Day Walks in the Cotswolds

For avid walkers, the Cotswolds will certainly need no introduction. The Cotswold Way will undoubtedly be well-known to them, and for good reason. The Cotswold Way is a 164 kilometre long distance walking trail that runs the distance of the Cotswold Escarpment, often referred to as the Cotswold Edge. This escarpment runs south-west to north-east, and covers six counties, although the most prevalent areas are Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. The trail begins in the town of Chipping Campden in the north, and ends at the southerly town of Bath. Passing through many various picturesque towns as it winds its way through one of the nations most picturesque areas, the Cotswold way has not only existed as a long distance walk for the last 30 years, but was also granted the honour of being inaugurated as a National Trail in 2007, thereby bearing the acorn symbol along its route, and joining the ranks of only fourteen other National Trails in the country.

If you are staying in the Cotswolds and are keen to experience the Cotswold Way, do not feel that you cannot do so simply because you are not planning on walking the entirety of the trail. The Cotswold Way is divided into sections, and those who may not be keen to spend their whole holiday on the train can easily choose from one of the many suitable sections of the trail to incorporate into a day trip to meet their time frame or ability. With these day-walkers in mind, the good people at The Cotswold Way have developed a series of short, easy to follow “Circular Walks” that enable those who wish to simply enjoy the trail for a day to do so without having to worry about getting lost on the long distance portion of the trail, or having to find transportation at the end of the trail once they have completed their walk. These Circular Trails are marked by a special green way-marker disc that identifies it as a circular walk, and are graded according to styles or steep sections, so that day walkers may better match the walk to their ability.

For those families who may be visiting the Cotswolds with children, The Cotswold Way Discovery Programmes offer a host of interactive activities and learning resources that you can use as you enjoy your walk. Although the target age range for Cotswold Way Discovery programmes is generally age 5-11, this fairly new programme will continue to grow and develop over time, and will undoubtedly provide entertainment and knowledge for the entire family.

Walks along the Cotswold Way can be booked either independently, or through any number of local companies offering organised, group, and self-guided day walks. Information on how to contact these companies, as well as a wealth of information on the various attractions along the trail can be found at the official Cotswold Way website, Click Here to open a window to their site.

Of course, you can break up your walk by staying in one or more properties along the route. There are several properties to choose from in our Cotswold Cottages page.