Cotswold Way – 11 nights / 10 days walking

About this trail

Your Cotswold Way holiday will take you through some of the most charming villages and market towns in England, elegantly constructed from the golden-coloured stone of the region. Your immersion in Cotswold scenery starts immediately on day one, when you arrive in beautiful Chipping Campden, and continues each day throughout the walk.

The route will take you along some fabulous viewpoints and via archaeological and historic sites of interest before reaching the city of Bath with its fine abbey and numerous Roman sites of interest.

Terrain and navigation

As a national trail and one that is well-frequented, the Cotswold Way is well signposted and the path under foot is well worn. Though the Cotswolds are in general very gentle hills, the route itself ascends and descends a steep escarpment in places and as such, some days do involve some challenging hills, though nothing that a reasonably fit walker could not manage. Cleeve Hill is the highest point on the route. Located on Cheltenham’s north eastern edge, it affords great views of Cheltenham and the surrounding area.

Route elevation

Highest point: 330 metres
Total ascent / descent: 4136 metres / 4248 metres

Included as standard in the price

The price quoted is per person and is based on two people sharing a room. It includes:

• Carefully selected, en-suite bed and breakfast accommodation*
• Daily luggage transfers to your accommodation**
• All the necessary maps and guidebooks for your walk
• Route notes and maps detailing how to find your B&B at the end of each day
• The cost of any transfers that are required from the route to your accommodation if we are unable to book you into a B&B within easy walking distance of the trail
• Information about any special facilities offered by your hosts (eg hot tub or licensed bar)
• Suggestions and contact details for places for an evening meal each day
• Telephone support if required
• Advice from our team on travel to and from the start and end of the trail.

*En-suite is always chosen unless all options are booked out, in which case private bathrooms are sought. Customers are always consulted about non-en-suite options before details are finalised.

**Standard package includes one piece of baggage per walker, up to a maximum weight of 20kg. Additional bags can be transferred but incur an additional cost. Please enquire if you need this service.

Packed lunches and evening meals

The cost of these is not included in our standard package. All the accommodation providers we use offer packed lunches to keep you well fed during your walk. Payment is made directly to your hosts. Similarly, if you have an evening meal either at your accommodation or another local establishment, you pay them directly for it.

Optional extras that can be provided by Discovery Travel

Discovery Travel specialises in providing completely tailor-made services to our clients. This means that if our standard published itineraries do not suit our customers’ needs, we are always happy to discuss ways in which we can adjust accommodation, shorten or lengthen itineraries and distances to make for the perfect trip.

We also offer the following services to make for a seamless holiday:

• Transport to and from the start and finish of a trail
• Airport transfers
• Minibus and driver service, in particular for large groups where multiple accommodations are required each night and transfers are frequently required at the end of the day’s walk

If you are interested in any of the above or have any particular requirements, please do contact us to discuss your needs.

Make more of your break

If you would like to pause during your walk and explore one of the overnight locations for longer, you are free to select and add extra days to your holiday at any of your overnight stops. Prices for extra days are quoted above and will be added to the total cost of the holiday. If the itineraries on our website do not quite meet your requirements please do get in touch to arrange a bespoke trip.

Below are some suggestions for good places to spend an extra day or so.

Bath

Bath is an obvious choice to add an extra day or two at the end of the holiday. A Unesco World Heritage Site, Bath is located on its own thermal spa which was hugely important in Roman times and remains a fine example today. While exploring the historic and beautiful locations within this city you might treat yourself to a spa at the modern day Thermae Bath Spa or one of the many other spa experiences the city has to offer. Bath also features heavily in the work of Jane Austen, so take a walk through the Georgian architecture and imagine yourself chatting with Mr Darcy!

Winchcombe

A short walk south from Winchcombe you will find the vast Sudeley Castle, burial place of Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Katherine Parr. With its own church and ten individual gardens, it will take a whole – and well worthwhile – day to explore.

Photo: Visit Bath

When to go

The weather in the UK can vary hugely so be prepared for all weathers whatever time of the year. April, May and June are when everything comes to life so it is very green, wild flowers are abundant and blossom abounds. July and August tend to be the warmest months. September tends to be one of the most pleasant times in the countryside and is quieter as most people with children have finished their holidays. By October the days are getting shorter and the weather can be much more changeable.

Getting to and from the trail

By Air: The most convenient airports are Bristol or London Heathrow.

By Rail: Bath has its own train station. The nearest train station to Chipping Campden is Moreton in Marsh. For train times visit National Rail Enquiries.

By Bus: Buses stop in Chipping Campden. You can find details on getting to Chipping Campden using Google Maps. Click on “directions” in the left hand tab and enter your starting point.

Got a question about travel?

If you need any advice about travel to and from your walk, please get in touch with Discovery Travel and we will be happy to help.