The Cotswold Way Hike

Cotswold Way has been an iconic route and celebrates its 51st birthday this year. The National Park trail is 102 miles long and starts in the beautiful market town of Chipping Camden and finishes in the Roman city of Bath.

The hike closely follows the western edge of the Cotswold Hills through lush meadows, woodlands, and stunning stone-built villages.

Throughout the trail, you’ll be able to explore ancient commons in areas of natural beauty, historic battle sites, stately homes, and much more. And it’s this diversity that makes this trail so unique.

It’s renowned for housing some of England’s prettiest villages and historic sites, such as the Neolithic burial chambers at Belas Knap, Sudeley Castle, churches, and historic houses.

You’ll go from walking in woodlands to wildflower meadows to historic cities.

One of the great things about the trail is that any hiker can take on the route. You’ll need a bit of fitness to stay on top of the steep climbs, but other than that, it’s pretty easy.

Another great thing is the trail is very well marked, which makes it extremely easy to follow. That being said, you should still take a map and a guidebook to ensure you stay on the trail.

Buy The Cotswold Way Hike Guide

What does it look like?

How Long Does It Take?

As with any hike, the time it takes will entirely depend on how you want to take it. Officially the Cotswold Way is 102 miles (164 km), but where you stay and where you get food can increase the length.

Many people find that they end up walking 125 miles-ish to complete the trek. On average, it takes people between 7-10 days to complete. But, this could be more if you want to stop off in some of the prominent locations along the way.

Let’s break down the average distance per day:

• 7 Days: 14.5 miles per day
• 8 Days: 12.75 miles per day
• 9 Days: 11.3 miles per day
• 10 Days: 10.2 miles per day

These are just average distances, but as mentioned before, it depends where you stay and what you want to do on the trail. You could easily spend 14 days on the hike if you’re going to explore the area.

How To Get There And Back?

Because the UK is pretty well connected, you won’t really have any trouble getting there and back. Trains and buses run very regularly, although they aren’t the cheapest.

You could also drive to Chipping Camden, but the problem will be finding long-term parking solutions. Your best bet is to ring around to see if anyone will accept your car staying there for 7-10 days.

Once you finish, you can get a train back to Moreton-In-Marsh and then get a bus back to Chipping Camden.

As you can imagine, it can make things pretty time-consuming.

Most people like to take public transport, so they don’t have to worry about finding parking and leaving it for so long.

If you start the walk from Chipping Camden, you’ll have to get the train to Moreton-In-Marsh or Stratford-Upon-Avon, and then a bus to Chipping Camden.

If you leave from Bat, you’ll have no problems getting back home, the station is very well connected, or you can get to Bristol with ease, which is even better connected.

The Best Time To Go

One of the best things about the trail is it can be walked nearly all year round, thanks to the weather conditions.

Due to the hike being in the south o the country, you can expect warmer weather and drier conditions. That being said, UK weather is very unpredictable, so you need to be on alert and check the weather forecasts regularly.

Many people like taking on the walk in the winter, it may be colder and have chances of snow, but you get clear views of the escarpment. During the summer months, the trail get’s busy, but you’re surrounded by wildflowers, the smell of wild garlic, and lush woodlands.

Where To Stay On Your Journey

You have plenty of options for places to stay along the trail, thanks to the tourist locations along the way.

During the trial, you’ll find a host of hotels, B&Bs, and AirB&Bs. But be warned places can fill up quickly due to the popularity of the Cotswold Way trek.

If you plan on camping, you shouldn’t have any problem find campsites; there’s plenty of them along the trail.

One thing to note is wild camping is illegal in England, so you should stay at designated sites.

That benign said, some farmers might not be opposed to you camping on their land, but you need to get permission from the landowner beforehand.

If you stay on someone’s farm, make sure you leave it the way you found it so others will enjoy the site after you.

Where To Get Food And Drink Along The Way

Nearly every bar, hotel, and B&B will offer some sort of breakfast, whether it’s a full English breakfast or cereal.

At lunch, you’ll find cafes and bars that will serve light lunches, or you can go to restaurants for something a little heartier.

Dinners will usually be spent in bars or restaurants where you’ll be able to find many different cuisine styles.

If you’re looking to do things on the cheap and want to cook your own food, you find supermarkets or local shops which offer enough food to get you by.

Final Thoughts

The Cotswolds is a beautiful area full of history and stunning landscapes. And there’s no better way to explore the area than taking on the Cotswold Way trail. If you plan the trek in advance, you’ll be treated to 7-10 days of beautiful scenery.

Looking for more Hiking locations in the UK?

Check out our full guides to other hikes in the UK    Hiking In The UK