Overview

Walking Holidays
7 - 11 Nights
102 miles / 164 km
  • Prices from: £875 per person
  • Start: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
  • Finish: Bath, Somerset
  • Availability: Any start date from April to October
  • Grading: Easy to Moderate
  • Way-marked: Yes

Cotswold Way Highlights

Charming villages
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From the picture-perfect village of Painswick to the pretty thatched houses lining the streets of Chipping Campden, there is no better place to find quaint settlements.

Stunning vistas
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The gently undulating landscape along the Cotswold Way offers walkers unrivalled, uninterrupted views of England’s most beautiful landscape.

Travel back in time
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Travel back in time as you discover ancient Roman villas, historic abbeys, picturesque stately homes and fateful battle sites. 

Historic Bath
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Spend time in the elegant World Heritage City of Bath and enjoy a soak in the Roman Baths after your Cotswold Way walk. 

Outstanding natural beauty
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Officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswold landscape is an entrancing mixture of parkland, neat fields with dry-stone walls and lush woodland.

Gentle walking
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The Cotswold Way offers a gentle introduction to walking in the English countryside; the Cotswolds are hilly rather than mountainous.

Discover England’s Picture-Postcard Cotswolds

The Cotswold Way is a magnificent long-distance walking trail. It begins in the picture-perfect village of Chipping Campden and ends in the ancient Roman city of Bath. The route is beautiful, affording walkers far-reaching views of undulating hills for the duration of the trail. 

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For a taste of everything quintessentially English, the Cotswold offers it all: historic castles, ancient abbeys and stately homes all set amidst glorious green countryside and enchanting villages.

This trail will appeal to those seeking a gentle introduction to walking in the English countryside; the Cotswolds are hilly rather than mountainous. Officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswold landscape is an entrancing mixture of parkland, neat fields and lush woodland.

The end of your journey is the City of Bath, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Roman Baths and fine architecture will be a highlight of your journey and you could even choose to relax here with an extra night at the end of your walk. 

The wonderful landscapes and idyllic villages that make the Cotswolds one of Britain’s finest regions ensure that the journey between Chipping Campden and Bath is a joy from start to finish. 

Cotswold Way Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is COTW3 which covers the route in 8 days / 9 nights. 

Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night’s accommodation
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Arrive in Chipping Campden, arguably the loveliest of all the Cotswold towns, and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation.

Day 1: Chipping Campden to Stanton (10 miles / 16 km)
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The Cotswold Way begins by leaving Chipping Campden and climbing to offers panoramic views from Broadway Tower. A steep descent leads into the charming village of Broadway, with its beautiful Cotswold stone houses and fine, old English tearooms.

The route then leads you over Shenberrow Hill where there is an iron age hill fort and descends to Stanton, one of the prettiest villages in the country.

Day 2: Stanton to Cleeve Hill (13 miles / 21 km)
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This section of the Cotswold Way takes you past Stanway House, famous for its late-renaissance architecture. Stop and explore the historic ruins of Hailes Abbey en-route, before continuing to Winchcombe, with its selection of shops and inns.

South of Winchcombe lies magnificent Sudeley Castle, and further on, the stone age burial mound of Belas Knap. Continue through Cleeve Common, the highest point on the Cotswold Way and enjoy the fine viewpoints from Cleeve Hill.

Day 3: Cleeve Hill to Leckhampton Hill (10 miles / 16 km)
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The Cotswold Way continues south and the 6 mile stretch to Dowdeswell Reservoir is a splendid walk with outstanding views, generally following the western edge of the Cotswold escarpment high above Cheltenham.

A short sharp climb from Dowdeswell takes you back up onto the Wolds where the vistas continue to impress. Your route takes you past the distinctive Devil’s Chimney, one of the route’s most well-known landmarks. This is a fine stretch of the Cotswold ridge offering views across Cheltenham and out to the Malvern Hills.

Day 4: Leckhampton Hill to Painswick (14 miles / 22.5 km)
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The route takes you on to Crickley Hill and its fascinating archaeological site. From Birdlip the Cotswold Way follows a path through beech woods to Cooper’s Hill, famous for cheese rolling on Whit Monday each year.

A short detour can be made to visit Prinknash Abbey before more woodland paths lead you to Painswick Beacon, another fine viewpoint. Your accommodation is in delightful Painswick, another gem of the Cotswolds.

