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The
Cotswold Way follows a route between the village of
Chipping Campden in the north (about 15 miles south
of Stratford-upon-Avon) and the city of Bath in the
south - a total distance of around 100 miles
(160kms). The main villages and landmarks that it
touches are mentioned in the following chart. This
is a general summary to help you plan your holiday.
Please refer to the 'PACKAGES'
button if you would like to book a holiday to
include accommodation, luggage movement and map and
route instructions.
ACCOMMODATION: Please note that sections of
the Way (especially in the southern part) are
sparsely serviced with accommodation, some of which
may be some way off the route.
VARIANTS: At certain points we can provide
alternative route instructions to shorten the
walking days or to avoid busy roads or monotonous
landscape see 'recommended alternatives' below.
Chipping Campden - perhaps the finest of all
Cotswold villages with a magnificent 'wool' church
and a handsome high street of gilded stone houses.
Plenty of accommodation of all types. Variety of
pubs, tearooms and restaurants. Several shops for
buying food. Several banks.
Chipping
Campden (Old Butter Market) to Broadway (5.5
miles/8.8kms)
via Dover's Hill (site of the Cotswold Olimpicks)
and Broadway Tower. Broadway is one of the
best-known Cotswold villages.
ACCOMMODATION: Plentiful in Broadway, of all
types.
LUNCHES: Pubs and tearooms in Broadway.
EVENING MEAL: Wide choice - pubs/wine bars,
restaurants (including Indian).
SHOPS: Not much in the way of food shops for
sandwiches or picnics. Plenty of souvenir and
antique shops. Several banks.
Broadway
to Winchcombe (11.75 miles/18.8
kms)
via the hills above Laverton and Buckland; the
exquisite village of Stanton; Stanway with its
Jacobean mansion, medieval Tithe Barn and handsome
gatehouse; Beckbury Camp; and Hailes Abbey.
Winchcombe is a bustling village with much to
commend it - Sudeley Castle and its 'wool' church,
to name but two of its attractions.
ACCOMMODATION: B & B in Stanton,
Stanway, Wood Stanway. Variety of B & B and
inns in Winchcombe.
LUNCHES: Pub in Stanton. Tearoom at
Hailes.
EVENING MEALS: Wide choice in
Winchcombe.
SHOPS: Several in Winchcombe for
picnics/sandwiches. Bookshops, and banks.
Winchcombe to Cleeve Hill (6.25 miles/10
kms) via Belas Knap burial site
OR (recommended alternative)
Winchcombe
to Cheltenham (8
miles/12.8kms)
via Belas Knap, Cleeve Hill, and Prestbury. Cross
Cleeve Hill to drop down into Cheltenham, a
beautiful town of Georgian and Regency
architecture, well known for its shops, festivals
and restaurants.
LUNCHES: Golf course clubhouse on Cleeve
Hill; wide variety in Prestbury and Cheltenham.
ACCOMMODATION: B & B and hotels at
Cleeve; wide variety in Cheltenham.
EVENING MEALS: available in Cleeve at pub or
hotel; and wide variety in Cheltenham.
SHOPS: wide variety in Cheltenham. Most
major British banks.
Cleeve
Hill-Seven Springs (7.5 miles/12
kms);
Seven Springs-Crickley Hill (6 miles/9.6 kms);
Crickley Hill-Painswick (8.5 miles/13.6 kms). This
route circles Cleeve Common at the summit of Cleeve
Hill and then zig-zags across country to
Leckhampton Hill and Crickley Hill (archaeological
site and country park), before continuing through
woodland to Painswick.
LUNCHES: Pub at Dowdeswell reservoir. Pub at
Crickley. Hotel at Birdlip. Tea house at Cooper's
Hill. Pubs in Cranham.
ACCOMMODATION: B & B at Ham Hill,
Dowdeswell and Birdlip (also George Hotel). Hotel
at Andoversford. B & B at Coberley and Cranham.
Wide variety in Leckhampton and Cheltenham. B &
Bs and hotels in Painswick.
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EVENING
MEAL: pub at Dowdeswell reservoir. Wide variety
in Cheltenham.
SHOPS: wide variety in Cheltenham. Most
major British banks.
OR (recommended alternative)
Cheltenham
to Painswick (via Leckhampton Hill, Crickley Hill -
12.5 miles/20 kms).
Rejoin the Way at Leckhampton Hill cutting out part
of the way that circles Cheltenham. (For those who
do not care for long expanses of woodland, an
alternative route across country is available).
Painswick is a very beautiful village with a
charming centre of ancient narrow lanes and
streets. Famous for its churchyard and for the
nearby Rococo Gardens.
LUNCHES: Pub at Crickley. Hotel at Birdlip.
Tea house at Cooper's Hill. Pubs in Cranham (and
also on alternative cross country route).
ACCOMMODATION: B & Bs and hotels in
Painswick.
EVENING MEAL: pub, restaurants and
hotel.
SHOPS: local stores for
sandwiches/picnics.
Painswick
to Dursley (15.5 miles/24.8
kms)
via Haresfield Beacon with its magnificent views
westwards; the Stroud Valley and Stroudwater Canal;
Selsey Common; close to Hetty Pegler's Tump and the
fine hillfort at Uley Bury. Dursley was once an
important clothing centre and has some interesting
old houses and a fine old market house.
LUNCHES: Pubs at various points.
ACCOMMODATION: B & Bs in Dursley (and at
points before Dursley)
EVENING MEAL: various in Dursley
SHOPS: supermarket and local shops in
Dursley
Dursley
to Wotton-under-Edge (7 miles/11.2
kms)
via Stinchcombe Hill with extensive views; North
Nibley and the Tyndale Monument; the hill fort at
Brackenbury Ditches. Wotton is a lovely old wool
town, with some fine, ancient buildings, including
the Tolsey and the almshouses.
LUNCHES: many possibilities in Wotton
ACCOMMODATION: B & Bs and hotel.
EVENING MEAL: various in Wotton
SHOPS: variety of local shops
Wotton-under-Edge
to Hawkesbury Upton (7.25 miles/11.6
kms)
via Kilcott Mill and the Somerset Monument.
Hawkesbury Upton is an attractive village around a
pretty village pond.
LUNCHES: Buy in advance
ACCOMMODATION: B & B
EVENING MEAL: available
SHOPS: none
Hawkesbury
Upton to Tormarton (6.25 miles/10
kms)
via Horton Court, possibly the oldest rectory in
England; and Old Sodbury hill fort.
LUNCHES: Pubs
ACCOMMODATION: Pub and B & B
EVENING MEAL: available
SHOPS: none
Tormarton
to Bath (Abbey) (16 miles/25.6
kms)
via Dyrham Park and its beautiful house; the
Lansdown Monument to Sir Bevil Granville; and a
fine walk down into Bath, passing through Victoria
Park below the Royal Crescent. Bath is one of the
finest cities in Europe and time could usefully be
set aside to explore it.
LUNCHES: several possibilities on the
route
ACCOMMODATION: wide selection in Bath
EVENING MEAL: wide variety
SHOPS: wide variety. Most British
banks.
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