Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 Walk The Cotswold Way – 11 Day Guided 102 miles of gently rolling Cotswold Hills. Through Chipping Campden, Broadway Tower, Hailes Abbey, Sudeley Castle, Cheltenham, Painswick and Bath.

Duration 11 days / 10 nights Start Moreton-in-Marsh Finish Bath

Our 11-day, 10-night tour traces the full length of the rolling Cotswold hills; 102 miles of magical walking from Chipping Campden in the North to Bath in the South, leading you from one breath-taking view to the next, immersing you in the ’ iconic history and heritage and championing England in all its glory.

From the picturesque Cotswold villages and honey coloured market towns you will be transported back into England as it was before mechanisation, where sheep and dry-stone walling were the biggest industries. This walking route leads you through the heart of the countryside so that you can enjoy the stunning vistas of chocolate box England during the day and relax in our handpicked Cotswold Hotels in the evenings. Neolithic and ancient monuments and burial chambers dot the escarpment alongside the striking Broadway Tower, the ruin of Hailes Abbey, the magnificent Sudeley Castle (where Catherine Parr is buried, Cheltenham, famous for its Horse Racing and as a Regency Spa Town, the National Trust’s beautiful Dyrham Park and the famous city of Bath.

Don’t feel obliged to walk the full distance each day. There are many shorter options for guests, with opportunities to spend more time at the iconic sites, castles, manors, gardens and in the cities for those wishing to walk fewer miles each day.

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Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 Accommodation

Country Accommodation

We have handpicked the best family run, independent and country hotels and pubs right on the Cotswolds Way. In perfect rural settings, we stay in each hotel twice, so you don’t have to pack up your stuff every day and allowing us to walk into and out of our hotels as much as possible. Cosy and with informal dining, these country hotels are friendly and relaxed, with great menus with locally sourced food and ales.

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Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 Itinerary

Pre-Trip (optional): Many guests choose to arrive the day before the start of the tour, to settle in and wander around the local area. We recommend guest taking the train to Moreton in Marsh (a 1.5 hour direct journey from London), where we can pick you up and take you to your hotel in Broadway, a beautiful little village sat just off the Cotswolds escarpment. Staying in the same hotel in Broadway for the first three nights means you don’t have to pack or move your luggage each day.

Day 1: Chipping Campden, Broadway Tower and Village, Snowshill Manor

After your train journey from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh (a 1.5 hour direct journey) we collect you from the station and head straight into the Cotswolds to visit the iconic Chipping Campden, with its golden-stoned buildings, where we begin our walk. We walk up Dover’s Hill, named after Robert Dover, who began the annual Cotswold ‘Olimpicks’ here over 400 years ago. This event is still held each year, with popular ‘sports’ including shin-kicking and hay-bale lifting. We walk on to the stunning Broadway Tower with its panoramic views all the way to Wales, perfect for a coffee stop. We walk down into Broadway itself for lunch and, in the afternoon, there is the option to continue onto the village of Stanton or to visit, or by support vehicle, the beautiful gardens at Snowshill Manor. We stay in the Broadway Hotel, right in the centre of the village, with great restaurant options for dinner in town.

OPTIONS: 6 miles 10 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 2: Stanton to Winchcombe. The tour winds its way through the picturesque countryside towards the 13th Century Cistercian Abbey at Hailes, and its beautiful Norman church with pre-1300 murals, hand painted onto the wall. We lunch at Hailes Fruit farm and continue in the afternoon towards Winchcombe. There is the option, instead of walking in the afternoon, to visit Sudeley Castle - the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within its grounds – Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII's six wives. We finish the day in the golden-stoned town of Winchcombe and travel back into Broadway for the evening, enjoying a group curry night out.

OPTIONS: 6 miles 8 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 3: Winchcombe to Dowdeswell. We walk South towards Belas Knap, a Neolithic burial site over 5,500 years old, before walking onto Cleeve Hill for beautiful views over the Spa town of Cheltenham and lunch at the golf club. In the afternoon we walk along the escarpment, where you can see all the way to Wales. We pass a prominent Tor known locally as the ‘Devil’s Chimney’, before heading downhill through Dowdeswell reservoir and woodland. We finish outside the Spa town of Cheltenham where we stay for the next two nights. There is the option for guests to head straight

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Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 into Cheltenham after lunch, and tonight guests dine on their own, with a wealth of great restaurant options in town and within easy walking distance.

OPTIONS: 7 miles 11 miles Gently Rolling Gently Rolling

Day 4: Dowdeswell to Birdlip. This morning we begin from the outskirts of Cheltenham, following the rolling hills to find the elusive source of the Thames, stopping at the Seven Springs for coffee. We eat lunch at the Star Bistro within the grounds of the Ullenwood estate before continuing in the afternoon to the National Trust woodland at Crickley Hill. The forests overlook the Severn Vale, with magnificent views towards Robinswood Hill and , as well as the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains beyond. From here we return to your hotel in Cheltenham for a relaxing evening in town.

OPTIONS: 5 miles 9.5 miles Gently Rolling Rolling

Day 5: Birdlip to Painswick. Much of today’s walk is through beautiful woodland, along the ridgeline and past the remains of a Roman Villa as we near Painswick. We walk along the top of Cooper’s Hill, and peer down the incredibly steep slope, famous around the world for the annual tradition of ‘cheese-rolling’. Contestants launch themselves down this slope at a run, chasing and tumbling after a local cheese, all before cheering crowds in their thousands! We lunch at the Royal William pub before heading to the Painswick Beacon - probably one of the best views of the trip - surrounded by an Iron Age fort dating to between 400BC–AD43. We end the day on a gentle downhill into the beautiful little town of Painswick famous for its Rococo gardens, before heading to our hotel in our support vehicle. Those wanting to explore the gardens for longer can head straight there for the whole afternoon. We stay in the nearby Bear at Rodborough Hotel for the next two nights, having a group dinner in their restaurant this evening, serving up some British classics.

