Cotswold Walks

12/01/2024

“It’s easy to imagine Cotswold gardens are all roses and hollyhocks set against the backdrop of honey-coloured houses and gently rolling hills. In fact, while there are many beautiful cottage garden plots, the range is far more diverse. Eastern-inspired, contemporary and even a Royal garden, the Cotswolds illustrates every type of English gardening style.”

Mandy Bradshaw, the Chatty Gardener, has created a blog post for our website this week which is an excellent introduction to the world of Cotswold gardens.

Mandy and Andrew, the owner of Cotswold Walks, will be hosting a Cotswold gardens-themed webinar on the 21st of January which is free to join – secure your spot today and let us bring some brightness into your January!
Please find the link to the webinar in our bio.

Photo: Kiftsgate Court Gardens by Margaret Clavell

15/12/2023

Join Chad and Carey on the next leg of our Cotswold Ring tour! This time, they wander through the charming Lower Slaughter and Bourton-on-the-Water, nestled gracefully along the River Windrush. Plus, Carey unveils the secret behind a HA-HA. 😊

We hope you enjoy the latest episode, please let us know!

Video: Carey Wodehouse and Chad Williams / Creative Visual Design

08/12/2023

It’s Friday which means that the new episode of Chad and Carey’s adventure on our Cotswold Ring tour is out! In this week’s video, Chad and Carey pass through the charming villages of Broad Campden and Blockley and visit Bourton House Gardens. Watch until the end and find out why their accommodation in Moreton-in-Marsh is a special one!

Video: Carey Wodehouse and Chad Williams / Creative Visual Design

01/12/2023

It’s a crisp winter day in the Cotswolds and as beautiful as the fairy lights are, set against the warm glow of the honey-coloured Cotswolds stone, watching Chad and Carey’s new video has filled us with anticipation for the warmer and brighter days of summer. In this episode, Chad and Carey walk from the bustling high street of Broadway to the chocolate-box market town of Chipping Campden through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds.

Grab a cup of tea, watch the previous 2 videos on our website and let us know what you think! www.cotswoldwalks.com/our-new-videos

Video: Carey Wodehouse and Chad Williams / Creative Visual Design

24/11/2023

It has been a long time since we last posted – happy to report that we’re still here, and ready to reconnect after the long silence caused simply by being busy with our tours.

In 2023, we’ve once again been lucky enough to get fully immersed in what we do best: sharing our passion for the Cotswolds with visitors from all over the world. It’s wonderful to hear from our clients how this slower pace of travel in the beautiful countryside is the right setting for a wide range of occasions from reconnecting with friends, spending quality time with loved ones, to celebrating milestone birthdays or just spending quiet time with one’s thoughts on the trail.

This year, we have also been lucky to host a talented couple from the United States, Chad Williams and Carey Wodehouse, who documented their week in the Cotswolds and have kindly shared 7 of their captivating videos with us.

If you wish to join Carey and Chad on their Cotswolds adventure, head over to our website:

www.cotswoldwalks.com/our-new-videos

We hope you enjoy, please let us know!

Photo: Carey Wodehouse and Chad Williams / Creative Visual Design

17/11/2022

Cotswold Way finally made safe.

Anyone who has walked the Cotswold Way will know how dangerous crossing the A417 near the Air Ballon pub roundabout has been. At last govt. approval has been reached and work to make a safer crossing will begin next year. It cannot come soon enough.

The work will see two extra lanes added and a new 3.2 mile stretch of dual carriageway.

19/10/2022

For the attention of all our followers who not only feel enthusiastic about the gently rolling Cotswolds landscape but also the stunning works of art inspired by it:

Repost - Elizabeth Cowell]

“Sightlines exhibition at Spring Gallery is now open.

New work from me, Elizabeth Cowell] and is on show at Spring Gallery in Cheltenham. until 23rd October. Open 10am until 5pm everyday and the launch party is 6pm until 8pm on Thursday.

Looking forward to seeing you there.”

16/02/2022

I have had a Covid-19 booster...the Downton Abbey movie is on its way! You can't beat a bit of Downton. Why not join us on one of our Scenic Guided tours in July and Sept. 2022 and see for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM7c-VjEldU

Watch the new Downton Abbey: A New Era trailer. Join the beloved Downton Abbey cast and unearth the mystery of the Dowager Countess' new villa in the upcomin...

11/02/2022

The moment you are out on the trail, it is easy to switch off and become completely absorbed by the sense of calm, just watching sheep as they peacefully graze in wide open pastures, or get carried away with excitement when spotting the village church in the distance and wonder what might be waiting round the next corner.

This photo was taken near the village of Naunton, on our Best of the Cotswolds tour: www.cotswoldwalks.com/best-of-the-cotswolds

28/01/2022

Wishing everyone a lovely Friday with this cheerfully vibrant photo 🌸

The Cotswolds is home to an abundance of extraordinary gardens that burst into a riot of colour during the spring and summer months. The honey-coloured cottages and emerald green rolling hills provide the perfect backdrop to the roses, delphiniums, sweet peas, lilies, lavenders and the like.

Our small group Cotswold Gardens Tour was designed specifically to showcase the best of the gardens but they can also be explored as part of any of our self-guided tours; just let us know you’re a garden enthusiast and we will make sure you don’t miss any of the highlights whilst walking in the Cotswolds.

