Cotswold Way - National Trails (original) (raw)

About the Trail

Extending from the quintessentially English market town of Chipping Campden to the Roman city of Bath, the 102 mile (164 km) Cotswold Way has existed as a promoted long-distance walk and had its 50th anniversary in 2020.

Following the western edge of the Cotswold Hills, the route journeys through rolling pastures, beech woodland and honey-coloured villages built from Cotswold stone.

You will explore ancient commons in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, pass Neolithic burial barrows, stately homes and historic battle sites. The stunning path along the Cotswold escarpment offers ever-changing views to the west towards the River Severn and the Malvern Hills.

Anyone who is reasonably fit can walk the Cotswold Way, although many walkers are surprised at the frequency of steep climbs. The National Trail is very well way-marked so following the route is easy. But it is always a good idea to take a guidebook or map.

The Cotswold Way can be walked in all seasons. However, if you want to enjoy clear views from the Cotswold escarpment, then crisp winter days, autumn and spring may be the best time to visit. Late spring and early summer are great times to see the grasslands in all their glory and the beech woodlands are at their best in spring and autumn.

More information:

The Cotswold Way is managed and mantained by Cotswolds National Landscape and our amazing team of Cotswold Voluntary Wardens.

What is special about the Trail?

Renowned for its sheer diversity, the Cotswold Way incorporates some of England’s prettiest villages and passes historic sites such as the City of Bath World Heritage Site, the Neolithic burial chamber at Belas Knap, Sudeley Castle, Hailes Abbey and many churches and historic houses.

Hailes Abbey

Hailes Abbey

One minute you will be in wildflower meadows, the next shaded woodlands. You could breakfast in a sleepy village, lunch in a thriving market town and eat dinner under the stars – no two days will be the same!

Walkers in a woodland with bluebells

Route description

For most of its length it follows the Cotswold escarpment giving wonderful views of the surrounding landscape.

You can walk the route from Chipping Campden to Bath (which a lot of guide books are written for), or from Bath to Chipping Campden, the route is signposted well in both directions.

A description of the route broken down into 15 sections can be viewed here.

An** interactive map can be found here.**

Circular & Linear Walks

There are some great shorter circular and linear walks to enjoy along parts of the Cotswold Way along the Cotswolds escarpment with its stunning views and charming villages from the beautiful Cotswold market town of Chipping Campden in the north to the World Heritage City of Bath in the south.

Wortley Sunken Lane

Wortley Sunken Lane

Visit our Circular and Linear Walks page to find the perfect walk for you.

Stroud Water Canal

Stroud Water Canal

Multistage Monthly Guided Walks

Enjoy the Cotswold Way without the logistical headaches

Cotswold Voluntary Wardens provide monthly walks enabling people to come together in groups to complete some of the longer trails across the Cotswolds National Landscape, including the Cotswold Way. Each walk is led by two Cotswold Voluntary Wardens who are familiar with the route and provide information on aspects of interest. As with all Cotswold Warden Walks, no dogs are allowed. A charge is made to cover the cost of transport. In addition, walkers are invited to make a voluntary donation to the Countryside Fund which helps us to continue to provide our guided and self guided walks, as well as helping maintain the trails around the Cotswolds.

The walks must be pre-booked and paid for in advance. The walks are very popular – anyone who is interested is advised to get their name on the waiting list for future walks as early as possible.

More information can be found here Multistage Monthly Guided Walks.

Broadway Tower

Broadway Tower

Holiday Inspiration

Enjoy magical walking with long distance views from the Cotswold escarpment on a journey through picturesque villages, stunning woodlands, pretty pastoral scenery and past famous ancient sites, ending in the World Heritage City of Bath. Explore the Cotswold Way for three days, a week or even longer. You can find inspiration for your walking adventure using our suggested itineraries, or select one of the bookable itineraries which are provided by walking tour operatives.

Visit our Walking Holidays Pag e for holiday inspiration for the Cotswold Way.

Walkers in field with Belas Knap in distance

View of Belas Knap

Young Cotswold Way Explorers

Check out our Young Cotswold Way Explorers pack and educational video. This resource has been designed for Lower KS2 Science – Plants, living things and their habitats. It is also a great resource for home educators and other groups who work with children aged 7-9 years.

We also have Going Wild activity sheets for families will help transform every trip to the Cotswold Way into a fun-filled adventure.

To find out more information please see Young Cotswold Way Explorers

Cartoon image depicting child among woodland with bright floors around the floor and an orange fox with bushy tail

Accommodation

There are a good number of bed & breakfasts, hotels, self-catering accommodation, campsites and glamping sites along or close to the Cotswold Way. If you plan to camp please note it is not legal to wild camp on the Cotswold Way – you will need to stay on official campsites or use alternative accommodation for areas where there are not campsites available on the section of trail you are completing.

Accommodation can be viewed on the Interactive Map (use the map filters to display different types of accommodation) which can be found on the Trail Information & Map page.

You can view accommodation by area and download a PDF list on the Accommodation page.

If you are an accommodation provider you can add your accommodation offering for free to this website.

Latest News

Visit our News Page for news on the Cotswold Way National Trail

Events

From fabulous walking festivals to local farmers markets and village fetes, there’s always something happening.

Annual walking, running and biking events include:

Walking Festivals:

Take a look at our Events calendar to find details of the many events that are taking place along or close to the trail. You can also add your own event to the calendar on the trail’s Add your information page.

Event Organisers

Download our guidance on organising events on National Trails. These guidelines provide important information for organisers of events held on National Trails.