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WALKING
IN THE COTSWOLD RING
a
walking holiday in England
This seven
night circular walking tour will take you into the heart of the romantic
Cotswolds, one of the most scenic areas of England, loved in all seasons
by tourists from all over the world. The area is famous for its
gently undulating green landscapes, its beautiful woodlands and the idyllic villages with characteristic cottages in
the typical honey-coloured Cotswold stone. This unique
village-to-village walking tour (55 miles / 88 km) starts close to London
(about 2 hours away) in the elegant town of Cheltenham (County of
Gloucestershire). This is a rich and lively town with mineral water springs, broad
lanes, beautiful manor houses and lush greenery. Cheltenham
is situated on the River Chelt and is well-known for its Regency
architecture, beautiful parks and gardens, elegant shops, horse racing
and the international music and literature festivals.
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Programme
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Day
1
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Arrival
in the 'Regency Town' of Cheltenham
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Day
2
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Cheltenham to Winchcombe (8 miles / 13 km)
Today's walk starts from the grand Pittville
Pump Room (1825-1830) with its spa water spring, once believed to cure all ails. The route crosses
Cleeve Hill, the highest point of the Cotswolds (326m), to the Neolithic long
barrow burial chambers of Belas Knap. It then descends to Sudeley Castle, which
dates back to the 10th century, although the inhabited portion is chiefly Elizabethan. Sudeley has a remarkable
garden. The route descends further to the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe,
with its fine 'wool church' (a church built primarily from the proceeds of the
medieval wool trade).
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Day
3
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Winchcombe to Broadway (10.5 miles /
17 km) The first stretch follows the pilgrims'
route to Hailes Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1245 by Richard, Earl of
Cornwall, the younger brother of king Henry III of England. Hailes
Abbey became a site of pilgrimage after Richard's son Edmund donated to the
Cistercian community a phial of the Holy Blood, purchased in Germany, in
1270. All
that remains of the abbey are a few low arches in a meadow with outlines
in the grass. Surviving remains include the small adjacent parish church, with unrestored medieval wall-paintings.
Following this you walk over the hills to Jacobean Stanway House,
a notable example of a manor house dating back to the period of King
James I Stuart (1603-1625), and on to the idyllic Stanton, before reaching
the old coaching village of Broadway, often called 'the pearl of the
Cotswolds'.
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Day
4
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Broadway to Chipping Campden (4.5
miles / 7 km) Today's route is shorter, but
not less beautiful. Walking over the hills via Broadway Tower, a small
18th century castle and highest in the Cotswolds, with magnificent views over
the surrounding landscape, you will reach Chipping Campden. In the
afternoon you can explore this charming town with its silversmiths, wool church,
nice restaurants and great pubs. You could also visit Dover's Hill, site
of the annual 'Cotswold Olympics', or the beautiful gardens of Kiftsgate
or the National Trust gardens at Hidcote. You may even have time to
spend the afternoon at nearby Stratford-on-Avon, birthplace of William
Shakespeare. |
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Broadway Tower
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Day
5
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Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh
(8 miles / 13 km) You walk through a beautiful
landscape with small villages like Broad Campden and the charming Blockley
and Batsford, famed for its arboretum and falconry centre. Then on to the
market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, straddling the old Roman road, the Fosse Way.
The high street of Moreton-in-Marsh has many elegant old inns and other
18th century buildings, such as the Redesdale
Market Hall. |
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Day
6
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Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-the-Water
(12 miles / 19 km) The first stretch of
today's route crosses the high wolds to Stow-on-the-Wold, complete
with village stocks and picturesque market square. At the height of the Cotswold
wool industry this town was famous for its huge annual fairs where as
many as 20,000 sheep were sold at one time. The Cotswold Ring then passes
through Lower Slaughter, situated on the little stream called the Eye. The old Mill, built in the nineteenth
century and last used
commercially in 1958, now has a tea and gift shop.
The last stretch of today's route will take you to Bourton-on-the-water,
situated on the River Windrush. This lovely town has many attractions
including Birdland, an authentic zoo with exotic birds including penguins. |
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Day
7
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Bourton-on-the-Water to Cheltenham (Prestbury;
15 miles / 24 km, which can be shortened using public transport) The
Ring follows the pretty River Windrush through the lovely villages of Naunton
and Guiting
Power. Finally, a descent from the high wolds through the meadows of the
Cotswold escarpment leads you to your journey's end at the village of Prestbury, on the
outskirts of Cheltenham. Prestbury has a nice medieval church dating back
to the 12th
century. |
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Day
8
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Departure
after breakfast
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The
package includes:
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Period
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Leave
any day of the week, all year round (the best walking period is from April to mid October)
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Level
1-2
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Moderate.
Walking
in a hilly country side with not too many level differences. Daily
distances between 12-24 km (an average of 3/4 km an
hour)
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Price 2012
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Per
person based on two people sharing € 565,00 (hotel
and B&B version)
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single
supplement € 195,00
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travelling alone € 280,00
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