Standard Tour

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Luxury Tour

The Cotswolds Circle

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DISTANCE

6 – 17 miles (9 – 27 km) per day

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DIFFICULTY

Moderate to Moderate Challenging

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DURATION

7 nights

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Accommodation

B&B Accommodation, Village Inns & Luxury Hostels

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Travel Information

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Price

£945

Walking Tour Overview

The Cotswold Circle Walking Tour takes you on a captivating 7-night journey through the heart of the Cotswolds, covering some of the region’s most charming towns and villages. Starting and ending in the picturescue town of Cheltenham, this circular route will take you through picturesque Winchcombe, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Bourton-on-the-Water, offering a diverse mix of classic English countryside scenery, rich history, and local culture along the way.

This tour is a fairly challenging, with considerable daily elevation gain and descent and longer daily walking distances that require a consistent walking pace to cover. The Cotswold Circle Walking Tour is better suited for hikers with good fitness and experience of walking multiple days of longer distances.

Accommodation throughout the tour has been carefully selected to provide a perfect blend of comfort and local character, allowing you to unwind after a day of exploration.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply someone seeking the charm of rural England, the Cotswold Circle Walking Tour promises a rich and rewarding experience. As you walk, you’ll pass through beautiful countryside, timeless stone villages, and notable landmarks, from Broadway’s stunning village green to Chipping Campden’s renowned Arts and Crafts architecture. The historic market towns of Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water offer delightful stops, while Cheltenham’s Regency elegance provides the perfect beginning and end to this memorable journey.

Tour Highlights

Explore Cheltenham, celebrated for its Regency architecture, Imperial Gardens, and the famous Cheltenham Racecourse. Browse the art galleries and enjoy a leisurely stroll along Cheltenham’s charming promenades. Transition from the bustle of Regency Cheltenham to the quiet of the hills.

Walk past the ancient burial mound of Belas Knap on the way to the historic Saxon town of Winchcombe, where you’ll discover Sudeley Castle with its beautiful gardens and royal connections.

Climb to Broadway Tower for panoramic views, then stroll through the idyllic village, often referred to as the ‘gateway to the Cotswolds.’

Journey to Chipping Campden, where the town’s Arts and Crafts heritage shines through in its architecture and silversmiths, and explore the stunning gardens at Kiftsgate Court and Hidcote, renowned for their beauty and design.

Follow the pilgrim’s route to Hailes Abbey, an ancient 13th-century Cistercian abbey that once attracted thousands of pilgrims.

Marvel at the traditional market square in Moreton-in-Marsh and explore nearby Batsford Arboretum, with its vast collection of trees and scenic walks.

End your tour in Bourton-on-the-Water, often called the “Venice of the Cotswolds,” where the River Windrush meanders through charming streets lined with stone bridges. Visit the Model Village and the Cotswold Motoring Museum for a unique look into the region’s history, both large and small.

As you make your way back to Cheltenham via the villages of Naunton and Guiting Power, enjoy sweeping views across the rolling hills of the Cotswold escarpment, bringing your Cotswold adventure to a perfect close.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Cheltenham

Overnight in Cheltenham, a beautiful town celebrated for its Regency architecture and fine shops and restaurants. From the art gallery and museum at the town’s promenade, to the racecourse that hosts the famous Cheltenham Festival, and Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham is a warm welcome to the Cotswolds for a wide range of guests.

Day 2: Cheltenham to Winchcombe (8 miles/13 km)

Starting from the classical Pump Room, the route crosses Cleeve Hill – the highest point in the Cotswolds – to Belas Knap long barrow and descends to Sudeley Castle and the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe, with its fine wool church.

Day 3: Winchcombe to Broadway (10.5 miles/17 km)

Follow the pilgrims’ route to Hailes Abbey, then over the hills to Jacobean Stanway House and on to idyllic Stanton, before reaching the old coaching village of Broadway for overnight.

Day 4: Broadway to Chipping Campden (4.5 miles/7 km)

A half day’s walking over the hills via Broadway Tower with its magnificent views to Chipping Campden. In the afternoon, explore this charming town with its silversmiths and ‘wool church’, or visit Dover’s Hill, site of the annual ‘Cotswold Olympiks,’ or the beautiful gardens at Kiftsgate or the National Trust gardens at Hidcote; or spend the afternoon at nearby Stratford-on-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Day 5: Chipping Campden to Moreton-on-Marsh (8 miles/13 km)

Through neighboring Broad Campden to charming Blockley and Batsford, famed for its arboretum and falconry centre. Then to the market town of Moreton-on-Marsh, straddling the old Roman road, the Fosse Way.

Day 6: Moreton-on-Marsh to Bourton-on-the-Water (12 miles/19 km)

After crossing the high wolds to Stow-on-the-Wold, complete with village stocks and picturesque square, the Cotswold Ring then passes through Lower Slaughter to Bourton-on-the-Water, prettily located on the River Windrush, with its many attractions.

Day 7: Bourton-on-the-Water to Cheltenham (Prestbury) (15 miles/24 km)

The Ring follows the pretty Windrush through the lovely villages of Naunton and Guiting Power. Finally, a dramatic descent from the high wolds through the meadows of the Cotswold escarpment to journey’s end in Cheltenham.

Day 8: Departure

Departure after breakfast.

Map

Embark on a 7 night/8 day self-guided walking holiday through the heart of the Cotswolds. The Circular route begins and ends in Cheltenham and takes you through the quintessential Cotswold villages of Winchcombe, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Moreton-on-Marsh, and Bourton-on-the-Water.

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Distance

Total: 58 miles (93 km)

Duration: 6 walking days

Average daily mileage: 9.6 miles (15.5 km)

Longest day: 15 miles (24 km)

Shortest day: 4.5 miles (7 km)

Moderate to Challenging

Longer daily walking distances that require a consistent good walking pace to cover. Elevation gain and descent will be consistently present each day, with some days potentially having more substantial amounts and longer climbs. Walking terrain will be varied and also potentially exposed in bad weather. Aimed at hikers with good fitness and experience of walking multiple days of longer distances.

Highest elevation gain in one day: 1212 ft

Average daily elevation gain: 818 ft

Duration

7 nights

6 days walking

Accommodation

Accommodation on this tour has been hand-picked to provide guests with an authentic experience of Bath and the Cotswolds.

Though accommodation may vary from tour to tour, we gravitate towards a selection of quintessential English countryside stays. Some favourites when it comes to our South Cotswolds Ring Walking Tour include:

Clarence Court Hotel at Cheltenham

Redesdale Arms at Moreton-in-Marsh

White Hart Inn at Winchcombe

Russells at Broadway

Noel Arms at Chipping Campden

Chester House Hotel at Bourton-on-the-Water

All of our selected B&Bs, Inns, and Hotels will give you a warm welcome with a hearty breakfast for you in the morning to set you off on your day’s walk.

Travel Information

Best time to go: March – September

Arriving By Train:

The Cotswolds are at the heart of the British rail network. Direct trains travel from London Paddington Station to Cheltenham Spa Station frequently.

Arriving By Plane:

Recommended airports: London Heathrow, Birmingham International

From London Heathrow, you can take the Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth Line metro to London Paddington station, where you can catch a direct train to Bath Spa station. The journey from London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The journey is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from Birmingham International.

National Express bus services also go to Cheltenham bus station, and these run fairly frequently from London.

Arriving By Car:

There are often on-street parking restrictions in the centre of Cheltenham, and you may need to go out from the centre some way to find on-street parking with no restrictions. Long-stay car parks are available around the city.

Private Transfer:

We are happy to arrange private transfers to your starting accommodation.

Please contact us for further details.