Itinerary

When we launched our Odyssey Series for Hikers three years ago, we intended to offer the Cotswolds only during that first season. Early into that initial hike, however, it became clear that we couldn’t abandon this program after a single season. In so many ways, the Cotswold Way is so quintessentially English. The beautiful, rolling countryside, charming villages, unique lodges and the incredible warmth and friendliness of the people that we met along the way—one season in the Cotswolds just wasn’t enough. And so, again in 2012, for one final time, we’ll once again hike the entire 105-mile path from Chipping Campden southward to Bath.

     The Cotswolds offer everything one might hope to find in the English countryside. Rising gently from the broad, green meadows of the Upper Thames, cresting in a dramatic escarpment above the Severn Valley, the Cotswolds clearly are best defined as gently rolling hills, rather than mountains. The characteristic honey limestone, which constitutes the bedrock of the Cotswolds, produces the fertile soil and lush grasslands for which this area is noted. Sheep have grazed the Cotswold hills for centuries and the region has prospered in the past as a major producer of wool and as a substantial trading center. But, along came cotton and the Industrial Revolution leaving the Cotswolds locked in a time warp. As a result, this region never lost its rural character and remains wonderfully untainted by industrialization and urbanization.

We’ll head to the Cotswolds early morning of Day 1 (we’ll provide transportation early morning from London Heathrow) by way of Hidcote Gardens. We’ll visit the renowned gardens and hike to Chipping Campden (4 miles), arriving early enough to explore this town whose prosperity during the early 17th century typified the golden age of the Cotswold wool trade. On Day 2, we’ll hike to Broadway (5 miles), considered to be one of Britain’s most beautiful villages with its attractive houses and shops built of honey limestone. Day 3, it’s on to Winchcombe, the ancient Saxon capital, noted for its many ornate churches. Along the way, we’ll pass through Stanton, whose narrow streets are lined with stunning cottages and farmhouses, and visit the ruins of Hailes Abbey, founded in 1246, and Sudeley Castle (12 miles).

     On Day 4, we’ll walk through the delightful countryside of Cleve Hill Common, the highest point (1,083') on the Cotswold Way, and spend the evening at Cleeve Hill Manor (7 miles). Our path continues along the top of the escarpment on Day 5, crossing open grasslands into a beautiful beech forest. We’ll overnight in Birdlip (15 miles) at the Royal George and continue to Painswick on Day 6 (7 miles), a fascinating town with its honey limestone structures and wealth of historic treasures to visit on this relatively short day.

     We’ll cross the valley of the River Frome on Day 7 to Nympsfield (14 miles), passing numerous ancient burial grounds along the way. Nympsfield Long Barrow was excavated in 1937, yielding some 13 skeletons dating back to 2500 B.C. We’ll spend the evening at the Stonehorse Inn and hike on Day 8 to Wotton-Under-Edge, a delightful village situated under the edge of the Cotswold Escarpment and noted for its fine shops and lively pubs (11 miles).

On the way to Tormarton on Day 9, we’ll walk through ancient Old Sodbury, dating back in time to the 11th-century reign of Edward the Confessor (8 miles). It’s then on to Bath at the southern terminus of the Cotswold Way on Day 10 (15 miles). We’ll descend through lush meadows into Bath and walk past the Royal Crescent and the beautiful gardens of Royal Victoria Park on our way to trail’s end –Mile 0– at Bath Abbey in the heart of Bath. We’ll spend our final evening in the grand Mercure Francis Hotel, also situated in the heart of this fascinating city.

     Ancient Bath is the only town in Britain to have achieved World Heritage City designation. Magnificent architecture and landscape are everywhere, a reflection of Bath’s 2,000-year-old legacy. Among the many features for which Bath is noted are its legendary Roman baths, fed by the waters of the area’s prolific hot springs. Bath clearly is one of those places in which we need to linger; it’s gardens, art galleries and museums demand that we spend, not only our final night here, but a good part of our final day exploring this extraordinary town. We’ll ultimately return to London, where Odyssey 2012 concludes.

More information from Timberline Adventures:

• Company profile, experience, and history
• View all of their trips