects. Thank you.