England: Cotswolds Walk
Six nights; six days of hiking on small paths, quiet lanes, and the Cotswold Way. Experience gorgeous villages, wool churches, and escarpment views in England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
WHY THIS TRIP?
- Exceptionally pretty countryside with panoramic views along England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- Easy access from London.
- Inn-to-inn walking with minimal transfers.
- Excellent restaurants and pubs.
- Historical and architectural sites: a Jacobean manor, Roman villas, and wool churches adorned with gargoyles.
- Classic Cotswold villages, some of which have been featured in the Harry Potter films.
ROUTE EXPECTATIONS:
Requiring moderate fitness levels, these cover terrain with hills and valleys, and tend to include distances of 50-80km (30-50mi.)/day cycling, or 3-6 hours of walking per day. Most Freewheeling Adventures fall into this category, and are suitable for most ability levels.
7-14 miles of walking daily, with some shorter or longer options. The route follows woodland walks on packed earth, and quiet lanes. It is well maintained and signposted.
Daily Distance:
- DAY 1: Introductions
- DAY 2: ~10 mi
- DAY 3: ~8 mi
- DAY 4: ~6.5 mi
- DAY 5: ~7.5 mi
- DAY 6: ~10 mi or ~14 mi
- DAY 7: ~14 mi or ~10 mi
England: Cotswolds Walk – Elevation Profile
(Click image to enlarge)
England: Cotswolds Walk
Activity Levels
The easiest routes we offer, these are generally flat and cover relatively relaxed distances. You will be comfortable riding a hybrid bike, walking in sneakers, or paddling a light kayak, and will normally have time to take many photos and enjoy extended lunches.
This is primarily an easy route, but some days may fall into the moderate category. You can expect time to stop and smell the roses, but some of the rides may be on more hilly terrain.
Requiring moderate fitness levels, these cover terrain with hills and valleys, and tend to include distances of 50-80km (30-50mi.)/day cycling, or 3-6 hours of walking per day. Most Freewheeling Adventures fall into this category, and are suitable for most ability levels.
This is primarily a moderate route, suitable for most ability levels, but some days may be a little more challenging. You can expect some long distances, and/or some big climbs/descents
The most challenging trips, these include longer distances, bigger hills, long hikes, exposed paddling, and full days of activity. We recommend a higher degree of fitness and training to make the most of the experience.
There is also a rare double black diamond, reserved for only the most difficult adventures.
Start: Moreton-in-Marsh, 16:00, day one. Frequent trains from London Paddington Station, approx. 90 min. Connections from Heathrow approx. 25 min. For rates and schedules visit www.nationalrail.co.uk. Optional pick up may be available at London Heathrow.
Finish: Bath, 18:00, day seven. Trains to London Paddington Station (75 minutes), Heathrow, and elsewhere in the UK can be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Please contact us to arrange alternate plans, if necessary.
Introductions
Meet in Moreton-in-Marsh for a short transfer to Chipping Campden. Spend the evening getting acquainted with Cotswold architecture and honey-coloured stone in this quintessential market town. You will have time to visit one of the best examples of a “wool church” before a delicious supper. D (Meal inclusions shown for guided trips only. Self-guided trips include breakfasts only).