OPTIONS: 5 miles 8.5 miles Gently Rolling Rolling

Day 6: Painswick to Hetty Pegler’s Tump. After a short transfer into Painswick we walk up to for wonderful views along the River Severn and towards the Forest of Dean. We lunch in Stroud, a town known for its curation of the arts, before continuing south in the afternoon. Our walk passes both an Iron Age Hillfort and Nympsfield Long Barrow, a burial mound constructed in the Neolithic period and surrounded by legends and bizarre stories, including one that it was a refuge for lepers. We finish at an impressive Chambered Barrow, Hetty Pegler’s Tump, so named after the landowner in the 17th century who began its excavations. We return to The Bear Hotel in the afternoon where guests can enjoy a relaxed evening and dine at their leisure.

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Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 OPTIONS: 6 miles 10 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 7: Hetty Pegler’s Tump to Wotton Under Edge. Today is considered one of the more challenging days as we follow the ridgeline South, dipping into towns and villages. Neolithic Long Barrows and Hill Forts dot this ancient escarpment and we pass several of these burial chambers on our walk. We also walk past the striking Tyndale Monument, standing 111 feet tall atop a hill called ‘Nibley Knoll’ and built in honour of William Tyndale, who translated the New Testament and who was born nearby. After a traditional Cotswolds pub lunch, there is the option to take the support vehicle directly to our hotel. Guests wishing to walk the full route can walk right to the front door of The Swan in Wotton Under Edge where we stay for the next two nights and dine as a group this evening.

OPTIONS: 5 miles 9 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 8: Wotton Under Edge to Little Sodbury. We walk out from our hotel in the morning along the valley and through a series of classic golden-stoned Cotswold villages. Lunch is in the Fox Inn at Hawkesbury Upton and our afternoon walk takes us through open countryside right up to the back door of Horton Court. This manor with Tudor origins has an incredible Norman Hall dated to around 1185. It has also been used as a filming location for the famous ‘Poldark’ series and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. The walk continues through Dodington Park in the afternoon, a beautiful Capability Brown designed estate. We drive the short distance back to our hotel in Wotton Under the Edge for a relaxed evening where guests can dine on their own.

OPTIONS: 6 miles 11 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 9: Little Sodbury to Cold Ashton. We stroll from Little Sodbury though arable fields and farms towards our coffee stop at Tormarton. The trail leads to the perimeter wall of Dyrham House - a 17th century William and Mary mansion nestled within an ancient deer park. We lunch at their traditional tearoom café where guests wishing to rest their feet have the option to look around the estate in the afternoon and those wishing to continue walking journey on to Cold Ashton, a further 3 miles. We travel into the famous Regency town of Bath and our hotel, The Francis, at its centre. Bath is known for its cuisine and guests dine on their own in town this evening, with a great variety of restaurants within easy walking distance.

OPTIONS: 7 miles 10 miles Rolling Rolling

Day 10: Cold Ashton to Bath. We transfer North out of Bath and begin our walk along the southernmost point of the Cotswold ridgeline as it drops into the valley. We pass several battle sites

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Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975 from the English Civil War and past the Granville Monument, erected to commemorate the heroism of the Civil War Royalist commander Sir Bevil Grenville during the Battle of Landsdown. After lunch at the Old Crown Inn, our walk takes us into and around the city of Bath where we tour around the incredible architectural highlights, including the striking Royal Crescent and, for those that wish, to the Jane Austen Museum in the afternoon. There is the option today for a shorter morning walk and a longer afternoon exploring Bath. We finish at our hotel and have our final night’s dinner in the Brasserie Blanc in the centre of the city.

OPTIONS: 5 miles 10 miles Rolling Rolling

Morning, Day 11: Our guides will meet you after breakfast and help with any ongoing travel arrangements. Many choose to stay on in Bath, to explore the Roman Baths and more of the cities celebrated restaurants, theatres, galleries, canals and more. Please ask if you would like help to organise and book extra days in Bath. There are also regular departures from Bath Spa station, only a short walk from your hotel, for an easy and direct 1.5 hour journey into London.

The Details Duration 11 days / 10 nights Start Moreton-in-Marsh Finish Bath

Level of Activity

Traditionally the full route is 102 miles, however your tour will be tailored by your guide to suite your individual preferences, without missing out on any of the stunning views or our iconic points of interest. Walking the full distances each day is rated 3/5 in difficulty, meaning it’s appropriate for guests going for a good walk and able to handle a few inclines. Our shorter walking options are rated 2/5, appropriate for guests keen to walk along and up our beautiful hills to get to the panoramic views, and who wish to spend more time looking around our iconic monuments and castles.

The terrain we cover is varied. We’ll enjoy some rolling hills and a few steeper walks which will be a bit more demanding. Your holiday, however, will be tailored by your guide to suit your individual preferences. Rewarding views are guaranteed! Daily distances range from 6 - 11 miles and options for shorter or longer walks are available on all days.

ENGLAND'S LEADING CYCLE TOUR COMPANY

Northbrook House Oxford Science Park Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4GA www.activeenglandtours.com [email protected] +44 (0) 1865 747975

WHAT’S INCLUDED WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

• 10 nights’ accommodation • International flights • All breakfasts & 3 dinners • Cancellation insurance • Entry into all iconic points of interest, • Items of a personal nature including: Hailes Abbey, Sudely Castle, • Dinner drinks Newark Park, Horton Court, Dyrham • Dinner which are not with the Park. group • Transport throughout • Gratuity for your local guide • Professional local guide • Walking Poles

For more information please call +44 1865 513007 or contact [email protected]

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