Three of our wardens working to install steps along a footpath.
Our Cotswold Voluntary Wardens have set a new record for themselves in 2023-24: over 50,000 hours of volunteer work between them across their five districts in the Cotswolds. Come rain or shine, the wardens work all year round, and contribute a huge amount to the landscape. They work on maintaining the many thousands of miles of routes criss-crossing the Cotswolds: checking routes, replacing stiles, repairing foot bridges, clearing scrub, installing gates, fixing steps and installing hand rails, improving signage and waymarking, and litter picking. They plant trees, lay hedges, create habitats for nature, clear waterways, and work to repair our famous dry stone walls. They attend talks, shows and events to help spread the word about what they do, and about the Cotswolds National Landscape. And not forgetting – they lead hundreds of guided walks, for free, and open to everyone, almost every day of the year!
Let’s hear it for our fantastic troupe of loyal volunteer wardens!
Key numbers 2023/24:
- 51,351 hours of work
- 319 guided walks, attended by 3,634 people
- 7,867 miles of path patrolled
- 1,433 trees planted