Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Chipping Campden
Stop At: Chipping Campden, Chipping Campden, Cotswolds, England
Today you can check into your accommodation and explore the lovely shops, tea rooms and beautiful high street in the town. Chipping Campden is a traditional market town, with preserved historic features dating back as far as the 14th century. It is also one of the earliest examples of deliberate town planning with a charter from King Henry II to set out a plan of the town.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in local B&B
Day 2: Chipping Campden to Stanton
Stop At: Stanton, Stanton, Cotswolds, England
After leaving Chipping Campden, the Trail takes you out onto the Cotswold escarpment with stunning views from Dover’s Hill. This is where the annual ‘Olimpick’ games were held in 1612, with leapfrog, wrestling and shin-kicking events happening each year. The walk continues across the fields to Broadway Tower and then through the village of Broadway with its historic connections with the Arts & Crafts movement. Stanton is built entirely of Cotswold stone and will be your rest stop for the night.
Daily Distance: 16 km/ 10 miles
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight at local B&B
Day 3: Stanton to Winchcombe
Stop At: Winchcombe, Winchcombe, Cotswolds, England
After a steep climb up from Wood Stanway onto the escarpment, you will be rewarded by with magnificent views across the Vale of Evesham towards the Malverns. Passing the Iron Age hill fort of Beckbury Camp, the Trail continues through farmland into the Cotswold town of Winchcombe. Stay overnight in this “Walkers are Welcome” certified town and explore its Neolithic, Roman and Medieval past. Explore Sudeley Castle & Gardens, the only private castle in the UK, and final resting place of Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s final wife.
Daily Distance: 12.5 km/8 miles.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight at local B&B
Day 4: Winchcombe to Cheltenham
Stop At: Cheltenham, Cheltenham, Cotswolds, England
Leave through the Sudeley Estate, climbing steadily to the ancient Neolithic long barrow of Belas Knap to Cleeve Hill – the highest part of the entire Trail point of The Cotswolds. The route continues across Cleeve Common with extensive views over Cheltenham, and far beyond and then onto Charlton Kings Common with its breath-taking views across Cheltenham and the Severn Vale. before following the escarpment onto Leckhampton Hill and – look out for the distinctive rock pillar known as the Devil’s Chimney before descending into Cheltenham, the most complete Regency Town in the UK.
Daily Distance: 16 km / 10 miles
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in local B&B
Day 5: Cheltenham to Birdlip
Stop At: Birdlip, Birdlip, Cotswolds, England
The Cotswold Way trail follows quiet tracks, lanes and paths into Crickley Hill Country Park, with its excellent viewpoints and information about the archaeological history, as well as a great café for a pitstop. There is evidence of historic settlements from as early as the Neolithic Period, as well as an Iron Age Hill Fort, indicating many periods of occupation. The Trail then crosses the undulating grassland of Barrow Wake before heading into woodland to emerge at Birdlip.
Daily Distance: 19 km/ 12 miles.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in local B&B
Day 6: Birdlip to Painswick
Stop At: Painswick, Painswick, Stroud District, Cotswolds, England
From Birdlip, the trail passes the remains of Great Witcombe Roman Villa, through magnificent beech woodlands and on to Coopers Hill, the site of the crazy annual cheese-rolling event every May which sees competitors chase a cheese wheel down the very steep slope. The route then emerges onto the common land of Painswick Beacon, where the ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort can clearly be seen. The section ends in the picturesque town of Painswick, the mid-point of the Cotswold Way. Painswick recently featured in J.K.Rowling’s novel “A Casual Vacancy” and is also home to the Rococo Gardens which are worth a visit.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in local B&B
Day 7: Depart
Stop At: Painswick, Painswick, Stroud District, Cotswolds, England
Depart Painswick for your onward journey
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
•
No accommodation included on this day.