Dan Smith, Robin Smith, Dak Burnett, and Pat Burnett
From: USA
Started: 10th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 20th Sep, 2018
We had a wonderful trip! I have ordered the patches to put on our back packs!
Sean Wilkinson
From: Watsonville California USA
Started: 7th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 17th Sep, 2018
It was a great experience—lots of friendly people and farm animals! Beautiful views and interesting sites to explore all along the way especially the villages, but also the artifacts from earlier history. my favorite was climbing into Ailey long barrow.
Lucy Wilkinson and Sean Wilkinson
From: Watsonville, CA USA
Started: 7th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 17th Sep, 2018
In celebration of our 25th Wedding Anniversary we walked the Cotswolds from Chipping Campden to Bath. We enjoyed hiking through the beautiful countryside, passing through kissing gates and eating blackberries all along the way. Some of the hills were challenging, but walking through the woods was so peaceful as was walking along with the sheep and cows. We were in awe of historical sites like the Neolithic Burial Mounds, Hailes Abbey, Great-Witcombe Roman Villa, Horton Court and Dyrham Park and all the amazing views that constantly surrounded us. Another highlight of our experience was meeting people in the villages and the other walkers along the way. We hope to keep up with our new friends.
Bishopstown Hillwalking Club
From: Cork Ireland
Started: 9th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 16th Sep, 2018
Completing the walk in such a short time was a challenge, and didn't afford time to enjoy some of the charming towns and villages we passed, but a wonderful experience and a good time was had by all. We were blessed with good weather and dry ground which made for enjoyable walking and the season was perfect. I recommend Hikes and Bikes and all the places we spent the night, with some of our hosts going the extra mile to make us welcome. We walked from Chipping Sodbury to Bath and found the A46 impossible to cross. It's a very busy road 24/7, and although signs alert motorists to pedestrians nobody had the patience to allow us across. The road has to be crossed around 4 times and something needs to be done about this for walkers safety. Entering Bath through Kempston the path takes you into the valley, then back up again to the rim before turning towards the city center and Abbey which added an unwelcome climb after such a long stretch across country. Walking directly from Kempston to the Abbey would have taken just 40 mins whereas following the Cotswold way posted route more than doubles that time. Will recommend others to try this walk. Ian
Emma Cope
From: Cambridgeshire
Started: 8th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 14th Sep, 2018
Dropped off by my Mum in Chipping Campden I carried by rucksack along the Cotswold Way for 7 days camping in lots of lovely different places. My friend joined me in a pub one day, my Dad walked with me for one day and my Boyfriend joined me at the end in Bath for a lovely relaxing weekend. The B&B was bliss after sleeping on a Thermarest for 7 days!!! Proud to have completed it.
Roger Naish
From: Cheltenham
Started: 13th Sep, 2018 — Finished: 13th Sep, 2018
Completed half of The Cotswold Way in a day, walking 50 miles from start at Chipping Campden (3am) to Painswick midway marker (9pm) for Cancer Research. Extremely hard, bit extremely worthwhile.
Sean Bernard
From: London, U.K.
