Standard Tour
Luxury Tour
The Best Of The Cotswolds In Luxury Walking Tour
DISTANCE
5 – 8 miles (8 – 13 km) per day
DIFFICULTY
Easy To Moderate
DURATION
8 nights
Accommodation
Luxury Hotels
Travel Information
Price
From £1600
Walking Tour Overview
Indulge in the epitome of luxury as you embark on a refined walking tour through the enchanting landscapes of The Cotswolds. This exclusive journey will lead you through some of the most picturesque countryside and idyllic villages in the region, where quaint cottages crafted from the renowned honey-coloured limestone dot the landscape. Your experience transcends the ordinary, as carefully curated walking routes guide you through the heart of classic English countryside, offering panoramic vistas of lush green hills, meandering pastures, and historic farmland. Enjoy the serenity of the journey as you make your way from one charming village to the next whilst staying in the finest hotels along the way and enjoying the great food and comfort on offer.
Highlights
- Walk up Broadway Tower for fine views before descending down into the ever-picturesque Chipping Campden.
- Rambling through some of the most picturesque countryside & villages in England
- Carefully selected accommodation at which to stay
- Average daily mileage 7 miles
Soaking up the history of the area. Ancient abbeys, churches and houses. - Appreciate a well-earned rest at one of the traditional country pubs in the area
Key Information
- Price: From £1600.00 pp based on two people sharing a room
- Best time to go: March – September
What’s Included
- 8 nights B&B accommodation
- Luggage transfers each walking day
- Route notes & maps
- Local back-up
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Moreton-in-Marsh
Arrive Moreton-in-Marsh for overnight.
Day 2: Moreton in Marsh to Stow-on-the-Wold (7 miles/11 km)
Cross the high wolds to Stow-on-the-Wold, complete with village stocks and picturesque square, via the fantastic Mogul manor house at Sezincote and a number of pretty hamlets. Overnight Stow-on-the-Wold.
Day 3: Stow-on-the-Wold to Bourton-on-the-Water (4.5 miles – 7.2 km)
Today’s route from Stow-on-the-Wold is a leisurely downhill walk across meadows to picturesque Lower Slaughter with its working mill and on to Bourton-on-the-Water, with its many attractions. Overnight Bourton-on-the-Water.
Day 4: Lower/Upper Slaughter to Guiting Power (7 miles/11 km)
The route follows the River Windrush to the village of Naunton with its ancient dovecote and on to lovely Guiting Power, where the church has a fine Norman arch. Transfer back to Bourton on the Water for overnight from Guiting Power.
Day 5: Guiting Power to Winchcombe (6 miles/9.5 km)
Transfer from Bourton on the Water to Guiting Power. Walk through woods and fields before the dramatic descent to the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe, close to Sudeley Castle, last resting place of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth wife. Overnight in Winchcombe, with its fascinating church and local museums.
Day 6: Winchcombe to Stanton (7 miles/11 km) or Broadway (10.5 miles/17 km or 8.5 miles/13.9 km)
Follow the pilgrims’ route to Hailes Abbey, then over the hills to Jacobean Stanway House, with its magnificent gatehouse and medieval tithe barn and on to idyllic Stanton. Stay in the small village of Stanton or the coaching village of Broadway, where an array of fine houses and inns flank the ‘broad way’. Also possible to overnight in Buckland Manor, 2 miles before Broadway.
Day 7: Broadway to Chipping Campden (8 miles/13 km or 4.5 miles/7 km)
Walk up to Broadway Tower, the 18th-century folly from where there are fine views across the vale before descending to Chipping Campden, the loveliest of all Cotswold villages, with its covered market place, beautiful ‘wool’ church, almshouses and silversmith. Overnight in Chipping Campden.
Day 8: Chipping Campden to Moreton in Marsh (7 miles/11 km)
Pass through the charming villages of Broad Campden and Blockley and descend to Batsford, where you may visit the arboretum and falconry centre. Finally, a pleasant stroll across meadows to Moreton in Marsh. Overnight Moreton in Marsh.
Day 9: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
Map
An eight night (or fewer if preferred) circular walking holiday of the North Cotswolds. This tour has seven walking days. The grading and distance is aimed at those wanting a less strenuous tour with enough time to take things at a leisurely pace.
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Accommodation
There are different categories of accommodation available from B&B accommodation to Village Inns to small & luxury hotels. Ensuite rooms are booked where possible, in some B&B's a private bathroom may be necessary.
B&B accommodation is generally in guesthouses, often private residences where some of the rooms are used for guests. They are also often smaller in size than Inns or hotels. All of our selected B&Bs will give you a warm welcome with a hearty breakfast for you in the morning. Because these are often private residences, there may not be the facilities you would expect to find in dedicated accommodation establishments. And they do not generally have options for dining in the evening.
Village Inns are generally larger, they may cater for only guests or they may also be a pub which also has guest rooms. They generally tend to have more in the way of facilities and have some kind of bar or dining options and are generally larger establishments than B&B’s
Hotels are usually the biggest of the establishments that we use and are more dedicated just to accommodation than B&B’s or Inns. There is a wide variety of hotels in The Cotswolds ranging from small hotels, to hotels with restaurants, to award winning luxury hotels.
Tour Grading
Distance: 47 miles (75 kms). Duration: 8 nights, 7 days walking. Maximum/minimum daily distances: 8.7 miles (13.9 km) / 4.5 miles (7.2 km).
This tour is of easy/moderate difficulty. Average daily walking distance is 7 miles and there are no prolonged or large altitude gains. Terrain is not generally too rugged. The walking is Mainly on dirt paths through fields, some stretches of tarmac, and occasional rocky paths.
Longest day 8.7 miles
Shortest day 4.5 miles
Average daily mileage 7 miles
Most cumulative elevation gain in one day 767 ft.
Average daily elevation gain over trip 500 ft
Travel Information
Arriving By Train:
The Cotswolds are at the heart of the British rail network. Direct trains travel from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh frequently.
Arriving By Plane:
Nearest airport: Birmingham Airport (54.1km).
Other nearby airports: Bristol Airport (97.6km), London Heathrow: (164km). From London Heathrow, you can take the Heathrow Express train directly to London Paddington from where you can then take a direct train to Moreton in Marsh
We are happy to arrange private transfers to you starting accommodation, please contact us for futher details.
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