Self-Guided Hiking Tours

England | Cotswold Way

Step into an English fairy tale.

England
  • Cotwolds Trek
  • Costwold Way Trail Sign
  • Cotswolds Trek
  • Cotswold hiking trail
  • England Self Guided Tour
  • Cotswolds house
  • Cotswolds Way
  • "We absolutely loved the trail, the English Countryside, the peacefulness, and lack of tourists. The trail was very well managed and easily navigable with the help of your directions."- Ken P.

Trip Highlights:

  • Villages straight out of Harry Potter, replete with limestone cottages, thatched roofs and winding cobblestone roads.
  • Famous archaeology sites, including Hetty Pegler’s Tump and Belas Knap. Roman era and Iron Age Hill Forts abound on the higher promontories.
  • Easy to moderate hiking days. While some days can be long underfoot, the Cotswold Way is never strenuous. The high point on Cleeve Common is only 900 feet above sea level indicating that is impossible to have a very long period of ascent.

Quintessential England is, perhaps, the best way to describe the Cotswolds of west-central England. Peaceful villages welcome travelers with warm stone cottages and intimate B&Bs. Winding country lanes, cobblestoned and lined with dry-stone walls guide explorers through a tapestry of quiet tearooms and cozy pubs. Stately hedgerows divide a fanciful realm of rolling hillsides and mysterious woods. It is not surprising that so many stories, from Harry Potter to Peter Rabbit, arise from this magical corner that many people refer to as a “Christmas card come to life”.

Fortunately, you don’t have to fight Lord Voldemort to explore this storybook heart of England. The Cotswold Way offers hikers a 102-mile walking path that snakes southward from Chipping Campden to the World Heritage City of Bath. The Cotswold Way achieved national trail status in 2007, and cleverly connects a patchwork of rolling hills, idyllic villages, and ancient settlements dating back more than 6000 years.

Trip Itinerary

Choose from our standard itinerary or customize the trek by adding or subtracting days.

Independently transfer to Chipping Campden, and overnight in a fine four-star hotel.

Exit Chipping Campden through rolling farmland and soon follow Mile Drive to Broadway Tower, one of the famous follies of the region. Lunch in Broadway, one of the Cotswolds’ most classic towns. Continue on to Stanton, perhaps the simplest and most charming Cotswold village. Transfer back to your hotel in Chipping Campden for the night.

Distance: 10.5 miles.

Transfer back to Stanton to begin your hike with a lovely ramble through the hamlet of Stanway, and continue on to Haile’s Abbey, built by the brother of Edward III. Enjoy lunch in Winchecombe before continuing on to the Cotswold Way high point on Cleeve Common. This hike can be shortened with a taxi transfer if desired. Spend the first of two nights in a very well-appointed B&B in Cleeve Hill.

Distance: 8 – 13.5 miles.

Spend today high above Cheltenham, one of England’s prettier spa cities, known for its steeplechase grounds. Stop for lunch before climbing through atmospheric Lineover Wood and Ravensgare Hill. Finish at the Seven Springs Pub. Transfer back to Cleeve Hill.

Distance: 9 miles.

This is a unique stage of the Cotswold Way in that it is almost entirely in woodlands. Begin in the Witcombe Wood and visit the fascinating Witcombe Roman Villa. Pass the Double Gloucester Cheese Round Rolling Competition site at Cooper’s Hill before traversing to Painswick (the “Queen” of the Cotswolds). Overnight in a fine bed & breakfast.

Distance: 7 miles (longer hike available).

Begin with a long and pleasant traverse through Stockend Wood before ascending briefly to the Haresfield Beacon, a Roman Hill fort. Continue through the atmospheric Standish Wood and begin a lengthy descent into Stonehouse. Overnight in a fine hotel.

Distance: up to 10 miles.

Today’s walk begins on the beautiful Selsley Common. Pass by the famous Long Barrow and Hetty Pegler’s Tump (a Neolithic Chambered Mound). Ascend and traverse the lovely Cam Long Down and descend to Dursley for a pub lunch. Climb to the impressive Tyndall Monument before descent into Wotton-under-Edge. Overnight in an excellent B&B.

Distance: 7.5 – 14.2 miles.

Walk through the charming hamlets of Alderley and Hillesley. Continue down Bath Lane to the beautiful hamlets of Horton and Sodbury. Walk through isolated rural villages and enjoy the lovely English countryside on your way into Old Sodbury.

Distance: 7.5 – 12.8 miles.

Transfer to Dyrham Park or Cold Ashton (unless you are a purist) and wander through lovely farmland to the battle site of Lansdown Hill. Pass the Bath Racecourse and descend to this famous town. The routing through Bath takes you past the beautiful Royal Crescent and finishes at the Roman Baths. Overnight in an excellent hotel and celebrate your achievement in one of Bath’s best restaurants.

Distance: 8 – 12.5 miles.

Afternoon flights out of London can easily be met.

Cotswold Way | England

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