Day 5: Painswick to Kings Stanley (9 miles / 14.5 km)
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This is a delightful section of the Way, as the route takes you over Scottsquarr Hill and Haresfield Beacon, both with fine viewpoints. The descent to the Stroud Valley is through beech woods and fields to reach the Stroudwater Canal. Pass Stanley Woollen Mills, a reminder of the Cotswolds’ wool making history on the edge of Kings Stanley.

Day 6: Kings Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge (15 miles / 24 km)
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A few steep ascents and descents are rewarded by panoramic views. Neolithic burial chambers and Iron Age hill forts quickly eat up the six and a half miles to Dursley.

Beyond Stinchcombe Hill, the route crosses Nibley Knoll and the Tyndale’s Monument, before more woods and fields bring you to the enchanting village of Wotton-under-Edge.

Day 7: Wotton-under-Edge to Tormarton (15 miles / 24 km)
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Today’s walk passes interesting Cotswold houses such as Horton Court, thought to be the oldest house along the trail. Before this, Kilcott Mill is a picturesque spot to linger before passing the Somerset Monument and reaching Hawkesbury Upton, with its village pond.

Continue to another hill fort, through Old Sodbury and on to Tormarton. The rural isolation, small villages and tranquillity of the walk to Tormarton is wonderful.

Day 8: Tormarton to Bath (17 miles / 27 km) 
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The last section of the Cotswold Way takes in some fantastic views and past spectacular Dyrham Park, a stately home built between 1691 and 1702 complete with ancient deer park. Your arrival in the stunning city of Bath marks the end of the Cotswold Way. Take a stroll around what has to be one of the most beautiful cities in Britain, and toast your success upon completing the trail.

We recommend spending an extra night in Bath at the end of your walk in order to visit the Famous Abbey, Roman Baths and Pump House and to soak up the atmosphere of this wonderful historic city.

Onward travel
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After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Cotswold Way.

What's Included?

Your Cotswold Way walking holiday includes:

  • Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
  • En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
  • Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
  • Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
  • Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
  • Traditional English breakfast
  • 24-hour emergency contact number
  • Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

  • Travel insurance
  • Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
  • Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 5 suggested itineraries for walking the Cotswold Way.

Our most popular itinerary is COTW3 which covers the route in 8 days. 

Tour code
Itinerary
Average miles infoAverage miles per day
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty
Price per person
COTW1
6 Days / 7 Nights
17 miles per day
Moderate
From £875
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 17 miles per day
Tour code: COTW1
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

6 Days / 7 Nights (COTW1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chipping Campden to Winchcombe 18 miles / 29 km
2
Day 2 Winchcombe to Leckhampton Hill 16 miles / 25.5 km
3
Day 3 Leckhampton Hill to Painswick 14 miles / 22.5 km
4
Day 4 Painswick to Dursley 15 miles / 24 km
5
Day 5 Dursley to Old Sodbury 19 miles / 30.5 km
6
Day 6 Old Sodbury to Bath 20 miles / 32 km
Depart Onward travel from Bath

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1275 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location.

As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £875 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

COTW2
7 Days / 8 Nights
14.5 miles per day
Moderate
From £920
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 14.5 miles per day
Tour code: COTW2
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

7 Days / 8 Nights (COTW2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chipping Campden to Stanton 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Stanton to Cleeve Hill 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Cleeve Hill to Birdlip 16 miles / 25.5 km
4
Day 4 Birdlip to Kings Stanley 17 miles / 27 km
5
Day 5 Kings Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge 15 miles / 24 km
6
Day 6 Wotton-under-Edge to Tormarton 15 miles / 24 km
7
Day 7 Tormarton to Bath 17 miles / 27 km
Depart Onward travel from Bath

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1290 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £920 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

COTW3
8 Days / 9 Nights
13 miles per day
Moderate
From £1080
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 13 miles per day
Tour code: COTW3
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

8 Days / 9 Nights (COTW3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chipping Campden to Stanton 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Stanton to Cleeve Hill 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Cleeve Hill to Leckhampton Hill 10 miles / 16 km
4
Day 4 Leckhampton Hill to Painswick 14 miles / 22.5 km
5
Day 5 Painswick to Kings Stanley 9 miles / 14.5 km
6
Day 6 Kings Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge 15 miles / 24 km
7
Day 7 Wotton-under-Edge to Tormarton 15 miles / 24 km
8
Day 8 Tormarton to Bath 17 miles / 27 km
Depart Onward travel from Bath

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1465 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed. 

