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Walking Holidays in the UK |
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Walking Holiday on
The Cotswold Way
Stratford-upon-Avon to Bath
The Cotswold Way is one of the newest national trails in the UK.
10 days waking, 11 nights
Total Distance:
117 miles
Min/max daily distance:
7/15 miles
Average Daily distance:
12 miles
Grading:
easy/moderate
Features:
Cotswolds
Stratford-upon-Avon
Bath
To start your Cotswold's walking holiday you make your own way to Stratford-upon-Avon, or Chipping Campden if you prefer. We can assist with coach or train transfers if necessary, just ask one of our staff. Car parking is available for the duration of your Cotswolds self-guided walking holiday.
Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and also the start of the Shakespeare's Way. You follow the River Avon along way-marked trails out of Stratford and head towards Mickleton and Chipping Campden.
Walking on from Chipping Campden, one of the best of the Cotswold market towns with a fine range of shops and pubs, the trail climbs on to an escarpment offering fine views across the Vale of Evesham. You then walk through the very popular town of Broadway with its honey coloured houses and fine old English tea rooms. There is plenty of time to explore the Cotswold gem that is Broadway. The hiking trail soon arrives at Stanton.
Walking on from Stanton, which has been called the perfect Cotswold village, the route crosses farmland and then climbs to Stumps Cross. The remains of Hailes Abbey are worth a visit. Winchcombe is a fine small town with a selection of shops and inns, also a Folk museum. The walk passes Sudeley Castle, dating back to the 12th century. Cleeve Common and the surrounding areas offer fine views.
Today's walk mostly follows the western edge of the Cotswolds escarpment above Cheltenham. This area is famous for its butterflies. The trail passes by Dowdeswell Reservoir. The route passes Seven Springs, claimed to be the source of the River Thames. The Devil's Chimney a craggy rock finger is a local landmark.
Much of today's walk is in woodlands. At the Roman Villa at Witcombe, a bath house and fine mosaics have been unearthed. Cooper Hill offers fine views and formed part of a large 500bc Iron Age encampment.
Painswick is a fine small market town with streets dating back to the 13th century. The local stone is light grey giving the town a different feel for a normal Cotswold town. This section of The Cotswold Way is said to have some of the finest views on the whole walking trail. The views from Haresfield Beacon over the Severn valley below are stunning.
Today's walk is quite hilly but rewards you with fine vistas and many historic sites including a Neolithic long barrow and Iron Age fort. The walking trail passes through Dursley, a town once famous for its wool and cloth. The Severn Valley and the Forest of Dean offer great vistas in this part of The Cotswold Way.
The town of Wotton-under-Edge dates back to Saxon times AD940, but the oldest house in the town now dates back to 1350 (the former Ram Inn). This town has a fine mixture of old buildings and a selection of pubs, shops and places to eat. This part of your walking holiday passes through an area of the Cotwolds where in former times the cloth and woollen industries were very important. The Cotswold Way passes many former water mills and mill streams. This section of the Cotswold Way shares a short section with the Monarchs Way (coming as a new walking holiday route very soon).
This section of the trail is perhaps the most rural as there are few villages. The highlights are Sodbury Hill Fort with 11 acres of ramparts and ditches with Iron Age and Roman origins. The walk through Dodington Park, landscaped by Capability Brown, is a highlight. Dyrham Park, famous for deer and a fine Tudor mansion, is well worth a visit.
Today's walk is through a very varied landscape of hills offering fine vistas and pretty little valleys showing the Cotswolds at their best. Finally the walking holiday ends in Bath, this gem of an English city, famous for its Roman Baths, Abbey and Royal Crescent. Why not extent your stay and explore Bath?
What's included
in your UK walking holiday
on the Cotswold Way
- accommodation at high quality guest houses, inns or small hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
- room with en-suite or private bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities
- daily luggage transfer
- support should there be any problems on route
- detailed itineraries
- Harvey's map of Cotswold Way
- Cicerone's guide to The Cotswold Way
Day 12: Depart
after breakfast
or extend your stay and spend some time exploring Bath.
At Stratford-upon-Avon this walk connects with
Shakespeare's Way.
Short walking breaks are also available, with 2 or 3 days walking. Just select the part of the path you want to walk.
The above distances are only a suggestion. If you would like to walk longer or shorter distances, we can arrange that too.
We have no minimum party size.
We pride ourselves on not cancelling holidays due to minimum numbers.
Optional Extras
for your UK Walking Holiday
on the Cotswold Way
- upgrade to the region's most elegant, prestigious and famous hotels, where available
- transfers back to car or station
- parking facilities
- rest days
- inn to inn walks
10 days walking/11 nights
from £635 per person
9 days walking/10 nights
from £575 per person
double occupancy
All prices subject to change
By Car to Chipping Campden where parking is available
By Train / Bus to Stratford-upon-Avon or Bath
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Contact us for schedule and availability. Lines are open 9am to 9pm 7 days a week.  +44
(0)1837 880075or email us 2009 prices held for 2010 |
