A weekend with walks AT A GLANCE

n Fantastic market square in Stow on the Wold n Gorgeous honey-coloured stone buildings n Battle of Stow history n Centre for many longer distance walking routes n Stay in a gorgeous B&B or cottage n Englands oldest inn

Stow on the Wold - Historic Market Town

In the north Cotswolds, all roads seem to do business fairly under the sight of Town Trail – a short route (1km) on to lead to the hill-top town of Stow and God. level ground. An interesting walk it has been that way for a long time – around the town, starting from The the ancient Jurassic Way and the Salt Stow had a special importance in the Cross in the square. It passes St Way met here and an Iron Age fort was English Civil War; it was close by, at Edwards Church, the stocks and ends built c.700BC. Donnington, that the last battle was at The Porch House, one of the oldest fought in March 1646. St Edward’s Public houses in England. The Roman Fosse Way from Church in the town centre was used as Cirencester to Leicester passes a prison for the defeated Royalist Stow Walks – 7 circular enlightening through Stow, although the town is troops. At nearly 800ft, Stow is the and educational walks from the Visitor mostly off to one side, reflecting its highest of the Cotswold towns, Information Centre down to The establishment as another of the approached uphill from all directions Slaughters (thankful village), Civil war planned market towns for which the with beautiful avenues of trees on memorial 1646 at Donnington, down to Cotswolds is renowned. Because it is some of the approaches. These days the Villages of Maugersbury and off the main road, the town square is Stow is famous as a centre for the Icomb (the later being where England large and impressive (it has known antiques trade. Cricketer and last International Lob markets with over 20,000 sheep bowler (1909) G.H.Simpson-Hayward crowded there), with various houses, Walking in and around Stow lived and is buried). They take in some shops and inns around the edge, all on the Wold: beautiful Cotswold Countryside and built in the local stone. The medieval Short walks – all of these routes are give you some fascinating history as cross is a reminder of the markets available from Stow on the Wold Visitor you go. heyday – placed to encourage traders Information Centre (in the cricket museum)

The Great

Outdoors

www.cotswolds.com Stow on the Wold - Historic Market Town

Town Treasure Trail – a fun family trail around the town, available from the Visitor Information Centre or from www.Stowinfo.co.uk

Longer walks: Stow is also on the route of several major longer distance routes:

The Gloucestershire Way – runs for 100 miles through the contrasting areas of Gloucestershire, including the Forest of Dean, Severn Vale and the Cotswolds. En-route, you will get fantastic views, river valleys and beautiful towns. This route also connects to The Cotswold Way and The Old Schoolhouse B&B The Wychavon Way in Winchcombe.

The North Cotswold Diamond Way through Stow-on-the-Wold and Accommodation that This long distance path is a roughly onwards into Warwickshire. Its half- welcomes walkers diamond-shaped walk in the North way point is right in the heart of the Cotswolds (60 miles) which centres on Cotswolds! Bed & Breakfast Stow-on-the-Wold. The walk extends to The Old School Bed & Breakfast Ebrington in the North, Oddington in The Monarchs Way A warm welcome to a relaxing Old the East, Northleach in the South and This long-distance footpath follows School, soothing cuppas, indulgent Guiting Power in the West. The the route that Charles II took during homemade cake, lashings of hot water, Diamond Way takes the walker through his escape after the battle of fluffy towels, divine bedding for a some of the many delightful small Worcester in 1651. For 6 weeks, hotly peaceful night’s sleep, and then that villages in the area with golden stone pursued by the parliamentary forces breakfast. T: +44 (0) 1608 674 588 cottages and welcoming country pubs. under Oliver Cromwell, he went north, www.theoldschoolbedandbreakfast.com then south through the Cotswolds The Donnington Way – based on the and the Mendips to the South Coast Woodlands Guesthouse Cotswold brewery of Donnington in and finally along the South Downs to www.woodlands-guest-house.co.uk Stow-on-the-Wold, the Way's theme is Shoreham, where he then escaped to YHA in Stow-on-The-Wold the brewery and its 15 pubs. It visits France. This long-distance walk (610 www.yha.org.uk Bourton-on-the-Water, Naunton, miles) uses footpaths and bridleways Guiting Power, Broadway, Chipping following the route that Charles took Cottages Campden and Moreton-in-Marsh. and enables you to visit many historic Park Farm Holiday Cottages sites and buildings. The Macmillan Way Walkers in the Cotswolds can enjoy a Things to do in Stow and fascinating section of this 290 mile nearby: long-distance path which was opened in 1996 and runs from Dorset to n The Cricket Museum Lincolnshire. In the south west, the n St Edwards Church path enters the region south of Tetbury n Antique shopping Situated in the quiet hamlet of and follows a north-easterly direction Maugersbury and within a 10 minute n Visit the site of the Battle of Stow walk along a tree-lined footpath to Stow- n Nearby Bourton-on-the-Water on-the-Wold, our cosy cottages have has several attractions which are privacy, character and wood-burning well worth a visit. stoves. T: +44 (0) 1451 870568 n Daylesford Organic www.parkfarmholidaycottages.co.uk @parkfarmstow

Visitor Information Centre Old Brewery House, +44(0)1451 830341 www.staycotswold.com Foxes Manor, Bourton-on-the-Water www.foxesmanor.com Honeysuckle Cottage, Blockley Kindly supported by www.thecountrycottage.co.uk www.cotswolds.com