For Immediate Release

December 9, 2010

Contact: Chris Pranskatis -Phone: 970.708.7359

Telluride, CO-It is no wonder that so many fanciful tales, from Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter, found their roots in the Cotswolds of west-central England.  With cozy stone cottages and winding country lanes, the region inspires fantasy and imagination.

Fortunately, you don’t have to carry a magic wand, or fight Lord Voldemort, to explore this heart of storybook England. The Cotswolds Way, a new ten-day hiking tour offered by Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures, offers a creative twist on the Cotswold Way National Trail, a 102-mile walking path that explores an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are landscapes that are so beautiful and distinctive that it’s in the nation's best interest to safeguard them, “ said Melanie Eggers, managing director of Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures. “In a way, they’re the United Kindom’s version of a national park, but they don’t have tollgates, and the infrastructure is more developed. In some cases, the government preserves entire cities just for their architectural beauty and precious character.”

Of all the qualities that make the Cotswolds precious, it is the collection of limestone cottages that draw visitors from around the world.  Built from the underlying limestone bedrock, and adorned with flowers and thatched roofs, the cottages resemble something straight out of a children’s book, and a few of them are more than 500 years old.

“Henry Ford loved the cottages so much that he bought one for himself and had the whole thing shipped to the United States,” said Eggers. “When people think of the quintessential English countryside, it’s usually the Cotswolds that pops into their minds. The combination of rolling hills, inviting cottages and sheep grazing just outside the wooden gate, makes the whole place feel extremely idyllic.”

Ryder-Walker’s self-guided Cotswolds Way connects the most idyllic landmarks between Chipping Campden and the World Heritage City of Bath. Along the way, hikers follow the Cotswold Edge, an 80-mile, eastward-slanting limestone escarpment that offers panoramic views and access to ancient settlements dating back more than 6000 years.

The tour includes accommodation in four star hotels and classy B&Bs, luggage transfers, detailed route descriptions, transfers to trailheads, and an inside guide to the best watering holes in the region (from $1740 per person for ten days; ryderwalker.com)
 

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