If you’re looking for a challenging, yet accessible long-distance hiking trail in England, walking the Cotswold Way should definitely make its way toward the top of your list. The rolling hills and the huge number of walking paths in the UK make this an enjoyable and beautiful trail for hikers of all levels.
The trail has been around for just over 50 years now but has only recently hit the scene by being inaugurated as a National Trail in 2007. Regardless of its younger age, it’s quickly become one of the most popular trails in England. Here, we’re going to cover why it’s become so popular and how you can add it to your list of upcoming UK hiking trails to take on!
Brief Overview of the Cotswold Way
At a total length of 102 miles (164 kilometers), the Cotswold Way stretches from its northern terminus in Chipping Campden to its southern end in Bath. The route passes through the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, following woodland meadows, scenic views atop the hills, and past several historic landmarks.
This trail is popular for the most obvious reasons. It encapsulates so much of the history of the UK into a single 100-mile stretch. As you walk through picturesque villages and historic landmarks such as the City of Bath World Heritage Site, the Belas Knap Neolithic burial chamber, Sudeley Castle, Hailes Abbey, and so much more.
Plus, because the trail passes through several villages along the hike, which makes the entire route easily accessible to hikers of all levels. If you’re looking to hike for a bit and stay in the villages, you can easily create an itinerary that fits your needs.
Because of this, you can hike the trail in five days (if you’re feeling super fit and motivated) or ten (if you prefer to take in the sights and not worry about getting too far in a single day.
It’s a long-distance walking path in England that can be easily tailored to your own desired experience. If you feel like stopping off at pubs for lunch every day, then get ready to load up on fish and chips. If you want to turn the trek into a true challenge, then you can easily put some miles under the boot every day.
The trail can be broken into 15 different sections, which gives you a good idea of how to build up your own itinerary, depending on how much you feel like hiking each day.
A Section-by-Section Guide to Walking the Cotswold Way
| Overview of all fifteen sections of the Cotswold Way | ||
| Section | Distance | Walking Time |
| Chipping Campden to Broadway | 6 miles (9.6 km) | 3 hours |
| Broadway to Wood Stanway | 6.5 miles (10.5 km) | 3.25 hours |
| Wood Stanway to Winchcombe | 5.4 miles (8.8 km) | 2.75 hours |
| Winchcombe to Cleeve Hill | 5.6 miles (9 km) | 2.75 hours |
| Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell | 5.5 miles (8.9 km) | 2.75 hours |
| Dowdeswell to Leckhampton Hill | 4.7 miles (7.6 km) | 2.25 hours |
| Leckhampton Hill to Birdlip | 5.6 miles (9 km) | 2.75 hours |
| Birdlip to Painswick | 8.6 miles (13.9 km) | 4.25 hours |
| Painswick to King’s Stanley | 7.8 miles (12.6 km) | 4 hours |
| King’s Stanley to Dursley | 7.2 miles (11.6 km) | 3.5 hours |
| Dursley to Wotton-Under-Edge | 7.3 miles (11.8 km) | 3.75 hours |
| Wotton-Under-Edge to Hawkesbury Upton | 7.4 miles (11.9 km) | 3.75 hours |
| Hawkesbury Upton to Tormarton | 7.7 miles (12.4 km) | 4 hours |
| Tormarton to Cold Ashton | 6.6 miles (10.6 km) | 3.25 hours |
| Cold Ashton to Bath | 10.2 miles (16.5 km) | 5 hours |
| *Information collected from the National Trail of the UK Website | ||
While some hikers will choose to hike from Bath to Chipping Campden, there are a few reasons why we’ve laid the trail out going the other direction.
For starters, ending the hike in Bath is simply more rewarding. There are loads of pubs to go celebrate in, more historical sites to visit, and more options for accommodations after hiking for such a long time. Overall, it lends itself to a more enjoyable and comfortable ending.
