The Cotswold Way is a 100-mile (160 km) footpath from Chipping Campden to Bath. It was inaugurated as a National Trail in 2007, and has created a number of new rights of ways.
Understand
[edit]The Cotswold Way is a marked trail on gently undulating ground in central England. The route runs near many villages, so you should be able to find a B&B or hotel to spend the night (but book in advance), and maybe a pub for the odd lunchtime treat.
Budget accommodation is scarce near the trail, and wild camping is not permitted. Expect to spend around £100 or more per person per day (2022 prices).
The Cheltenham Gold Cup horse race takes place in mid-March every year, most of the beds near the way are likely to be booked up months in advance at this time.
Prepare
[edit]Luggage transfers
[edit]If you want to walk light, you can arrange for a company to transfer your bag from one hotel to the next. These services generally only run from mid-March to late October. In 2022, per day transfer charges start at £10 for one bag, with extra bags at a reduced price.
Get in
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Go
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| Point | Coordinates | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 51.375°N 2.359°W | ST751640 | 1 Bath.   
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| 51.426°N 2.401°W | ST721697 | 2 Battle of Lansdowne.  
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| 51.531°N 2.352°W | ST756815 | 3 Old Sodbury.
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| Somerset Monument | 51.587°N 2.329°W | ST772876 | 4 Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire.
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| 51.635°N 2.355°W | ST755929 | 5 Wotton-under-Edge.
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| Tyndale Monument | 51.658°N 2.372°W | ST743956 | 6 Tyndale Monument at North Nibley.
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| 51.678°N 2.350°W | ST758978 | 7 Dursley.
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| 51.745°N 2.256°W | SO823052 | 8 Stroud.
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| 51.786°N 2.193°W | SO867098 | 9 Painswick.
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| 51.817°N 2.151°W | SO896132 | 10 Cranham.
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| 51.864°N 2.074°W | SO949184 | 11 Leckhampton.
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| Highest point | 51.919°N 2.007°W | SO996245 | 12 Cleeve Hill.
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| Sudeley Castle | 51.947°N 1.956°W | SP031276 | 13 Sudeley Castle.
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| 51.957°N 1.969°W | SP022287 | 14 Winchcombe.
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| Hailes Abbey | 51.968°N 1.928°W | SP050299 | 15 Hailes Abbey.
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| 51.991°N 1.913°W | SP060326 | 16 Stanway.
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| Broadway Tower | 52.024°N 1.835°W | SP113362 | 17 Broadway Tower.
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| Broadway Hill | 52.035°N 1.855°W | SP100374 | 18 Broadway.
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| End | 52.053°N 1.773°W | SP156395 | 19 Chipping Campden.
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Stay safe
[edit]Go next
[edit]External links
[edit]- Cotswold Way Official National Trail Cotswold Way website
- Cotswold Way route relation on OpenStreetMap
- Map of the Cotswold Way indicated in 2 mile sections
- Wall Street Journal article
- The Walking Englishman