Walking in the Cotswolds - 6 Days Private Group

What You'll Do

Enjoy a private adventure in the picturesque hills of the Cotswolds, and a number of offbeat, unique activities with your own personal guide who is passionate about showing off the very best of this iconic corner of England.

This 6-day, 5-night tour will lead you through our stunning Cotswold countryside, through fields and over rolling hills to stay in honey-coloured Cotswold villages and bustling market towns.

The Cotswold hills are perfect walking country, taking winding lanes and national footpaths, you will be transported back into England as it was before mechanisation, where sheep and dry-stone walling were the biggest industries.

Relax and enjoy global heritage sites including Windsor, home to the Queen and its majestic Great Park, the university city of Oxford, Churchill’s Blenheim Palace, the Neolithic wonder of Stonehenge, and the spa town of Bath.

With stunning views around every corner, great accommodation, wonderful pubs and beautiful cuisine, we’ll give you an experience you won’t forget.

This is a private group where you’ll be accompanied by a guide who is knows all the best routes, some little known paths and amazing views, totally dedicated to taking care of you, and you’ll also be able to choose between beautiful 3* and 4* accommodation. All this means you can relax and soak up the idyllic atmosphere of the Cotswolds, without a care in the world.

Experience
Highlights

A private tour of Windsor, the largest occupied castle in the world, with an expert guide

Experience some of the most beautiful walks in England, little known pathways and amazing ancient sites

Stop at a vantage point where you can see over 16 counties and to the Black Mountains of Wales

Experience Itinerary

Arrival in the Cotswolds

We collect you at 8.30 from London at Paddington Station, Platform 1, under the clock and take you by bus Windsor, which is about 1 hours’ drive.

We set off into the royal deer park, past the cricket pitches and the famous Guards Polo Club and grounds, founded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1955.

A former player, he remains the Club’s President today, regularly watching games from the Royal Box. His oldest son, HRH The Prince of Wales and grandsons, Princes William and Harry, have inherited his passion and have played many a game at the Club.

Often on a Sunday, there is a polo match taking place right in front of us as we travel past, lingering longer when there is a Chukka in play!

This beautiful walk leads us around of the Great Park grounds, with all of its eccentric statues, totem poles and ruins – including Leptis Magna aka the Temple of Augustus or, an ancient Roman ruin from Libya that has ended up here, 2000 miles away from where it originated!

We walk through the famous ‘Long Walk’, an historic 3 mile avenue the Copper Horse Statue of King George III right up to Windsor Castle, lunching in town. In the afternoon we take a private tour of the magnificent castle.

On your private tour, immerse yourself in the heritage of the largest occupied castle in the world, and 1000 years of royal history, led by an expert. For those wishing to stretch their legs, we can lead a tour through the cobbled streets of Eton and its historic colleges (select dates only) and museums. In the late afternoon, taking our bus to your hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh in the North Cotswolds means a nice, gentle start to your holiday.

Walk options: 4 miles or 6 miles

Experience the Hillsides

A day dedicated to the Cotswolds. In the morning we walk from the golden-stoned Chipping Campden with its impressive market hall, built in 1627 and its fascinating civil war history – lived-out in the ruins on the outskirts of the town.

Heading through the fields to the stunning gardens at Hidcote, for lunch and to explore its internationally renowned gardens – special because of its series of outdoor rooms and as the first National Trust property to be purchased for its gardens rather than the building itself.

For garden lovers there is the option to visit Kiftsgate gardens 200m around the corner, run by three generations of women and home to the famous Kiftsgate Rose.

We visit Broadway Tower overlooking the northernmost extreme of the Cotswolds, Broadway Tower, from where you can see 16 counties and to the Black Mountains of Wales, before walking into Broadway town itself, one of the prettiest villages the Cotswolds has to offer.

We take the short transfer back to our hotel in Moreton in Marsh in the late afternoon.

We organise an evening of entertainment to celebrate Great British Puddings; a light main course followed by a ‘Parade of Seven Traditional Puddings’, a true highlight of the week, with a vote for your favourite dessert over coffee – from Eton Mess to Sticky Toffee Pudding and Gooseberry Fool – which will you pick?