Additionally, public transit is one of your best options for getting to and from the trail. The number of options leading in and out of Bath is significantly higher than those heading out of Chipping Campden. This way, no matter when you finish the trail, you can make your way home at any time that you please.
But if you want to do the trail from south to north, there’s no problem in that at all. Chipping Campden is a lovely little village that will keep you feeling the peaceful serenity that you can find on the trail rather than heading straight into a larger town like Bath. It’s a personal preference, and if you prefer that, just flip this around!
Section 1: Chipping Campden to Broadway
Average time: 3 hrs
Distance: 6 miles (9.6 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -790 ft / +567 ft
The small, circular carved stone marker on the ground next to the Chipping Campden Market Hall marks the start of your hike along the Cotswold Way. Chipping Campden is one of the more charming villages along the route with almshouses, silversmiths, and its beautiful covered marketplace.
The trail takes you up and out of town to the Cotswolds escarpment where you’ll quickly receive great views atop Dover’s Hill, home to the “Olimpick” Games and the Shinkicking World Championships. Time it right at the end of May or early June and you might be able to join for some healthy modern competition!
The path stretches across large fields toward Broadway Tower, an iconic landmark sitting on top of the escarpment, where you can visit the Tower Museum, the Deer Park, or grab a bite to eat from the cafe. After your visit, you’ll pop down into the village of Broadway, completing the first section of the trail.
Section 2: Broadway to Wood Stanway
Average time: 3 hrs 15 min
Distance: 6.5 miles (10.5 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -715 ft / +813 ft
After Broadway, the Cotswold Way pops you back atop the escarpment to follow the route to the Iron Age hill fort of Shenberrow Camp. Dating from the British Iron Age (700 BCE – 43CE), this hill fort is one of many historical landmarks along the way as you walk through time.
The trail quickly drops down to the small village of Stanton and onto the flat and level parkland of the Stanway Estate. Here, you’ll find a Jacobean manor and the highest gravity fed fountain in the world. It’s worth taking your time and exploring the region to see the various architecture and garden designs.
The hamlet of Wood Stanway marks the end of the second section along the Cotswold Way.
Section 3: Wood Stanway to Winchcombe
Average time: 2 hrs 45 min
Distance: 5.4 miles (8.8 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -679 ft / +564 ft
While this section is one of the shorter sections on the trail, it starts with a steep climb out of Wood Stanway back to the escarpment. Across the Vale of Evesham, you’ll grab stunning views towards the Malverns before hitting yet another Iron Age hill fort. This hill fort of Beckbury Camp can be added to your list of history along your little route before descending to Hailes with a ruined abbey and small church.
The remainder of the section takes you through lush farmland into the small town of Winchcombe where you can easily find a place to take a rest.
Section 4: Winchcombe to Cleeve Hill
Average time: 2 hrs 45 min
Distance: 5.6 miles (9 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -476 ft / +1082 ft
The Sudeley Castle and Gardens is a stunning display of architecture and landscape design where you can walk in the footsteps of Kings and Queens as you get back on the Cotswold Way. This section of the trail starts off by passing by the castle to climb upward to the ancient Neolithic long barrow of Belas Knap.
The route descends quickly through Breakheart Plantation, but climbs once more to get to the Golf Club House at Cleeve Hill.
This section of trail has a significant amount of climbing involved, so be sure to rest up before taking it on!
Section 5: Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell
Average time: 2 hrs 45 min
Distance: 5.5 miles (8.9 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -604 ft / +325 ft
After the previous section’s big ascent, the highest part of the entire trail is just south of Cleeve Hill. Then the hike heads across Cleeve Common, the largest common in the Cotswolds and also a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its unique geology, botany, and archaeological sites.
This gives you the chance to see dramatic views over Cheltenham at the high altitude of 330 meters.
From here, the trail takes you through Bill Smylie’s Butterfly Reserve before starting the huge descent through Dowdeswell Wood to the reservoir below. This reservoir is one of the only spots left to find native white-clawed crayfish, so take some time, be respectful, and see what you can find!
