The Cotswold Way Walk

The Cotswold Way Walk

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The Cotswold Way Walk

10 Days Starting in Chipping Campden and ending in Bath

Visiting: Chipping Campden, Stanton, Prestbury Hill Butterfly Reserve, Birdlip, Leonard Stanley, Wotton-under-Edge, Old Sodbury, Cold Ashton, Bath

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

W09CO

Group Type:

Independent

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

12 to 99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English

Interests:

History, Photography

Activities:

Trekking, Walking

Tour Overview

It follows the western edge of the Cotswold Hills and leads you through England's largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with its rolling pastures with dry stone walls, beech woods, and picturesque villages with honey-coloured cottages built from Cotswold stone. From Chipping Campden, known for its covered marketplace and beautiful 'wool' church you'll follow the trail along the Cotswold escarpment with ever-changing views to the west towards the River Severn and the Malvern Hills. Along the way you'll discover a wealth of pretty Cotswolds villages, stately homes, Iron Age hill forts and historic battle sites. Climb Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds where you will be rewarded with spectacular views over Cheltenham, the River Severn, the Malvern Hills, and, on a clear day, the Black Mountains of Wales. The end of the Cotswold Way is marked at Bath Abbey with a carved stone disc. Spend time discovering the delights of Bath from the Roman baths to the honey-coloured Georgian architecture of the Royal Crescent.

Highlights

  • Explore the Cotswolds - England's 2nd largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

  • Historic sites, beautiful churches and picturesque villages

  • Panoramic views from the Cotswold escarpment across the Severn Vale in an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty.

  • Walk the length of the Cotswold Way, a National Trail from the historic market town of Chipping Campden to Bath.

  • Explore the Cotswolds - England's largest Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyWalk the length of the Cotswold Way, a National Trail from the historic market town of Chipping Campden to Bath.Historic sites, beautiful churches and picturesque villagesPanoramic views from the Cotswold escarpment across the Severn Vale in an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty.

  • — Explore the Cotswolds - England's largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — Walk the length of the Cotswold Way, a National Trail from the historic market town of Chipping Campden to Bath. — Historic sites, beautiful churches and picturesque villages — Panoramic views from the Cotswold escarpment across the Severn Vale in an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive in Chipping Campden

Location: Chipping Campden

Arrive in the historic market town of Chipping Campden. Stay overnight at Noel Arms or similar.

Day 2 : Chipping Campden to Stanton

Location: Stanton

Meals Included: breakfast

Head up on to the Cotswolds escarpment from where you will enjoy stunning views from Dover's Hill, home to the annual 'Cotswold Olimpick Games'. Walk through fields to the 18th century folly, Broadway Tower. Descend to the coaching village of Broadway, where you will find fine houses and inns flanking the 'broad way', before climbing back up onto the escarpment, to Shenberrow Hill, the 3rd highest point in Gloucestershire from where you will descend into the idyllic village of Stanton. Stay overnight at Shenberrow Hill B&B or similar.

Day 3 : Stanton to Prestbury Hill

Location: Prestbury Hill Butterfly Reserve

Meals Included: breakfast

Today starts with a pleasant walk through the parkland of the Stanway Estate, with its Jacobean manor, magnificent gatehouse and medieval tithe barn. Climb up onto the escarpment to the Iron Age hill fort of Beckbury Camp, then follow the trail as it passes near highlights such as Hailes Abbey and Sudeley Castle. Visit the ancient Neolithic long barrow of Belas Knap on the panoramic ascent up to Cleeve Hill, the highest point of the Cotswolds. Stay overnight at Upper Hill Farm or similar.

Day 4 : Prestbury Hill to Birdlip

Location: Birdlip

Meals Included: breakfast

Walk through the ancient Lineover Wood and walk on the escarpment onto Leckhampton Hill and look out for the peculiar limestone rock formation known as the Devil's Chimney. Enjoy breathtaking views from Crickley Hill before descending through woodlands to Birdlip. Stay overnight at Royal George Hotel or similar

Day 5 : Birdlip to Leonard Stanley

Location: Leonard Stanley

Meals Included: breakfast

Head on to Painswick Beacon, the site of an Iron Age hill fort, then descend into Painswick, one of the architectural highlights of the trail, and the mid-point of the Cotswold Way. Follow the trail on to Haresfield Beacon, where you'll enjoy spectacular views across the Severn estuary, then pass through Standish Woods, where in springtime bluebells carpet the woodland floor. Stay overnight at the White Hart or similar.

Day 6 : Leonard Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge

Location: Wotton-under-Edge

Meals Included: breakfast

Follow the trail through woodland and climb to Cam Long Down from where the trail descends into the market town of Dursley. Tackle some slightly steeper slopes up onto Stinchcombe Hill and to the Tyndale Monument before the trail descends again to the town of Wotton-Under-Edge. Stay overnight at Swan Hotel or similar.

Day 7 : Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury

Location: Old Sodbury

Meals Included: breakfast

Today the trail passes close to the National Trust property of Newark Park. Continue the walk through woodland towards the village of Alderley, and ascend to the Somerset Monument and Horton Fort to reach Old Sodbury. Stay overnight at Rock Cottage or similar.

Day 8 : Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton

Location: Cold Ashton

Meals Included: breakfast

From Old Sodbury, the Cotswold Way crosses fields into the village of Tormarton, then continues on to the village of Dyrham, passing near Dyrham Park, a 17th-century mansion, garden and deer park. Continue through farmland to reach Cold Ashton. Stay overnight at Swan Cottage or similar.

Day 9 : Cold Ashton to Bath

Location: Bath

Meals Included: breakfast

From Cold Ashton climb up to the site of the civil war battle of Lansdown, At Prospect Stile you will catch your first glimpse of Bath in the valley below. Cross farmland to reach the edge of Bath where the trail becoms more urban and passes through parks and near magnificent regency architecture to reach Bath Abbey where a carved stone disc marks the end of the Cotswold Way. Stay overnight at Apple Tree Guesthouse or similar.

Day 10 : Leave Bath

Location: Bath

Meals Included: breakfast

Depart after breakfast.

What's Included

  • Luggage transfers between hotels

  • 9 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation

  • Full English Breakfasts

show more

What's Not Included

  • Visas & vaccinations

  • Hotel upgrades

  • Transfers to and from hotels

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)

  • Hotel upgradesTransfers to and from hotelsTravel insuranceSingle accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)Visas & vaccinations

  • — Hotel upgrades — Transfers to and from hotels — Travel insurance — Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement) — Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date) — Visas & vaccinations

Food

Enjoy the local cuisine in quintessentially British pubs, cafes and delicatessens - local delicacies include Cerney Ash or Stinking Bishop cheeses, Crackleberry Farm eggs, Cotswold Cream liqueur and the local ales - try the Yubby beer from the Yubberton Brewery Co. There's also the archetypal English Cream Teas that go down a treat with a nice hot cup of tea!

Accommodation

Accommodation is in a range of Bed & Breakfasts with character and hotels housed in historic buildings. Offering a warm and friendly Cotswold welcome, as well as hearty Full English breakfasts, they offer comfortable stops along the walk and a charming insight into Cotswold life.

Check out our Q&As

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit for future tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 90 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 120 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 89 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 51 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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