Noel Arms Hotel, Chipping Camden
10 mi
Starting at the uppermost point on the Cotswold Way, you are immediately greeted with famed escarpment views contrasted against lush green meadows. Make your way through Broadway and stop at Broadway Tower (the highest point in the Cotswolds) before walking to the historically preserved village of Stanton, frequently featured in movies and shows for its architectural beauty. BLD
The Old Post House, or The Vine B&B, Stanton
8 mi
Spend today wandering through peaceful countryside and gazing at dreamy hillscapes. Your route will take you past a Jacobean manor, Norman churches, Hailes Abbey, and the stately Sudeley Castle. In your destination of Winchcombe, the archetypical buildings of Cotswold stone add to the wonder of this small, Anglo-Saxon town. BD
The Lion Inn, or Wesley House, Winchcombe
6.5 mi
Following attractive streets out of Winchcombe, resume the footpath to climb to the highest land on the Cotswolds at panoramic Cleeve Hill, also known as Cleeve Cloud. There can be excellent views over the Severn toward Wales, and over some of the sites with which you will have become familiar. Roman villas and Neolithic burial chambers are nearby, and a village that seems to grow out of the landscape, where you will stay for the night. BLD
Cleeve Hill House Hotel, or The Rising Sun, Cleeve Hill
7.5 mi
A short transfer to Wolton-under-Edge puts you back on the Cotswold Way through gentle valleys and views of the geologic phenomenon known as the Cotswold cuesta. As you walk along streams, we challenge you to imagine the days when the energy from these waterways was harnessed by cloth mills to bring the textile fame and abundance this part of the world once enjoyed. BD
The Fox Inn, or The Bodkin House, Hawkesbury Upton
10 mi to Tolldown or 14 mi to Wick
Today’s walk is truly enhanced by the remote and peaceful landscape. Paths through farmland with drystone walls take you to one of England’s oldest homes, a Roman frontier post, calming woodland, and an imposing mansion near Dyrham – a prime example of Elizabethan architecture perched on the Southern end of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds. BLD
The Crown Inn, Tolldown; or Toghill House Farm, Wick
14.2 mi from Tolldown or 10 mi from Wick
The last leg of the Cotswold Walk is a proper finale, with varied landscapes that revisit valleys, panoramic escarpment views, rolling hills and woodland. After passing an Iron Age fort and a historic battlefield, make your way to the final vista just before the last descent to the architectural climax of Bath – a Roman planned town on the River Avon, whose baths and temple are famous landmarks. Your guides will bid you farewell this afternoon. B
All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.
SCHEDULED DATES
2023 Guided:
- May 7-13
- Jun 11-17
- Sep 3-9
- Sep 24-30
2024 Guided:
- May 5-11
- Jun 9-15
- Sep 1-7
Self-Guided available any dates, except for those listed above. New dates are also welcomed for guided or private departures.
PRICING
Guided: C 3995 (per person, double occupancy)
Includes 6 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 6 dinners, luggage handling, guide and vehicle support, maps and route instructions, taxes
Small groups or private tours, fully supported with drivers/guides and vehicles, all lodging and most meals included. Choose from existing dates or request new departures. Read more on our “What to Expect” page.
Self-Guided: C 3695 (per person, double occupancy; 4 person minimum; 2-3 people add $300pp)
Includes 6 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, inn to inn luggage transfers and daily consultation with your driver for lifts, etc, maps, route instructions, taxes
Semi-supported, independent tours including welcome briefing, lodging, luggage transfers and necessary vehicle transfers. Choose from existing dates or request new departures. Read more on our “What to Expect” page.
Single Occupancy: 855
All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.
Please see above for accurate pricing and inclusions, unless we have proposed a customized trip for you and those details are provided in your custom proposal.
1. Choose an advertised date to join a small group, or see our Join a Group page to see where groups are already forming.
2. Pick your own dates. We will confirm quickly, and are happy to talk with you as you make your choice. If you would like a private guided date, price remains the same as advertised if you have at least six. If you prefer self-guided, we usually only require two participants to initiate a new date at the advertised price, and can sometimes reduce prices for you if you have four or more.
More Reading:
This southbound walking tour follows the famed escarpment of the Cotswold Way. It boasts broad panoramas, soft green valleys, and peaceful villages in England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Easily accessed from London by train, it will take you on a series of gentle hikes through an historically and architecturally rich part of the old world. You will visit wool churches adorned with gargoyles, a Jacobean manor, Roman villas, and classic Cotswold villages, some of which have been featured in the Harry Potter films.
While walking from inn to inn, you will dine in excellent restaurants and pubs, and enjoy countless views as you make your way from the start in Chipping Campden through myriad villages to the Roman- found city of Bath. This fascinating route will amply satisfy your desires for both adventure and comfort.