Many thanks for the photo to Margaret Clavell 💐

14/01/2022

One of the things that makes the Cotswolds truly special is its seemingly endless network of footpaths leading through picturesque countryside. The trails are peaceful and uncrowded and sometimes your only companions are the sounds of nature and your own steps.

Photo: Walking from Castle Combe to Bath in summer, on our Oxford to Bath tour

www.cotswoldwalks.com/oxford-to-bath

07/01/2022

May we wish everyone a very Happy New Year with our first post in 2022!

We hope that your year will be filled with opportunities to create memories to last a lifetime.

We are in full swing organising tours for 2022, with the Cotswold Way already becoming one of the most popular walks of the year and if you look at this photo, it is easy to see why. The 102-mile walk from Chipping Campden to Bath features some of the best views in the Cotswolds.

This stunning photo was taken by Margaret Clavell last summer at Coaley Peak on the Cotswold Way; many thanks again to Margaret for sharing it with us.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you wish to book or ask questions about any of our tours, it will be our pleasure to help!

04/06/2021

Summer has finally arrived with plenty of sunshine, and we hope you get the chance to spend time outdoors and enjoy a walk. If you happen to be in the Cotswolds, join us on one of our small group walks to explore the countryside with an expert local guide!

www.cotswoldwalks.com/small-group-guided-walks

(Photo: from 2016)

14/05/2021

If you are planning to “get away from it all” in the Cotswolds, what are you looking forward to the most?

This is one of our countless favourite views that we always look forward to seeing when walking the Cotswold Way – just outside of Broadway, on the way to Stanton.

www.cotswoldwalks.com/the-cotswold-way

Many thanks for the lovely photo to our client who walked with us back in 2012.

30/04/2021

Ahead of restarting our self-guided and guided walking holidays from the 17th of May, Andrew has made the most of the good weather to get out and about and showcase just how beautiful the Cotswold countryside really is.

We hope you enjoy our latest video on the Slow Travel Tours blog!



https://slowtraveltours.com/blog/a-spring-walk-in-the-cotswolds/

Spring is well and truly here, so take a virtual walk with us through the fabulous countryside as we prepare to welcome you back to the Cotswolds.

23/04/2021

With only 24 more days to go until we restart our self-guided and guided walking holidays, we cannot wait to welcome you back to the Cotswolds and help you create memories to last a lifetime! 🥾😊

16/04/2021

Onwards and upwards! 🥾

We often get asked about the level of difficulty of our walks. As our routes take you through woodlands, chocolate-box villages and across fields, pastures, and wildflower meadows, the terrain varies, but paths are well trodden and there are very few steep inclines and declines.

We do recommend wearing boots that will provide ankle support over rough ground and keep your feet dry. 😊

Many thanks to our clients for this photo, taken back in 2017, whilst walking the Cotswold Ring:

www.cotswoldwalks.com/the-cotswold-ring

09/04/2021

The early bird catches… a glimpse of the quiet side of Bourton-on-the-Water. 😊

Now that spring is well and truly here and days are longer, it’s well worth setting off early in the morning and watch the village come to life.

Do you have a favourite time of the day for walking?

02/04/2021

We wish everyone a lovely weekend and a happy Easter with this charming postcard from the Cotswolds! 😊

(Photo: Taken on one of our favourite walks, near Snowshill village, back in July 2019)

26/03/2021

Travelling back in time to a gloriously sunny day in July 2018

We have visited the beautiful Kiftsgate Court Gardens – famous for its spectacular roses – on countless occasions with our clients, families, and friends, but the gardens and the dramatic views to the Malvern Hills and beyond never cease to amaze us.

Everything will be in full bloom soon, just in time for when we can restart our walking and cycling holidays! 😊

www.cotswoldwalks.com

19/03/2021

Aren’t the views from Broadway Tower just as stunning as the iconic landmark itself? On a clear day, you can enjoy sweeping vistas over 16 counties and see as far as Wales.

If you’ve never been to the Cotswolds before, this is one of those beauty spots that can’t be left off your list of things to see. This is why a walk up to Broadway Tower is part of our Best of the Cotswolds tour, designed specifically for walkers who are exploring the northern Cotswolds for the first time.

www.cotswoldwalks.com

12/03/2021

Spring in 🌸

Cirencester is known as the Capital of the Cotswolds, with its rich history originating in Roman times.

Once you have explored the main attractions and venture off the main streets, you will discover another side to the town’s character – we absolutely love these peaceful narrow streets, flanked by charming honey-coloured buildings.

Cirencester is one of the bases from where we explore the Cotswolds on our Garden Tour and Scenic Guided Tours, and it’s also part of many of our self-guided walks, such as the South Cotswold Ring:

www.cotswoldwalks.com/the-south-cotswold-ring

(Photo from May 2013)

05/03/2021

Is it just us or does this photo make you smile, too? 😊 It just perfectly epitomises the sense of freedom you experience on a self-guided walking holiday.

We are so excited about the prospect of restarting our walking and cycling holidays in late May! Come and join us in the Cotswolds and experience the wonderful sense of freedom that comes with exploring our beautiful landscape, one step at a time.

www.cotswoldwalks.com

Photo: Sent to us a few years ago by one of our clients walking the Cotswold Way.