The Cotswolds
Rolling hills, lush valleys, open fields, clear flowing rivers and wooded slopes: the Cotswolds are the archetype of English countryside. Shaped by sheep-farming from the Middle Ages onwards, the ‘wolds’ (hills) are dotted with historic villages. The ancient cottages and houses, clustered around the fine churches and often set in wonderful gardens, are built in the local, honey-coloured limestone and date from the 16th & 17th centuries when the wool-trade was at its peak. It is a landscape that has changed little since that hey-day, preserving a multi-faceted beauty that (we might be a little biased, we do live here!) makes our souls sing. We hope that a walk through this glorious countryside will make your souls sing too.
Prices and Bookings
To book, please call us at least 2 days in advance to avoid disappointment. Call us on +44 (0)1367 851 111 or email reservations@uplandescapes.com
Prices |
1- 4 people |
5 or more people |
|---|---|---|
Short Walk |
£70 per group |
£100 per group |
Medium or Long Walk |
£80 per group |
£120 per group |
Packed-Lunch |
£7 per person excluding drinks |
|
Pub Lunch |
On consumption |
|
Transportation |
At extra cost, if required |
|
When to Go
Every season has its reward and Cotswold Day Walks are available all year round. Hedgerow and woodland flowers are bright and full of colour in the spring, the young leaves unfolding on the trees. In summer, gaze out over fields of barley rippling in the breeze, then tread lush meadow grass to explore the reedy banks of clear-flowing rivers meandering through hidden valleys. Autumn sees the colours change, as foliage turns to russet and gold and the ripe crops are harvested. Winter’s short, cold days can be the most beautiful of all, with crystal clarity illuminating frost-whitened trees and hills.
Where to Stay
The walks are designed to start and end in some of the most charming towns and villages of the Cotswolds where there is also comfortable accommodation, in order that your walk can begin from your hotel door. Alternatively, if you are visiting the Cotswolds just for the day and are arriving by train, your walk can begin and end at Charlbury’s rural railway station.
- Stow-on-the-Wold: This lovely market town is set on top of a wold (or hill) and has excellent shops, accommodation and restaurants, spreading out from an attractive central square.
- Bourton-on-the-Water: Popular with tourists, Bourton has a beautiful river flowing through the town, a wide choice of hotels and restaurants, and other attractions such as Birdland and a model village.
- Upper or Lower Slaughter: Possibly the most picturesque villages in the Cotswolds: all golden stone and gentle rivers, the Slaughters have some luxurious country hotels. The nearest shops are at Bourton-on-the Water (2 miles).
- Burford: The bustling little town of Burford has some excellent accommodation and restaurants and a variety of shops strung out along its pretty high street. The church is magnificent.
Charlbury: the small market town of Charlbury lies in the valley of the river Evenlode, at the edge of historic Wychwood forest, and is one of few Cotswold locations with frequent and easy train links. - Bibury: This much loved village has a beautiful stretch of river and the wonderfully picturesque cottages of historic Arlington Row. Bibury is just 7 miles from the Roman town of Cirencester, which has shops and restaurants.
Accommodation
To download a list of suggested hotels in all these places, click here.
Private Guided Walks
Meet your personal guide at your hotel or at the start of a walk, on the day and at the time of your choice. You and your party will be escorted on the walk you have selected, at the pace that suits you, hearing as much or as little as you would like to know about the history, folklore and natural surroundings you encounter. Your guide is there to give you an exclusive service, answering questions and helping in any way they can. Enjoy a day – or just a couple of hours - strolling peacefully through these beautiful landscapes and picturesque villages.
Walking and Terrain
Walking in the Cotswolds is a relatively gentle business – there are some hills, and some of them can be steep, but they never go on for too long. Stiles and the occasional slightly overgrown path are the only other obstacles. Our walks include everything from footpaths, to farm-tracks, to small asphalt lanes. Very occasionally it is necessary to walk briefly along a busier road. We recommend stout shoes or walking boots, and some sort of rain jacket is always a good idea. On the longer walks you will need to carry some drinking water. If you would like to bring along your dogs (with leads), they would be most welcome.
The Walks
For a description of each walk available, including timings and distances, click here.
Lunches
On many of the routes a well-placed village pub offers refreshment or the opportunity for lunch, depending on how you choose to time your walk. We can make lunch bookings for you if you wish. Alternatively sample one of Upland Escapes’ famous gourmet packed lunches, and choose your perfect picnic spot along the way. Elegantly packed in an easy-to-carry personal cool-bag with ice-packs, napkins and cutlery, your lunch will be home-made and freshly prepared using local, usually organic, ingredients. The menu is designed to be nutritionally balanced and provide energy to those spending a day walking.
A typical packed-lunch might consist of:
- A freshly baked bread roll
- Pasta salad with goat’s cheese and butternut squash
- Mushroom pate
- A local cheese
- Tiny lamb kebabs flavoured with bay leaves
- A slice of home-made apple cake
- Fresh fruit
Guides
Ed Granville and Dick Bayne have designed a selection of walks that vary in length from an hour to the whole day. They and their fellow guides are enormously knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their home landscape, its natural and human history, and believe these walks are the best way to discover the heart of England.
How to Get There
The Cotswolds are situated in the heart of southern England, close to Oxford, Cheltenham, Stratford-on-Avon and Bath, and are easily reached by car. If you decide to drive and would like to offset your carbon emissions, we would be happy to calculate this for you (for most car journeys this will cost £1-2) and arrange for this to be offset.
The Cotswolds can also be reached by train:
|
Closest Station |
Distance |
Taxi Service |
|---|---|---|---|
Stow-on-the-Wold |
Kingham |
5 miles |
0788 7714047 |
Bourton-on-the-Water |
Kingham |
9 miles |
0778 3693513 |
Upper/Lower Slaughter |
Kingham |
8 miles |
Use Bourton / Stow |
Burford |
Charlbury |
9 miles |
01608 810501 |
Charlbury |
Charlbury |
½ mile |
01608 810501 |
Bibury |
Kemble |
11 ½ miles |
01285 658031 |
From the station, taxis can be taken to reach the town or village where you have chosen to stay. Please note that there are no taxi ranks at these rural stations and so taxis will need to be booked in advance.
