Cotswold Way - North Section

A pleasant walk from Chipping Campden to Painswick along the Cotswold Way.

5 to 7 nights
47 miles
Easy / Moderate to Moderate / Demanding

From £410 per person

Discover the available tours

About this route

The North section of the Cotswold Way runs from the ancient market town of Chipping Campden to the quintessentially English village of Painswick.

The trail passes through wonderful green countryside and visits a series of towns and villages, including Stanton built entirely of Cotswold Stone, and Dowdeswell with its fascinating earthworks. This walk also features stunning views from the top of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in all of Gloucestershire, as well as unique glimpses into the region’s turbulent past.

This route can also be walked in the opposite direction if preferred. Select the ‘Reverse tours’ option when choosing your itinerary.

Dog friendly tours available

Dog friendly itineraries are available for this route. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your itinerary. Please note that dog friendly walks may require more transfers than standard tours.

Standard
Interactive
Cotswold Way - North Section map
Chipping Campden to Painswick
47 miles (76 km)
17th March to 28th October

Holiday Highlights

Admiring the variety of scenery, from rolling green fields and dry-stone walls to historic battlefields and burial mounds.

Exploring the picturesque towns and villages on route to Painswick, including Chipping Campden, Stanton and Dowdeswell.

Enjoying far-reaching views from the summit of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds.

Available tours

CodeTourDurationDifficultyPrice per person
COTWN1 From Chipping Campden to Painswick 5 nights, 4 days walking Moderate / Demanding£410
COTWN2 From Chipping Campden to Painswick 6 nights, 5 days walking Moderate£490
COTWN3 From Chipping Campden to Painswick 7 nights, 6 days walking Easy / Moderate£570

Cotswold Way - North Section - North to South 5 nights, 4 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
Start

Travel to Chipping Campden where your first night's accommodation has been booked

Day 1

Chipping Campden to Stanton. 10 miles (16km)

Day 2

Stanton to Cleeve Hill. 13 miles (21km)

Day 3

Cleeve Hill to Leckhampton Hill(T). 10 miles (16km)

Day 4

Leckhampton Hill(T) to Painswick. 14 miles (22.5km)

Finish

Depart from Painswick after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to walk more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are walking on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Walker or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Walker Supplement
£35.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£25.00 per person / per night

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Cleeve Hill)
£60.00 per person / per night

What's included?

  • 5 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Many people chose to have an extra night in Chipping Campden before starting the trail because there is so much to see. Chipping Campden is the loveliest of all the Cotswold Market towns, it is also the best preserved and most historically important. Buildings of interest include the open-sided Jacobean Market Hall, built to shelter stallholders from all weathers; the Town Hall; the 14th century Woolstaplers Hall, where the fleeces were sold and which now houses the town's museum. Opposite this is the magnificent Grevel House built in 1380. St James' Church is one of the best examples of a Cotswold 'wool' church and contains the largest memorial brass in the county, to William Grevel, 'the flower of the wool merchants of all England'. Next to the church are the gateway and onion-topped lodges of the old manor of Campden. The manor itself was destroyed during the Civil War. Nearby on a raised pavement stands a superb row of Almshouses built during the reign of James I in stunning symmetry.

The delightful village of Stanton is another possibility for a rest day while the old wool town of Painswick with its ancient stone buildings dating from the 13th century is also a popular choice.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Cleeve Hill)
£60.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 47 miles (75.5 km)
Duration: 5 nights, 4 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 10 miles (16 km)
Maximum daily distance: 14 miles (22.5 km)
Code: COTWN1 Grade: Moderate / Demanding
Season: 17th March - 28th October
Start of holiday: Chipping Campden
End of holiday: Painswick

Route Profile

Cotswold Way - North Section - North to South Route Profile

Travel Information

Detailed instructions on how to get to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Bristol and Birmingham.

By Rail - The nearest rail stations to Chipping Campden are either Honeybourne (about 5.5 miles away) or Moreton-in-Marsh (about 6.5 miles away). The nearest rail station to Painswick is at Stroud (about 4 miles away).

By Bus - Various bus services run to Chipping Campden and from Painswick.

From London - Trains from London Paddington station to Moreton-in-Marsh and Honeybourne. From these places a bus/taxi will be required to Chipping Campden.

Return To The Start - The easiest way to return to the start of the trail, is to catch the bus from Painswick to Chipping Campden.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Routes on this trail

Cotswold Way

7 to 14 nights
103 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £540 per person
A self-guided walking holiday from Chipping Campden to Bath through the beautiful Cotswolds.Find Out More

Cotswold Way - South Section

5 to 8 nights
56 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £410 per person
A wonderful walking holiday from Painswick to Bath along the world-famous Cotswold Way.Find Out More

Cotswold Way Short Break

4 nights
27 miles
Moderate
From £340 per person
A short walking holiday from Dowdeswell to Kings Stanley, providing a taste of the Cotswold Way.Find Out More
Explore more holidays on the Cotswold Way trail

You might also like

South Downs Way

7 to 11 nights
100 miles
Moderate+
From £650 per person
A walking holiday from Winchester to Eastbourne along the chalk downs of Hampshire and Sussex.Find Out More

Peddars Way

4 to 5 nights
49 miles
Moderate / Demanding+
From £365 per person
A walking holiday from Knettishall Heath to Hunstanton along the ancient Peddars Way Roman road.Find Out More

Walking the Cotswold Way with Contours Walking Holidays

Outdoor Journalist Damian Hall takes a walk from Chipping Campden to the Heritage Listed City of Bath, along one of the most quintessentially English trails in the country.
Watch Now

Customer reviews from the Cotswold Way - North Section

“Everything was well organised and the route enjoyable. We would recommend you on the fact that the accommodation is good and organisation very sound - unlike some of your rivals who we have heard are not very good at all either to the guests or hosts.”
Mr Lee, UK
“Thanks a lot for another wonderful vacation. I enjoyed the Cotswolds Way very much.”
Ms Berentsen, Germany
“We greatly enjoyed our recent holiday and were impressed by your organisation. We appreciated the timely provision of comprehensive and details information. We particularly commend the speedy and reliable luggage transfer service by Volunteer Inn.”
Mrs Allison, UK
“It exceeded our expectations in every way. Trekking through England for a week at the peak of spring wildflower bloom was pure joy. And staying at such beautiful and comfortable inns each night was a wonderful reward after a long day's journey. Everything from the customer service to the payment transactions to the trek itself was excellent. I must tell you that some of the B&B's also gave Contours kudos for your great customer service and organization.”
Ms Reynolds, USA

Select a tour