Section 6: Dowdeswell to Leckhampton Hill
Average time: 2 hrs 20 min
Distance: 4.7 miles (7.6 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -344 ft / +902 ft
The Large-leaved lime trees and magical heritage Beech trees define the Lineover Wood you pass through immediately following Dowdeswell. There’s a lot of climbing along this section, around 900 feet (275 meters) and you start to feel that on the start up to Wisley Plantation before dropping down to pass by Seven Springs, which many believe to be the source of the Thames.
You immediately start climbing again to Charlton Kings Common to grab some beautiful views across Cheltenham and the Severn Vale. This follows the escarpment to Leckhampton Hill, home to the distinctive rock formation Devil’s Chimney.
Section 7: Leckhampton Hill to Birdlip
Average time: 2 hrs 45 min
Distance: 5.6 miles (9 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -425 ft / +425 ft
The seventh section of the trail follows many quiet tracks, lanes, and paths through Crickley Hill Country Park where you can take in loads of information about the archaeology of the area. The trail crosses Barrow Wake, a large grassland, through the woods, and out in Birdlip.
While this section isn’t defined by anything dramatic, it’s a lovely peaceful walk that can give you a chance to truly enjoy the small things.
Section 8: Birdlip to Painswick
Average time: 4 hrs 15 min
Distance: 8.6 miles (13.9 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -1066 ft / +590 ft
This section is one of the longest on the entire trail and you descend almost twice as far as you hike up, so get the trekking poles ready to help you with those tricky downhills.
Heading out of Birdlip, the trail weaves through the beech woodlands up toward Cooper’s Hill. Cooper’s Hill is home to yet another magnificent competition each year, the annual cheese-rolling event. This is always held on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday, so if you’re hoping to roll some cheese, time the hike right!
The trail follows the Painswick Beacon golf course where you can still see the ramparts of an old Iron Age hill fort. Painswick itself is the midway point of the Cotswold Way and is home to the Painswick Rococo Garden, a unique garden designed over 300 years ago and still holding strong.
Section 9: Painswick to King’s Stanley
Average time: 4 hrs
Distance: 7.8 miles (12.6 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -1082 ft / +1033 ft
The second half of the trail starts off by crossing the Wash Brook and climbing back onto Edge Common. The trail winds through more woodland that emerges at Haresfield Beacon, another Iron Age hill fort where you can look back on the escarpment and the River Severn.
The trail then descends through Standish Woods. Here you can see a magnificent display of bluebell and wood anemone if hiking in the spring, but also get the beauty of more woodlands any time of the year.
When you arrive at the Stroudwater Navigation, you can choose between the route that passes through King’s Stanley, or along the canal and over Selsley Common. Both options rejoin right after Middleyard in the Pen Wood.
Section 10: King’s Stanley to Dursley
Average time: 3 hrs 30 min
Distance: 7.2 miles (11.6 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -951 ft / +771 ft
If you’ve taken the route through King’s Stanley, you’ll head through Middleyard before climbing to Pen Wood and joining back with the other route. Here you pass through the woods to come out at Coaley Peak, the perfect spot to stop for a picnic and enjoy the views from the Peak.
Past the quarry, the trail moves through another woodland along a path that comes out into a valley with Cam Long Down right ahead of you. From here, you climb a steep hike but are quickly rewarded with 360-degree views.
A quick descent takes you into the valley, across farmland, and into the market town of Dursley.
Section 11: Dursley to Wotton-Under-Edge
Average time: 3 hrs 40 min (Shortcut: 2 hrs 20 min)
Distance: 7.3 miles (11.8 km) (Shortcut: 4.8 miles / 7.8 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -836 ft / +835 ft
From Dursley, the hike out is steep up onto Stinchcombe Hill. If you take the shorter route across from the golf club, you’ll miss out on the stunning views that the longer route provides around the hillside.
