Cotswold Way

The Cotswold Way is a 100-mile (160 km) footpath from Chipping Campden to Bath. It was inaugurated as a National Trail in 2007, and has created a number of new rights of ways.

Understand

The Cotswold Way is a marked trail on gently undulating ground in central England. The route runs near many villages, so you should be able to find a B&B or hotel to spend the night (but book in advance), and maybe a pub for the odd lunchtime treat.

Budget accommodation is scarce near the trail, and wild camping is not permitted. Expect to spend around £100 or more per person per day (2022 prices).

The Cheltenham Gold Cup horse race takes place in mid-March every year, most of the beds near the way are likely to be booked up months in advance at this time.

Prepare

Luggage transfers

If you want to walk light, you can arrange for a company to transfer your bag from one hotel to the next. These services generally only run from mid-March to late October. In 2022, per day transfer charges start at £10 for one bag, with extra bags at a reduced price.

• Carry a Bag
• Cotswold Luggage Transfers
• Sherpa Van

Go

Cotswold Way sign at the Battle of Lansdown

Point	Coordinates	OS Grid Ref	Notes
Start	51.375°N 2.359°W	ST751640	1 Bath. (updated May 2021)
	51.426°N 2.401°W	ST721697	2 Battle of Lansdowne. (updated May 2021)
	51.531°N 2.352°W	ST756815	3 Old Sodbury. (updated May 2021)
Somerset Monument	51.587°N 2.329°W	ST772876	4 Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire. (updated May 2021)
	51.635°N 2.355°W	ST755929	5 Wotton-under-Edge. (updated May 2021)
Tyndale Monument	51.658°N 2.372°W	ST743956	6 Tyndale Monument at North Nibley. (updated May 2021)
	51.678°N 2.350°W	ST758978	7 Dursley. (updated May 2021)
	51.745°N 2.256°W	SO823052	8 Stroud. (updated May 2021)
	51.786°N 2.193°W	SO867098	9 Painswick. (updated May 2021)
	51.817°N 2.151°W	SO896132	10 Cranham. (updated May 2021)
	51.864°N 2.074°W	SO949184	11 Leckhampton. (updated May 2021)
Highest point	51.919°N 2.007°W	SO996245	12 Cleeve Hill. (updated May 2021)
Sudeley Castle	51.947°N 1.956°W	SP031276	13 Sudeley Castle. (updated May 2021)
	51.957°N 1.969°W	SP022287	14 Winchcombe. (updated May 2021)
Hailes Abbey	51.968°N 1.928°W	SP050299	15 Hailes Abbey. (updated May 2021)
	51.991°N 1.913°W	SP060326	16 Stanway. (updated May 2021)
Broadway Tower	52.024°N 1.835°W	SP113362	17 Broadway Tower. (updated May 2021)
Broadway Hill	52.035°N 1.855°W	SP100374	18 Broadway. (updated May 2021)
End	52.053°N 1.773°W	SP156395	19 Chipping Campden. (updated May 2021)

External links

• Cotswold Way Official National Trail Cotswold Way website
• Cotswold Way route relation on OpenStreetMap
• Map of the Cotswold Way indicated in 2 mile sections
• Wall Street Journal article
• The Walking Englishman