The Cotswold Way

Thinking of walking in the Cotswolds? There are many different routes and experiences in this region that it can be difficult to know where to start. 

Luckily it is Macs Adventure to the rescue! Simply download our Free 14-page Cotswolds guide from the link below to read on your phone, tablet or good old printed page.  

Download your Free Cotswolds Guide

Macs Adventure has been running self guided walking holidays in the Cotswolds since 2007.  We kicked off with the Cotswold Way, knowing that it is a great National Trail, however, after spending some time in the Cotswolds, we realised how much more there was to see than on this one route.  So we developed the Cotswold Trail and Cotswold Round, to showcase some of the most beautiful, picture-postcard villages in the Cotswolds.  

We now help over 1000 walkers explore the Cotswolds every year, each of them finding the route that suites them best. We wanted to provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and explore the Cotswolds at your own pace and this has resulted in over 200 reviews to back up what a great experience we are providing. 

We offer a flexible Cotswolds walking experience that gets you in comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We carry your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and scenery of quintessential England. You can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise, by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  In the planning stage, we have free guides, comprehensive videos and a host of staff with their own tales of walking in the Cotswolds, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping as well as the best maps and guidebooks to make sure you find your way.  

We love the Cotswolds and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.  

Q: When is the best time of year to walk in the Cotswolds?

A: The Cotswolds are sublime at any time between the end of March and the beginning of October. Spring is a wonderful time of year to walk in the Cotswolds as the countryside is covered in wildflowers. Spring is also a quieter month for tourism, so you will find the paths and towns a lot less busy. 

Q: Will I need a map and compass?

A: There are different paths in the Cotswolds, but none of them requires great navigational skills. The Cotswold Way is well waymarked, however the other trips, we have constructed ourselves to showcase the best of the Cotswolds.  We will provide comprehensive route notes and Cotswold Maps, but you can also download our app, which has the routes already loaded. 

Q: What gardens can I visit in the area?

A: We would recommend Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and Hidcote, famous for its rare trees and shrubs. Click here for a full list of Gardens and Arboreta in the Cotswolds.

Q: Where can I get the best cream tea?

A: Cream teas are the lifeblood of the Cotswolds, with delicate blends of tea, carefully crafted for you, and towering cake stands filled with a variety of creative sweet treats. Some of the best you will encounter on our trips would be The Marshmallow Tearooms in Moreton-on-Marsh, Badger’s Hall in Chipping Campden, Tisanes in Broadway and the Lords of the Manor hotel just outside Bourton-on-the-Water.

Wool - The Cotswolds were mainly built on the wool trade and you can still see many examples of mills on your walks. Many of the impressive local buildings were built with money from the wool trade. The local sheep are called the 'Cotswold Lions' and have been brought back from the brink of extinction. 

Outstanding Beauty - The Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding Beauty in England, and the second-largest protected area after the Lake District. The Cotswolds are rural England at its most stunning, the towns and villages with their warm honey limestone facades adding charm and beauty to the natural wonder that surrounds them. 

Unique Local Customs - There are a lot of very interesting local customs, which you can participate in should you be visiting the area at that time of year. There is an annual cheese rolling at Coopers Hill, Birdlip, where contestants roll wheels of Double Gloucester cheese down a hill.  There is also a football game in Bourton on Water where the goalposts are either side of a river! These are only the tip of the iceberg too. 

Limestone - The Limestone is what gives the Cotswolds villages and churches their honey-coloured glow. The drystone walls built in the Cotswolds are everywhere and you will walk alongside many on your travels. If you laid them end to end they would stretch further than the Great Wall of China.