After reaching the top, the trail descends slowly into the village of North Nibley, where you’ll get right back on the trail and climb once more to the Tyndale Monument. The flat and calm trail at this point takes you past a walled enclosure filled with trees. These were planted in 1815 in order to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.
Wotton-Under-Edge waits for you at the bottom of the following descent.
Section 12: Wotton-Under-Edge to Hawkesbury Upton
Average time: 3 hrs 45 min
Distance: 7.4 miles (11.9 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -623 ft / +984 ft
A small stream marks the way out of Wotton-Under-Edge before you climb back to hike along the escarpment. The trail passes nearby the National Trust property of Newark Park, a secluded estate that is worth visiting if you’re hoping to take some more walks around the surrounding gardens and woodlands.
A sunken woodland track takes you into Alderley after which the trail takes you through a valley that is home to the remains of Medieval ridge-and-furrow. At Lower Kilcott, there is another small stream that accompanies the road the Cotswold Way follows. Here there is a slight incline to get up to the Somerset Monument and finally, the village of Hawkesbury Upton.
Section 13: Hawkesbury Upton to Tormarton
Average time: 3 hrs 50 min
Distance: 7.7 miles (12.4 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -590 ft / +476 ft
One of the oldest vicarages in England, Horton Court, is one of the highlights of this section of trail. Before hitting the National Trust site, you’ll climb up to Horton Fort to take in views over the Severn Vale.
The Cotswold Way takes its path through Horton and Old Sodbury before taking a turn through Capability Brown parkland of Dodington Park. There’s a lot to be seen on this longer chunk of trail before finally hitting the village of Tormarton.
Section 14: Tormarton to Cold Ashton
Average time: 3 hrs 20 min
Distance: 6.6 miles (10.6 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -410 ft / +558 ft
This section of the trail from Tormaton to Cold Ashton leaves along the Marshfield Road but eventually hits a path that goes around the outside wall of Dyrham Park. This ancient parkland is nestled inside a deer park and is worth taking a side-adventure inside and seeing the Baroque architecture, gardens, and herd of deer.
The rest of the walk is through farmland and the Dyrham Woods before reaching Cold Ashton.
Section 15: Cold Ashton to Bath
Average time: 5 hrs
Distance: 10.2 miles (16.5 km)
Altitude Loss/Gain: -1312 ft / +738 ft
The final section of the trail is full of history, hill climbs, steep descents, and is the longest section of the entire trail. So if you’re not tired by now, hopefully this section can push you.
To start, you descend from Cold Ashton into the secluded valley at Lower Hamswell. The following climb heads straight into an old civil war site from the battle of Lansdown. There is a huge field of sculptures done by David Michael Mores nearby the Golf Club and is totally worth checking out.
The trail then passes by both a hill fort at Little down and the famous Bath Racecourse, a spot that’s too easy to get stuck at and forget that you’re hiking. Once you keep on trekking, you emerge at Prospect Stile, where you’ll see your first views of Bath in the distance.
The urban setting starts to define the trail after emerging into Weston, but the architecture along the route to Bath Abbey is a stunning end to a long walk. The carved stone disc marking the terminus of the Cotswold Way sits in the pavement just outside the western doors of the Abbey.
The Need to Know for Hiking the Cotswold Way
Overall Difficulty of the Cotswold Way
Overall, this trail is so flexible that you can make it more difficult or incredibly easy. There are a few sections that have a moderate amount of elevation gain, but hiking the Cotswold Way is something that just about anyone can take on.
In general, the route is rated at moderate with the potential for longer days if you choose them and the more elevation that can come with the combination.
Terrain of the Cotswolds England
Walking in England, and especially the Cotswold Way gives you the opportunity to walk on a huge variety of different terrains. There are dirt and grass paths that wind through woodlands and rolling farmlands, but there are also stretches that follow country roads, but generally stay away from the main roads aside from the few you cross when approaching Bath.
