The Cotswolds: Walking.

As I mentioned in my previous post, our main motivation for choosing the Cotswolds as our countryside destination was the ease with which you can travel on foot in the area. Many experienced travellers will insist that renting a car is necessary if you're going to visit the area, but we decided to challenge this notion. Utilizing trains, car services, buses and our own two feet, our plan succeeded with very few glitches along the way.

So, we walked. We walked an average of 6 miles per day through valleys, down small streets, across pastures, alongside sheep and other livestock. The villages are close in distance. The ones we visited were roughly 3-4 miles apart. In three days of hiking, we visited seven picturesque towns with wacky names: Stow-on-the-Wold, Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden, Mickleton, Snowshill, and Broadway. Descriptions follow the photos below:


The many footpaths that run through the Cotswolds are noted with small markers (see above) on fence posts. We were primarily on The Gloucestershire Way and The Cotswold Way. Beer fanatics will be happy to know that there is even a trail (The Donnington Way) to lead walkers to pubs serving the local ale. If only we had known...


Because most of the trails run through privately owned fields, walkers must pass through gates or hop over fences. This was one of our favorite parts of the walks. Each gate or fence we passed was another accomplishment along the way.


The footpaths guided us inside of fields with cows, horses, sheep, and wild birds. It was so ridiculously picturesque that I often found myself cursing in disbelief.


Although the footpaths are well-marked for the most part, we were thrilled to have our #45 Cotwolds Ordnance Map along for reassurance that we weren't getting lost. A compass might have been a good idea, too...



We walked far and wide to get to Snowshill. This town was another filming location for Bridget Jones' Diary. Perched atop the side of a hill, Snowshill was glowing. It is the kind of place that has one place to eat: the pub. We stopped for lunch, drank in the scenery, and headed on our way.



Again, many of the footpaths took us right through sheep fields. One thing I hadn't considered before leaving was the fact that we might encounter some poo along the way. Even if I had thought of it, the sheer number of poo patties right along the trail was shocking. I took my open-toe walking shoes and navigated some fields as if they were filled with landmines! Strangely enough, we also came across an elderly woman dumping one off in the woods along the trail, as well.



If you're interested in visiting the Cotswolds:
The primary thing we learned is that the car services in such rural areas are not reliable and absolutely requires advance planning. Otherwise, a driver might respond to a call by saying he can't come for several hours because of a previous engagement such as a doctor's appointment. The buses doesn't run too frequently either, but careful planning can make a holiday on foot in the Cotswolds do-able.