Cotswold Way

Cotswold Way

A magnificent trail showcasing the world-famous Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

4 to 16 nights
26-102 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous

From £500 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

The Cotswold Way covers 102 miles along the western edge of the Cotswold Hills, from the old wool town of Chipping Campden to the historic city of Bath. Unlike our Circular Walks in the Cotswolds, the Cotswold Way cuts south along the Cotswold escarpment, showcasing varied terrain and unforgettable views from atop its heights.

Along its length, this walking holiday encounters tranquil woodlands and sheltered valleys dotted with welcoming towns, villages and hamlets. Each settlement boasts insights into the region’s fascinating past, while the surrounding landscapes also feature a wealth of historical landmarks such as hill forts, castles and ancient battle sites.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Cotswold Way
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Cotswold Way - South Section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Cotswold Way - North Section
  • Cotswold Way Short Break

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

Trail running tours available

We also organise trail running holidays along this route. Find out more.

About this route

7 to 16 nights
102 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £855 per person

Cotswold Way

Walk all 103 miles of the world-renowned Cotswold Way National Trail.

Starting from Chipping Campden and finishing in the World Heritage-listed city of Bath, this trail proudly showcases the finest scenery, history, architecture and culture the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has to offer.

This route can be walked in the opposite direction upon request. Please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
COTW0 From Chipping Campden to Bath 7 nights, 6 days walking Demanding / Strenuous £855
COTW1 From Chipping Campden to Bath 8 nights, 7 days walking Demanding £970
COTW2 From Chipping Campden to Bath 9 nights, 8 days walking Moderate / Demanding £1080
COTW3 From Chipping Campden to Bath 10 nights, 9 days walking Moderate / Demanding £1190
COTW4 From Chipping Campden to Bath 11 nights, 10 days walking Moderate £1300
COTW5 From Chipping Campden to Bath 12 nights, 11 days walking Moderate £1420
COTW6 From Chipping Campden to Bath 13 nights, 12 days walking Easy / Moderate £1525
COTW7 From Chipping Campden to Bath 14 nights, 13 days walking Easy / Moderate £1645
COTW8 From Chipping Campden to Bath 16 nights, 15 days walking Easy / Moderate £1880