There are a lot of hills that define the trail, but they aren’t very steep in general. There are a few stony descents where trekking poles could come in handy, but aren’t necessary.
Hiking the Cotswold Way With or Without a Guide
There are a few different companies that offer a guided trek along the Cotswold Way, but it’s also very possible to do without the guide’s help.
If you want to use maps and guidebooks to help along the way there are several different paper maps and options to utilize a GPS or app to help follow the trail. Even without a map, the trail is well-marked for its entirety and is hard to get lost on.
One of the greater benefits of hiring a guide is getting help to decide where to stay along the route. There are a lot of BnB options, but few choices to camp at. The guides can help you to determine where the best spots to stay which will take a load off when it comes to planning the logistics of your trip.
What to Pack for the Cotswold Way
Packing for the Cotswold Way and how you prepare can change greatly with how you choose to hike the trail. If you’re staying solely at BnBs or hotels along the way, you can leave all of your sleeping supplies at home. There’s also an option to use a service that will transport your luggage from village to village along your planned itinerary so you don’t need to carry it.
Regardless, remember that walking in England means that you’re highly likely to encounter rain. This means packing a solid pair of hiking boots or shoes that are waterproof. The damp will work its way into any other shoes and can make for a long week on the trail.
Since the weather can change at the drop of the hat, be sure to carry waterproofs with you even when it looks like you might be in for a day filled with sun. A spare change of clothes is also a great idea for when showers might sneak up on you without any warning.
The rest of your kit will need to be a simplified version of most other backpacking kits.
Shoes or Boots
The most important part of any hiking kit is the footwear that you choose. This has such a huge impact on your experience while hiking because of how much you rely on your feet each and every day on the trail.
Hiking in England tends to be an incredibly wet recreational activity, and the Cotswold Way is no exception. While trail runners can be incredibly breathable and comfortable, a solid pair of waterproof hiking boots may be the better idea in this situation.
Waterproof trail runners will work but can be difficult to trust to stay fully dry like a solid pair of leather and Gore Tex boots can.
Rain Gear
A solid set of waterproofs including both jacket and pants are a must when hiking the Cotswold Way. This is the best way to keep yourself as comfortable as possible because the chances are incredibly high that it will rain during your hike.
Chargers for Electronics
If you’re utilizing an application on your phone to navigate the way, ensuring that you’ve brought a charger along is important. You can easily recharge in the villages along the way, but a small solar charger isn’t a bad idea for the bigger gaps in between villages.
Another important thing to remember is, if you are coming from outside of the UK, you’ll need an adapter to fit your accessories into the outlets. Grab a compact version and pack it alongside your other electronics.
Map or App on Phone
Although the Cotswold Way is well marked, it’s still best practice to bring along some form of navigation. For some, this is a paper map, but for most nowadays, it means finding the right app on your phone.
Whatever app you prefer will have most of the Cotswold Way as it is a highly popular and well-established hiking trail in England. The National Trails website has a GPX file available for download, but the OS Maps app is also a great choice to keep yourself on track.
The Best Time to Hike the Cotswold Way
In reality, you can hike the Cotswold Way at just about any time of year. The biggest difficulty is the unpredictability of the weather while walking in England. The winter can bring a heavy amount of rainfall and snow along with it, so it’s the least likely to give you an enjoyable walking holiday.
The springtime brings a rich and vibrant color scheme to the trail with all of the bluebells and wild garlic in full bloom in the forests. The temperature ranges from 11-15 degrees Celsius (52-59 Fahrenheit), but just like everywhere else in the world, the spring brings a lot of rain with it.
The summer is easily the most popular time to explore around the Cotswolds and it makes sense why. The temperatures get up to around 18-20 Celcius (64-68 Fahrenheit), so depending on what you’re accustomed to, this can be perfect weather or slightly too warm when in the sun. Accommodation during the summer will be hard to find, so make sure you’ve booked well in advance.
