Exploring the Cotswolds - 8 days

The Broadway Tower found in the Cotswolds, England.

Hikers in Chipping Campden, Cotswolds | Tom McShane

A day on our self guided Cotswolds walking tour | Mabel Cheang

Water mill in Lower Slaughter, Cotswolds | Ivy Barn

Ye olde English architecture in the Cotswolds | John Millen

What lies behind this gate in the Cotswolds? | Mabel Cheang

Medieval buildings, Stratford Upon Avon

The Broadway Tower found in the Cotswolds, England.

Hikers in Chipping Campden, Cotswolds | Tom McShane

A day on our self guided Cotswolds walking tour | Mabel Cheang

Water mill in Lower Slaughter, Cotswolds | Ivy Barn

Ye olde English architecture in the Cotswolds | John Millen

What lies behind this gate in the Cotswolds? | Mabel Cheang

Medieval buildings, Stratford Upon Avon

24 Trips to Explore in 2024See the List

Duration

8 days

Activities

self guided walk

Accommodation

B&B's

Meals

7 Breakfasts

Price

$1550USD

Overview

Trip Code: UCO

Self Guided Cotswolds Walking Trip highlights

Discovering the typically English countryside
Walking parts of the Cotswold Way
Enjoying the flexibility of walking with a daypack from village to village
Experiencing the hospitality in the independently-run B&B’s and guesthouses
Manor houses, gardens & golden towns

This holiday is intended to appeal to those who want a gentle introduction to walking in the English countryside; the Cotswold’s are hilly rather than mountainous - the highest point being little more than 1000 feet above sea level. Officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswold landscape is an entrancing mixture of parkland, cultivated fields with dry-stone walls of Jurassic limestone, and patches of unspoilt woodland. Stone-built, also, are almost all the cottages, farmhouses, villages, and small towns that our route passes. About half of our itinerary, around 50 miles (from Stratford-upon-Avon to Winchcombe), coincides with the Cotswold Way, a 102 mile Long Distance Path that is claimed to be the best waymarked in England.

Trip Grading

introductory to moderate

More info about grading system

Share trip:

Facebook Twitter Google+ Email

Traveller Rating

Itinerary

Expand all | Collapse all

Day 1
Arrive Stratford-upon-Avon

Make your own way to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. The day is free to explore the town. You can visit Shakespeare's birthplace in the centre of town, the Holy Trinity Church where he is buried, and the thatched cottage where Anne Hathaway once lived. Accommodation: Moonraker House is a traditional English 4* licensed bed & breakfast with en-suite rooms, delicious home cooking, friendly service and a cosy atmosphere.

Meals: Nil

Day 2
Walk to Mickleton via Hidcote Gardens - 17 km/10.5 miles, 5.5 h

Today's walk will bring you to Mickleton. We suggest that you stop off at the National Trust Gardens at Hidcote Manor, near Mickleton. Enjoy the wide views over the vales of Severn and Avon toward the Malvern Hills and Wales. Accommodation: The Three Ways Hotel is home to the famous Pudding Club and its award winning restaurant.

Meals: B

Day 3
Walk to Broadway via Chipping Campden Fish Hill - 14.5 km/9 miles, 4 h

Today you will walk to Broadway via Chipping Campden Fish Hill and the unique Broadway Tower, which offer remarkable views of the Cotswolds. Broadway is a beautiful and picturesque town, and the main street is lined with magnificent stone-built houses as well as some great antique shops. Accommodation: You will receive a warm welcome at The Broadway Hotel.

Meals: B

Day 4
Walk to Blockley - 19.3 km/12 miles, 6 h

On today's walk to Blockley you will pass Buckland where you can take a little time to explore, the church is interesting and has medieval painted roof timbers. Pass Laverton, Stanton and Snowshill. A visit to the Tudor Snowshill Manor, with its collection of art and artefacts from all over the world, may be of interest. Blockley bears some resemblance to the villages of the Stroud Valley but the stone is much more golden in colour. During the 18th century when the wool industry was in decline, Blockley turned to silk production. The village is a unique collection of buildings reflecting its past glory of mills and silk production and is quite different in character to other north Cotswolds villages. Accommodation: The Crown Inn Hotel is an enchanting historic building.

Meals: B

Day 5
Walk to Bourton-on-the-Water via Batsford & Lower Slaughter - 21.5 km/13 miles, 7 h

Today is a beautiful walk, and you will be able to explore some of the prettiest villages of the Cotswolds. To the medieval wool town of Bourton-on-the-Water, the walk will take you via Batsford, Stow-on-the-Wold and Lower Slaughter. The river Windrush flows down the main street of Bourton-on-the-Water. This Cotswolds town is well known for its footbridges over the river Evenlode. Accommodation: The Lansdowne is a family run 4* guesthouse where you can expect a warm welcome on arrival (if we are not able to get you booked at The Lansdowne, we will endeavour to get you into an accommodation nearby but please note that there is no similar guesthouse that is of the same standard in this location).

Meals: B

Day 6
Walk to Guiting Power - 11.6 km/7 miles, 4 h. Taxi to Winchcombe

An easy schedule today, which allows ample time to explore Bourton-on-the-Water with its many attractions before setting out on your walk. Guiting Power, nestled in the hills above a small valley, is a perfect example of a Cotswold village. Due to limited accommodation in Guiting Power, you will spend 2 nights in Winchcombe. You will meet with a taxi in Guiting Power and be transferred to your accommodation in Winchcombe (included in the cost of your trip). Accommodation: You will spend 2 nights at Wesley House in Winchcombe, a 15th century merchant's house.