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
COTWSB From Dowdeswell(L) to King's Stanley(L) 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate £500
"Near Horton Court" by Jim Bigelow (2024) "Near Horton Court" by Jim Bigelow (2024)
"Prior Park, Bath" by Jim Bigelow (2024) "Prior Park, Bath" by Jim Bigelow (2024)
"Cromwell's Seat" by Jim Bigelow (2024) "Cromwell's Seat" by Jim Bigelow (2024)
"Postlip Hall" by Jim Bigelow (2024) "Postlip Hall" by Jim Bigelow (2024)
"Wild Garlic above Wotton-Under-Edge" by Jim Bigelow (2024) "Wild Garlic above Wotton-Under-Edge" by Jim Bigelow (2024)
"Cold Ashton Manor House" by Paul Day (2023) "Cold Ashton Manor House" by Paul Day (2023)
"Alms Houses in Winchcombe" by Paul Day (2023) "Alms Houses in Winchcombe" by Paul Day (2023)
"Longhorn Cow" by Paul Day (2023) "Longhorn Cow" by Paul Day (2023)
"Chipping Campden Market" by Paul Day (2023) "Chipping Campden Market" by Paul Day (2023)
"Cleeve Hill Sunset" by John Mansfield (2023) "Cleeve Hill Sunset" by John Mansfield (2023)
"Say Cheese atop Coopers Hill" by John Mansfield (2023) "Say Cheese atop Coopers Hill" by John Mansfield (2023)
"The Path to Dyrham" by Katharina Ferrando (2023) "The Path to Dyrham" by Katharina Ferrando (2023)
"Approaching Bath" by Katharina Ferrando (2023) "Approaching Bath" by Katharina Ferrando (2023)
"Lone Sheep at Broadway Tower" by Katharina Ferrando (2023) "Lone Sheep at Broadway Tower" by Katharina Ferrando (2023)
"English Landscapes in a Nutshell" by Katharina Ferrando (2023) "English Landscapes in a Nutshell" by Katharina Ferrando (2023)
"Final Picnic on Prospect Stile" by Robert Evans (2021) "Final Picnic on Prospect Stile" by Robert Evans (2021)
"Dyrham Park House" by Robert Evans (2021) "Dyrham Park House" by Robert Evans (2021)
"Shadows of the Essentials" by Robert Evans (2021) "Shadows of the Essentials" by Robert Evans (2021)
"Early Morning in Stanton" by Robert Evans (2021) "Early Morning in Stanton" by Robert Evans (2021)
"Friendly Sheep in Selsley" by Robert Evans (2021) "Friendly Sheep in Selsley" by Robert Evans (2021)
"View from Frocester Hill" by Robert Evans (2021) "View from Frocester Hill" by Robert Evans (2021)
"View from Cleeve Common" by Lindsey Way (2021) "View from Cleeve Common" by Lindsey Way (2021)
"Well Earned Rest" by Lindsey Way (2021) "Well Earned Rest" by Lindsey Way (2021)
"Signpost at Wortley Hill" by Penelope Brook (2020) "Signpost at Wortley Hill" by Penelope Brook (2020)
"Wet Autumn Day at Dyrham" by Penelope Brook (2020) "Wet Autumn Day at Dyrham" by Penelope Brook (2020)
"Cotswold Escarpment from Coaley Peak" by Jim Bigelow (2019) "Cotswold Escarpment from Coaley Peak" by Jim Bigelow (2019)
"Dyrham Wood" by Jim Bigelow (2019) "Dyrham Wood" by Jim Bigelow (2019)
"Stone Tower" by Jim Bigelow (2019) "Stone Tower" by Jim Bigelow (2019)
"Heading towards Birdlip" by Christopher Talbot-Ponsonby (2019) "Heading towards Birdlip" by Christopher Talbot-Ponsonby (2019)
"Hailes Abbey" by Gesche Henningsen (2019) "Hailes Abbey" by Gesche Henningsen (2019)
"Sheep and Thistles" by Martin Lehnoff (2019) "Sheep and Thistles" by Martin Lehnoff (2019)
"Broadway Tower" by Hazel Burns (2018) "Broadway Tower" by Hazel Burns (2018)
"Patchwork Landscape" by Arthur Brown (2018) "Patchwork Landscape" by Arthur Brown (2018)
"Racing the Rain" by Arthur Brown (2018) "Racing the Rain" by Arthur Brown (2018)
"Cotswold Zebra" by Mary Brown (2018) "Cotswold Zebra" by Mary Brown (2018)
"The End of the Cotswold Way in Bath" by Linda Logan (2018) "The End of the Cotswold Way in Bath" by Linda Logan (2018)
"Bath" by Linda Logan (2018) "Bath" by Linda Logan (2018)
"Falling off a Tire Swing on the way to Kings Stanley" by Linda Logan (2018) "Falling off a Tire Swing on the way to Kings Stanley" by Linda Logan (2018)
"Cotswold Pets in Stanton" by Linda Logan (2018) "Cotswold Pets in Stanton" by Linda Logan (2018)
"A Rainy Day Outside Chipping Campden" by Carmen Matthews (2017) "A Rainy Day Outside Chipping Campden" by Carmen Matthews (2017)
"Hiker or Shepherd?" by Duncan Thomas (2017) "Hiker or Shepherd?" by Duncan Thomas (2017)
"Gate on the Cotswold Way" by Duncan Thomas (2017) "Gate on the Cotswold Way" by Duncan Thomas (2017)
"Lunch Stop at Cold Ashton" by Duncan Thomas (2017) "Lunch Stop at Cold Ashton" by Duncan Thomas (2017)
"View from Pulteney Bridge" by Duncan Thomas (2017) "View from Pulteney Bridge" by Duncan Thomas (2017)
"Stanton" by Rachel Parsons (2017) "Stanton" by Rachel Parsons (2017)
"Autumnal Colours between Stanton and Stanway" by Rachel Parsons (2017) "Autumnal Colours between Stanton and Stanway" by Rachel Parsons (2017)
"Between Cold Ashton and Bath" by Rachel Parsons (2017) "Between Cold Ashton and Bath" by Rachel Parsons (2017)
"Directing the Way" by Rachel Parsons (2017) "Directing the Way" by Rachel Parsons (2017)
"Looking back to Broadway Tower" by Rachel Parsons (2017) "Looking back to Broadway Tower" by Rachel Parsons (2017)
Cotswold Way Signpost - Cotswold Way Signpost
Cotswold Way Signpost Cotswold Way Signpost

Customer reviews from the Cotswold Way

“An extremely enjoyable walk, thank you. All the arrangements worked very well. Helped by the warm dry weather for the first few days, albeit a little too hot at times. But it meant the trail was dry and good underfoot. Have already recommended the holiday to others.”
Mr Bird, UK
“Everything went smoothly and the standard of accommodation was generally first class.”
Mr Kenworthy, UK
“The Cotswold Way is well marked. We enjoyed the distances travelled each day. And met many wonderful fellow hikers along the way.”
Ms Ziperman, USA
“Everything turned out just as I wanted it to. It was a really tough challenge both mentally and physically some days but so rewarding!”
Ms Bohman, Sweden
“Another enjoyable holiday which I extended by staying two nights at Strafford upon Avon and walking two sections of the Heart of England Way - Henley in Arden to Chipping Campden. Another enjoyable trip. I often do recommend Contours to the people I meet on the walk. Looking at maybe booking the Isle of Wight coast and Fife coast for next year.”
Mr Duthoit, UK
“Great landscape, great places”
Mr Henningsen, Germany
“As on our first tour, the walking was lovely. The accommodations were, once again, clean and hospitable, with great hosts.”
Ms Logan, USA
“It exceeded our expectations. It was excellent.”
Mrs Barrett-Rendler, USA
“I’ve just arrived back home again after completing the Cotswolds Way yesterday. It was a great experience”
Mr Rogiers, Belgium
Find your holiday