Started: 11th Aug, 2009 — Finished: 8th Sep, 2018
I started the walk solo during a 5 day holiday between Birdlip and Chipping Campden after a night's stay in Gloucester. I had a backpack with change of clothes and the necessary equipment (map, compass, torch, first aid kit, etc.), and this was to be my first point-to-point long distance trek. Unfortunately being rather impulsive and naive in my young age I didn't check the current status of the walk and ended up having to take quite a long diversion between Leckhampton Hill and Cleeve Hill. By the time I got to the room that I had booked it was dark and misty - luckily the way was well signposted for me to be able to find my way through it. This was the only really hairy part of the walk and was pretty much my fault for being unprepared for such a circumstance. Lesson learned - always check the current state of the trail before attempting to walk it! There is local information and the National Trails website to be able to do so. Other than that the walk was a fantastic experience! The highlights have to be the views from Leckhampton Hill, Cleeve Hill and the Broadway Tower, as well as the lovely towns and villages of Winchcombe, Stanton and Broadway. I included a quick stay over at Cheltenham Spa, which is a fascinating place in itself to visit as long as you have the time to do so! I arrived at Chipping Campden in the evening of Friday the 14th of August. 9 years later I decided to tie it up by walking from Birdlip to Bath - again solo. Again I started from Gloucester on the 3rd of September and this time went straight to the trail from Birdlip this time. It started off well enough, with some breathtaking views from Cooper's Hill and Haresfield Beacon, and a very interesting diversion of an abandoned canal before entering Kings Stanley. The problem began afterwards, as even though I was better prepared this time (and added a walking stick and a smartphone with a battery pack to my equipment), my posture wasn't very good, which led to my right knee causing a lot of pain by the time I got to Wotton-Under-Edge. At that point I thought I wasn't able to complete the walk if that meant it was going to lead to a permanently damaged knee! Luckily the local pharmacy had Deep Freeze and decent knee braces on sale, so I was able to mitigate any further damage and quickly learned better posture and how to use the walking stick effectively, and by the end of the walk my knee felt stronger and less painful Another lesson learned! Even with that I greatly enjoyed the time I had circumventing the golf course at Stinchcombe Hill and taking in more stunning views there as well as from the Tyndale Monument. The natural phenomena along the way like the deep set path before Wortley, mixed well with the man-made elements of the past, like the regal structure of the stately home at Dyrham Park. But the weather was forecasting heavy rain on the last day of the walk, so once again I had to decide whether to carry on in dangerous weather and a recovering injury. Luckily (and thanks to Malcolm, the proprietor of Swan Cottage in Pennsylvania) I had a number of options to still make it to Bath on time. But as I walked on the worst I got was a faint drizzle, so at that point I decided to just go through with the walk. It was hard in places, especially the last mile into Bath, but I made it to the Abbey at 18:45pm on Saturday the 8th! Overall it was a beautiful, uplifting and humbling experience! I cannot thank enough the National Trails and all the B&Bs, inns and holiday cottages I stayed over who helped make this a pleasant and unforgettable journey both times.
Catherine Chamorro & Jenny Howell
From: London & Cardiff
Started: 28th Apr, 2018 — Finished: 1st Sep, 2018
We had a wonderful time walking the Cotswold Way in stages across 5 fabulous weekends. A real tonic and lovely to have time to catch up with a good friend along the way.
Nigel James
From: Hastings, E Sussex
Started: 25th Aug, 2018 — Finished: 31st Aug, 2018
Great walk, best so far of the trails as far as waymarks. Need more campsites for those that do the trail in one go carrying all they need.
Danny Morris and Dolph Armstrong
From: United States
Started: 20th Aug, 2018 — Finished: 30th Aug, 2018
Beautiful weather for all but one day of the hike (from Kings Stanley to Dursley). The 26th was driving rain and high wind gusts as we went across Coaley Peak! Visibility was so bad we couldn't see the Severn from the Peak.
Glyn Morris
From: Frodsham Cheshire
Started: 27th Jul, 2012 — Finished: 27th Aug, 2018
Did the first half of the walk at the end of July 2012 - wasn't able to continue for family reasons. It was always unfinished business, finally got the chance to go and do the rest over the August bank holiday weekend this year.
Claire Ostrovschi-Vass, Lisa Wisdom, Paul Wisdom and our amazing support crew aka family xx
From: Cheltenham
Started: 24th Aug, 2018 — Finished: 27th Aug, 2018
A undulating and fabulous route through beautiful countryside and picturesque villages. My knees have since forgiven me after pushing myself to complete it over a total walking time of 38 hours over 3 and a half days. Couldn’t have completed it without the company from great friends and a support crew of my husband, children and nieces. Definitely a trail that is not to be missed.... Hoping to walk it again soon xxx
CLAIRE YATES
From: SURBITON, SURREY
Started: 9th Mar, 2018 — Finished: 26th Aug, 2018
Walked the Cotswold Way from North to South over three long weekends in 2018 together with other members of the British Airways Mountain Walking & Trekking Club.
Richard and Carol Wright
From: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Started: 14th Aug, 2018 — Finished: 26th Aug, 2018
We walked the way from north to south, breaking the route down to twelve stages. Favourite spots included Broadway Tower, Dovers Hill, Cleeve Hill and Coopers Hill. As we moved further south, Haresfield Beacon, Cowley Peak and Dodington Park were all particularly memorable. On the final day, during a twelve hour deluge of rain, we arrived the Abbey bedraggled but with a real sense of achievement!
Craig Shirley and Rhonda Holland
From: USA
Started: 15th Aug, 2018 — Finished: 24th Aug, 2018
AWESOME