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1080 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

COTW4
9 Days / 10 Nights
11.5 miles per day
Easy
From £1170
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 11.5 miles per day
Tour code: COTW4
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Easy

9 Days / 10 Nights (COTW4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night's accommodation
2
Day 1 Chipping Campden to Stanton 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Stanton to Cleeve Hill 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Cleeve Hill to Leckhampton Hill 10 miles / 16 km
4
Day 4 Leckhampton Hill to Painswick 14 miles / 22.5 km
5
Day 5 Painswick to Kings Stanley 9 miles / 14.5 km
6
Day 6 Kings Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge 15 miles / 24 km
7
Day 7 Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury 13 miles / 21 km
8
Day 8 Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton 9 miles / 14.5 km
9
Day 9 Cold Ashton to Bath 10 miles / 16 km
Depart Onward travel from Bath

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1550 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1170 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

COTW5
10 Days / 11 Nights
10 miles per day
Easy
From £1255
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 10 miles per day
Tour code: COTW5
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Easy

10 Days / 11 Nights (COTW5)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chipping Campden for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chipping Campden to Stanton 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Stanton to Winchcombe 7 miles / 11 km
3
Day 3 Winchcombe to Dowdeswell 11 miles / 17.5 km
4
Day 4 Dowdeswell to Birdlip 10 miles / 16 km
5
Day 5 Birdlip to Painswick 7 miles / 11 km
6
Day 6 Painswick to Kings Stanley 9 miles / 14.5 km
7
Day 7 Kings Stanley to Wotton-under-Edge 15 miles / 24 km
8
Day 8 Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury 13 miles / 21 km
9
Day 9 Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton 9 miles / 14.5 km
10
Day 10 Cold Ashton to Bath 10 miles / 16 km
Depart Onward travel from Bath

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1770 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed. 

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1255 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Cotswold Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Chipping Campden
By Air

Nearest International Airport:  London Heathrow and London Gatwick.

There are direct connections via the coach station at Heathrow Airport all the way to Cheltenham. From here you can travel to Chipping Campden by train and bus.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Evesham. 

Train services operate from London Paddington to Evesham. From here you can take the local bus to Chipping Campden.

National Express coaches also serve Bath, Cheltenham and Broadway, and local buses connect with Chipping Campden.

By Car

We don’t recommend leaving your car at the start of the walk, as there are no secure parking facilities in Chipping Campden, and long term parking may be expensive. 

If you do choose to travel by car, we can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing Bath
By Air

Nearest International Airports: Bristol International Airport.

There are regular airport shuttle services from Bath city centre to Bristol International Airport (journey time 1 hour 15 min).

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Bath Spa.

There are fast and regular train services which connect Bath to London (journey time 1 hour 30 min). National Express coach services also serve Bath.

From Bath, there are regular bus services to Bristol city centre (journey time 50 min) and London city centre (journey time 3 hours 10 min).

As the train and bus services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

We don’t recommend leaving your car at  the end of the walk, as there are no secure parking facilities in Bath, and long term parking may be expensive. 

If you do choose to travel by car, we can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Cotswold Way.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Chipping Campden
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  • Wander around the loveliest of all the Cotswold towns – Chipping Campden is the best preserved, with most of its yellow-painted limestone buildings still intact
  • Explore the stunning National Trust gardens at Hidcote Manor
Painswick
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  • Discover this delightful market town, built in the prosperous 17th century with lots of little streets to explore and quaint shops to discover
  • Visit Rococo Garden, a gem of an 18th-century garden, and set in a hidden Cotswold valley with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside
Bath
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  • Tour the historic city of Bath, taking in its glorious Georgian architecture and open parks
  • Explore the perfectly-preserved Roman Baths, where the natural hot water and beautiful setting draws thousands of visitors each year
  • Enjoy a sumptuous traditional cream tea in the elegant surroundings of the Pump Room, built in 1795

Make an enquiry

Cotswold Way

Need something more tailored?
Contact us via email:
enquiries@absoluteescapes.com

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