Escape to the Cotswolds

If you are short on time, this itinerary includes all of the highlights you would get from our longer trips. Experience history, culture, views, and welcoming locals through the 3 days of fantastic walking.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers

Escape to the Cotswolds is graded easy to moderate overall. You will pass through rolling hills and some steep ups and downs as well as historical sights of interest. The trail is on well-maintained footpaths, bridleways, across fields, golf courses and on some minor roads. It does involve some steep ascents and descents from the escarpment. Some of the paths can become very muddy and boggy when rain falls, often making progress slower than normal. The paths are remote in sections but are walked regularly by other hikers and locals, with a few short sections being on indistinct paths.

One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of accommodation. You will stay in carefully selected B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels. Your room will always have an ensuite or private bathroom. A delicious breakfast is always included.

Alternative accommodation

During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. Any alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard as those described.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party we will always try and accommodate you subject to availability. A single supplement is payable.

Solo Walkers

This walking holiday is available to solo walkers but as we incur additional baggage transfer costs there is a solo walker supplement payable.

Additional Nights

If you are walking the full Cotswold Way (or even our "Escape to" and "North" itineraries) we recommend booking at least one extra night in Bath. There is plenty to do in this bustling city known as being the home of well-being. In your information pack, we provide a list of recommended restaurants, cafes and things to do while you are there.

The Cotswold Way is well waymarked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure App on your phone which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple and you cannot get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account. A comprehensive guidebook and map are also supplied.

You can start this tour any time between April and October subject to availability. Please note that this tour is not available to start on a Saturday or Sunday due to restrictions with accommodation.

Rail: Train services connect London to Moreton-on-Marsh (2hrs) and Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon (1hr). Taxi or bus services are available for the respective 6 or 12-mile last leg to Chipping Campden.

Road: National Express coaches serve Bath, Cheltenham and Broadway. Unsecure on-street parking is available in Chipping Campden.

Cheltenham is well connected by rail, you can get direct trains to London (2.5 hours), Bristol (45mins) and to Birmingham. (45mins).

If you have left a car in Chipping Campden getting back from Cheltenham on public transport can be tricky – with many connecting stops. Please visit the Traveline Website or National Rail Enquiries for further information on public transport and timetables.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. 

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

If you are travelling from far afield and do have more than one bag it is possible to arrange for the extra luggage to be stored whilst you are on tour for a fee of £25 per bag. These additional bags would be picked up from your accommodation at the start point of your tour and dropped off wherever you finish depending on the itinerary you are doing. This must be booked in advance if you are interested in this option. Please do not show up and ask the driver on your first day of walking.