Belas Knap Long Barrow

I would highly recommend visiting here as a newly budding historian! Following a lovely uphill walk with fantastic views and scenery, approximately 15-20 minutes along the Cotswold way, you reach the long barrow! You can walk around and also inside the multiple tombs (but mind your head!).

I decided to have a butcher's at how Neolithic man (and woman 👩! Let us not forget that it's 2025 and someone had to make the tea whilst the blokes dug the hole [Ouch! I call that humour. You may have a different opinion]). Having got off the bus in Winchcombe I followed the signs and set off on my 'pilgrimage'. Be warned, my friends, it's a fairly long way and it's predominantly an uphill journey. Not necessarily a walk in the park on the way down either as one has to continually 'put the brakes on' to stop oneself running away. Very tiring on the calfs, the leg variety, not the offspring of a bull and a cow. The sense of achievement on reaching the Long Barrow is satisfying. Walk around with reverence, don't forget there's deceased people underfoot, not that they'd mind really as they passed millenia ago, their ears and central nervous systems no longer operate. They probable won't even know you popped by to say hello.

Very interesting scenic area . Uphill 15 minute walk, up hill, and a bit muddy The site itself is remarkable. Beautiful, and reels of being ancient Don't think much of our modern world will be around in 5000+ years to look at ! A must stop for fans of history.

I suppose theres not a lot to actually look at here however to think humans buried built it and buried people here 5500 years ago. Also add in the fact the views are great, nice walk up and down.

Getting to Bala's knap involves a 20 minute walk up the hill from the car park and through a shady woodland path. It's a fascinating ancient structure in the Cotswolds.

How amazing that this burial site still exists after 5,000 years. And we can walk in the footsteps of those peoples. The Knap is on an exposed ridge line and is along the Cotswold Way making it a very good test stop. It’s a beautiful landscape but very exposed to the elements.

When I visited at the beginning of May it was on a beautiful day. The walk up the fairly steep hill was quite exhausting for me, but I felt it was worth it. And throughout I was completely on my own. So peaceful.

A serene place nestled on the top of hill. It has been well restored in the 1960s. There are 3 chambers you can enter all are quite small. It has a peaceful ambiance about the site. It alignment is just off North so probably aligned to the constellation of Cygnus but I left my Compass in the car so not exactly sure but it looks close. Well worth the visit

Belas Knapp is an neolithic long barrow burial mound found on the side of Cleeve Hill a few miles out of Cheltenham, overlooking the town of Winchcombe. You reach it by car via Corndean Lane or by hiking up the Cotswold Way from Winchcombe. It's a 10-15 minute climb up the steep hill to the site. You can go into the burial chambers and the site is supposed to be situated on a ley line. It's well worth the climb to visit, be sure to wear proper footwear since the path is not paved. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belas_Knap