Walk options: 5 miles or 8 miles

Accommodation

You can choose between a 3* country hotel or a 4* prestige hotel

bar in a country hotel

Churchill and Literary Pubs

We head out from the hotel through the beautiful Cotswolds to start our walk in Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born and a World Heritage Site.

With 3000 acres of Capability Brown parkland to explore, todays walk is a stunning wander around lakes, serpentine streams, woodland and into the Palace itself for an audio tour of this historical palace in the afternoon.

We provide guests with a sumptuous picnic spread over-looking the Capability Brown parklands and have ample time to explore the historical palace on a guided audio tour and walk through some of the 3000 acre estate.

There is also the option to visit the tucked away and little-known graveyard of Churchill and his relatives, hidden just outside the Blenheim Estate.

We travel into Oxford in the evening for a guided walk through the historical university town, from the Radcliff Camera to the Bridge of Sighs.

Timing-dependent, we can organise in advance to visit Christchurch Cathedral or an Oxford College. For those interested in literature we can visit the Eagle and Child for a local pint, famous for serving the Inklings literary group of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and others as well as the pubs made famous by Inspector Morse!

With options for dinner in town including dining on the balcony of the iconic Ashmolean museum or in one of Oxford’s brilliant restaurants, we’ll truly explore the best of the city before returning to your hotel.

Walk options: 4 miles or 7 miles

Accommodation

You can choose between a 3* country hotel or a 4* prestige hotel

country hotel in the cotswolds

Step Back in Time

We travel from Burford to the stunning White Horse Hill to see the beautiful ancient carving atop the Ridgeway, thought to be around 3000 years old.

Then, walk to Wayland’s Smithy an atmospheric Neolithic chambered long barrow, haunted by the God-Giant Wade – King of the Finns, and around to a Bronze Age Fort with views stretching across the Thames valley.

Travel on to Stonehenge, Europe’s best known prehistoric monument for a look around these magnificent stones – there is the option to walk to and from these stones – completing our Neolithic Day.

There is the option to finish at lunchtime and head straight to our hotel for a relaxing afternoon in Bath. Why not try your hand at punting along the slow rivers and canals around Bath, take traditional afternoon tea in the celebrated Royal Crescent Hotel, or taking our famously funny Laugh at Bath tour through the city’s highlights, on this day or the next.

Walk options 4 miles or 6.5 miles

Accommodation

You can choose between a 3* country hotel or a 4* prestige hotel

hotel bedroom in the cotswolds

In the morning we walk along the canals of Bath, towards Bradford on Avon, down towpaths and beside the rivers that lead into this Roman city.

Then, in the afternoon you will have a private tour of the incredible Roman Baths, constructed between 60-70 CE and one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the world.

Led by an expert on the Baths, you’ll gain a unique insight into its history. We take a relaxed walk through the cobbled streets in the early evening through the heart of the city, leading guests up to the Royal Circus and the iconic Royal Crescent with views overlooking the city.

Stay overnight once more in Bath, eating out in this town, known for its restaurants, bars, culture and arts!

Walk options 5 miles or 7 miles

Accommodation

You can choose between a 3* country hotel or a 4* prestige hotel

outside of a hotel in the cotswolds

Departure Day

Our tour ends in Bath after breakfast, where we help guests with their ongoing travel arrangements, most often from Bath train station, just a short walk from the hotel.

Location Information

You will be collected from Paddington Station in London at 8:30 am on the first day of your adventure, before you head out to Windsor, then to the Moreton-in-Marsh to begin your journey through the green rolling hills of the Cotswolds.

From there, you’ll head south through the Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, visiting Oxford, rural towns, and finishing the tour in the old Roman town of Bath.

FAQs

This tour is rated 2/5 for difficulty meaning it’s appropriate for guests going for a good walk and can handle an incline or two. The terrain we cover is varied. We’ll enjoy some rolling hills, and a few steeper walks which will be a bit more demanding.

Your holiday, however, will be tailored by your guide to suit your individual preferences. Rewarding views are guaranteed. Daily distances range from 4-10 miles and options for shorter or longer walks are available on all days.

You will spend two nights staying in The Manor or Redesdale in Moreton-in-Marsh, two nights in The Highway or The Lamb in Burford, and one night in The Bird in Bath.

All options are luxurious, comfortable and bursting with country character, and guarantee you a pleasant stay in the Cotswolds. There is free parking, wifi and upgrades available at every option.