Meals: B

Day 7
Taxi to Guiting Power, then walk to Winchcombe 18.5 km/11.5 miles, 6 h

Your taxi (included in the cost of your trip) will drop you back at Guiting Power and from here you will walk to Winchcombe via one of these options: - Sudeley Castle, . 18.5 km/11.5 miles, 5 h - Warden’s Way & Sudeley Castle, 10.46 km/6.5 miles / 10.46 km, 2.5 h Your walk today leads you to the atmospheric ruins of Hailes Abbey, destroyed under Henry VIII, and the still inhabited Sudeley Castle, where Henry VIII's last wife Katherine Parr lived.

Meals: B

Day 8
Arrangements end after breakfast

Your trip concludes after breakfast.

Meals: B

Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.
On self guided trips, actual route information provided before departure will be more detailed.

Inclusions

What's included

7 breakfasts
7 nights B&B accommodation on a twin share basis usually with ensuite facilities
One piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 20kg
Information pack including route notes & maps (1 pack per room booked)
Emergency hotline
Return taxi Guiting Power - Winchcombe
GPX Files

What's not included

Travel to Stratford and from Winchcombe
Lunches, dinners and drinks
Transfers
Items of a personal nature
Travel insurance
A supplement will apply if you are travelling solo or book a single room
Guide - this is a self guided holiday

Accommodation

Hotels & guesthouses

The hotels described are our usual accommodation, however if these are not available then alternatives are used. Rooms generally do not have baths, the main reason being that they take up a lot of space. Some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it is showers. Note that for the dates of your tour we may not be able to get you into the accommodation described. We will endeavour to get you into a similar standard of accommodation nearby (apart from Bourton-on-the-Water where there is no similar accommodation of the same standard), but please appreciate that there is limited accommodation in rural England. Also, although we aim to get you into accommodations with ensuite rooms, this is not always possible. At a couple of places on your tour you may be sharing bathrooms, particularly if you are in a single room.

Grading

introductory to moderate

We grade this walk as ‘Easy - Moderate’ in relation to our other U.K tours, the route is hilly, but not mountainous, the weather is rarely too bad for walking, and there are generally quite a number of villages enroute. Days of up to 20 km are not too long for most reasonably fit people.

Departure dates

Daily from 16 Mar to 20 Oct

Notes

DN1

A supplement applies to overnight stays in Mickleton on a Friday or Saturday evening

DN2

5 day version available

DN3

Please note that minor changes to your 2024 itinerary may apply.

Want to organise a private group?

Fundraising events, sporting groups, family treats; learn how you can organise a Private Group from just 6 travellers.

Priceper person from

$1550USD

Options & Supplements*

Single SupplementUSD$610
Solo Traveller SupplementUSD$680

*Prices listed are per person

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all | Collapse all

?Does this trip follow the Cotswold Way?

This is a walking holiday in the Cotswolds that follows footpaths into interesting villages that the Cotswold Way largely misses. There are a couple of days where you will be walking on the Cotswold Way for some of the time. If you like to walk the Cotswold Way National Trail, please have a look at our trip called Cotswold Way (code WAD).

?Is navigation in the Cotswolds difficult?

You will be mainly walking across fields, so being able to follow a map is important although GPX files of the route are provided. Unlike the UK National Trails, there is no dedicated waymarking, but you will find walking path waymarks such as yellow or white arrows, or waymarks for specific trails. Our detailed route notes will be of great use as well.

?Will I need walking boots when I go walking in the Cotswolds?

We recommend footwear with ankle support as it is easy to twist an ankle when you're in the outdoor. Please note that on this walk sections can be muddy after rain and it is certainly worth having boot-type shoes.

?Do you have suggestions for adding in extra nights?

Well certainly Stratford Upon Avon; an extra day here will allow you to have more time to visit the sites related to Shakespeare. Bourton on the Water would be another good place for an extra day of resting or seeing more of the beautiful Cotswolds.

?How is this 8-day walk different to the 5-day 'Exploring the Cotswolds'?

This walking holiday includes several places that are excluded from the 5-day trip, these are Stratford Upon Avon, Mickleton, Chipping Camden, Blockley and Broadway. In addition, this walk does not include Moreton-in-Marsh, which the 5-day walk does visit.

Self Guided Cotswolds Walking Trip reviews

Why travel with us

Making Europe Affordable

We offer different levels of accommodation and comfort so that even the most budget conscious can treat themselves to active holidays on Europe's most celebrated tracks and trails. Our trips are great value for money because you only pay for what you want.

Self-Guided Specialists

Our wide range of self-guided itineraries embody the UTracks philosophy of exploring Europe your way. We handle the logistics so all that's left for you to do is enjoy exploring Europe at your own pace. Most depart daily with a minimum of two people, meaning maximum flexibility.

Our Wide Range

With close to 400 trips in almost 50 countries, including the largest range of bike & boat holidays in Europe, we're confident that we can organise an Alps walk, Camino de Santiago or Via Francigena experience, Food Lovers' trip or a tour in a lesser-known pocket of Europe that you will love.