Walking the Cotswold Way in the fall is a splendor to be seen. The changing colors of the trees bring a completely different horizon to put in front of you as you walk. The only issue is that in England, the Autumn tends to be wetter even than the spring, so you need to be prepared for the possibility of cold (7 Celcius/45 Fahrenheit) rain. That being said, if you want to walk to trail and have it to yourself, this is a great time to go.
Getting to and from the Trail
The public transport system in England is well established and will be your best bet for traveling to and from the trail.
We recommend hiking from north to south because the public transit is less frequent in Chipping Campden, so it’s much easier to start there. In Bath, the buses and trains are coming and going all day long, so you don’t need to rush at the end of your trip to try and catch a bus.
Where to Stay Along the Trail
There is a wide selection of choices when it comes to finding a place to stay along the Cotswold Way. This is great for those looking to fit into a tighter budget, or for those who are hoping to sleep comfortably at the end of a long day of hiking.
The most common forms of accommodation are B&Bs, guesthouses, or pubs that are all in the middle tier of pricing. If you’re looking for a slimmer budget, there are campsites with spaces for your tent as well as glamping pods and cabins. But, if you want to go big, you can also find luxury hotels along the way.
The best thing to do is write out your itinerary and start making bookings early on. Then, have a good idea of a few spots for backup in case you don’t make your miles one day or feel like hiking extra another. It’s good to have a backup list of spots to stay so you don’t end up exhausted in a village and struggling to find a bed.
FAQ
How long does it take to walk the Cotswold way?
Most people will take between 7-8 days to hike the Cotswold Way. This makes an itinerary where you are hiking between 13 and 14 miles each day, but there are plenty of other options. You can easily switch it up and take 9-10 days to hike at a pace of around 10 miles a day.
That way you can make plenty of time for eating in pubs and visiting the many National Trust properties along the way.
What is the prettiest part of the Cotswold Way?
This is totally dependent on what you’re looking for in a hike. The prettiest part of the Cotswold Way for some might be the historical landmarks, for others it could be the best-known villages along the way like Winchcombe and Broadway.
There’s a bit of everything along the trail, so your own “prettiest part” of the Cotswold Way will be up to you to find.
Where to start the Cotswold walk?
You can choose to start the Cotswold Way in either Bath or Chipping Campden. This is totally up to preference, but the hike from North to South makes the transportation at the beginning and end a bit easier as Chipping Campden is a much smaller village with less frequent buses and trains headed that way.
Is the Cotswold good for walking?
The Cotswold Way is a spectacular spot to get some walking in for anyone at any level of experience. There are more challenging walks for some along the route, and some more leisurely strolls for others. No matter your ability, you’ll find something to enjoy along the way.
What is the best month to go to Cotswold?
July and August tend to be the most popular months for people to go hike the Cotswold Way because of the warmer temperatures and less frequent rainstorms. However, you can hike the Cotswold Way at any time of year so long as you’re up to date on the weather and prepared for anything.
Which is the most beautiful part of the Cotswold?
The Cotswold Way boasts a huge number of scenic spots along its path where you can see over the surrounding villages and hills to be impressed by the nature England has to offer. The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty got its name for a good reason!
Conclusion
England isn’t always on the top of people’s adventure destination list, but there’s a lot to be found if you know where to look. The Cotswold Way gives you the opportunity to see a bit of everything along the way, which is why we really encourage both beginners and expert hikers to take it on.
The various sections of the trail can easily be moved around to accommodate for anyone looking for a challenge or a more relaxing walking holiday. Even if you’re looking for a more high-end accommodation, you can find it along the way.
It’s a flexible walk that can, and should, be complemented by a nice meal in a local pub at the end of each and every section. The history and the natural landscapes along the way will have you wishing for more by the time you’ve reached the end.
Happy hiking!
