Aimee & Angela Bouchard
From: British Columbia & Manitoba, Canada
Started: 15th Sep, 2017 — Finished: 21st Sep, 2017
We enjoyed the walk very much! The weather cooperated for most of the journey and the English countryside is absolutely beautiful!!!! The trails were well marked most of the way. The few mixups we had were likely due to us being tired at the end of the day and not paying attention. The accommodations were are lovely and the hosts were very friendly and helpful. I'm looking forward to doing another hiking adventure one day soon.
Charlene & Bruce Bainum and Kathy & Lary Taylor
From: Angwin, CA USA
Started: 12th Sep, 2017 — Finished: 19th Sep, 2017
A beautiful well-marked trail. Lucky with the weather. Enjoyed the walk immensely.
Elizabeth Hedges
From: Cirencester
Started: 6th Sep, 2017 — Finished: 16th Sep, 2017
Chipping Camden - Stanton, - Winchcombe - Dowdeswell - Birdlip - Painswick - Coaley Peak - Wotton under Edge - Little Sodbury - Cold Aston - Bath
Selina Bentsch and Andrea Hausner
From: Basel, Switzerland
Started: 21st Aug, 2017 — Finished: 31st Aug, 2017
Absolutely stunning views on this trail! We loved hiking in the Cotswolds. We went "the wrong way" from Bath to Chipping Campden with all of our stuff in big backpacks. The path got a little muddy from time to time, but especially in the second half of our walk the weather was great. We met wonderful people and saw a lot of sheep (we love sheep). It was absolutely worth it
Chris Johnson
From: Pickwick, Corsham, Wiltshire
Started: 15th Aug, 2017 — Finished: 21st Aug, 2017
Walked this in one go from North to South, finishing on my 60th birthday and raising funds for Julian House in Bath.Joined by various people at various points including my two sons, wife and other family members.Weather mostly good, and views spectacular.
DIANE BERESFORD/GREN MASON
From:
Started: 5th Aug, 2017 — Finished: 13th Aug, 2017
VERY ENJOYABLE WALK - A PERFECT END AT BATH ABBEY
Anne and Steve Hochwalt
From: Cincinnati Ohio, USA
Started: 5th Aug, 2017 — Finished: 13th Aug, 2017
We started in Chipping Campden, and soon wondered where the "rolling hills" were! The Cotswold Way Trail had more challenging hills than we'd anticipated but we always made it to the top and enjoyed the incredible views. The trail was well marked, the wildflowers were beautiful and we enjoyed meeting walkers from other countries along the way. It was so much fun encountering the many sheep, cows, horses we also shared the trail with. We were fortunate with only one day of rain but that created slipping and sliding up and down the hills - ugh. The English people were very warm and welcoming and the B&Bs (breakfast!) and pubs (lager!) we visited were quaint and charming. Each day was a new adventure. Little did we know there was a festival in Queen Victoria Park the day we completed the walk. A band was playing in the pavilion as we walked along the Royal Avenue - what a wonderful way to welcome us to Bath! We found the Cotswold medallion at the door to the Abbey and enjoyed a "job well done" smooch :-) The end was bittersweet as we thoroughly enjoyed every day of our Cotswold Way walk.
Florence Wickenden 6 years old
From: Bletchingley
Started: 5th Aug, 2017 — Finished: 12th Aug, 2017
Chipping Camden- Winchcombe Winchcombe- Dowdswell Dowdswell - Coopers Hill Coopers Hill- Painswick-stone house Stone House- Dursley - Wotton wotton- old sodbury Old sodbury- bath
Nancy Thompson & Stephen Thompson
From: 64 Stoneybeck
Started: 5th Aug, 2017 — Finished: 11th Aug, 2017
A good 7 days walk with fine views and interesting objects. Good weather although wood paths were a little muddy! A shortage of ice-cream parlours on the way. The path was well signed.
Geoff Lampshire
From: Exeter
Started: 3rd Jul, 2017 — Finished: 9th Jul, 2017
Report to Cotswold Way National Trail – contribution to Exeter campaign for Ataxia UK - June / July 2017
Situation : ataxia awareness campaign, Exeter, summer 2017
Inspiration: Bex Downing (my step-daughter) and friends, confronting and living with the challenges of ataxia
Motivation: spread awareness and raise money for Ataxia UK
Location: Cotswold Way, Chipping Campden to Bath, 102 miles, 7 days
Monday, 3rd July - starting point: Market Hall, Chipping Campden. Heavy rucksack, spare walking shoes, ataxia flyers, donation box; dressed in Ataxia t-shirt, shorts, hiking boots.
Sunday, 9th July – making my way through crowds of tourists near Bath Abbey. Stamp the final box on the Cotswold Way card at the tourist office – mission accomplished: unforgettable!
10 highlights encapsulating this unique experience:
• spectacular panoramas of Gloucestershire and the Severn estuary
• tranquillity of the wheat and linseed fields • sharing time with sheep, cattle and birds
• breezes in the trees and grass • exquisite taste of water melon at the end of a 22-mile Wednesday!
• chats with fellow hikers from all corners of the world
• historical monuments and architecture, from burial chambers to parish churches, battle fields to mill buildings
• steep upward climbs, with frequent stops to enjoy the view (or catch my breath!)
• opportunities to be in the moment, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future
• the compassion and generosity of those who listened to the facts and donated to Ataxia UK To all our family and friends who encouraged and supported us in our endeavours to raise over £1100 for Ataxia UK – with sincere thanks.
Bob & Julie
From: Southampton
Started: 1st Jul, 2017 — Finished: 8th Jul, 2017
We started the walk in the picturesque Chipping Campden and headed south arriving in Bath the following weekend, stopping at a number of pubs and B&Bs - all very welcoming. One particular place of interest was the 'glamping' at a College near Cheltenham which provided a basic but well placed stopping point. the weather was beautiful throughout, an ideal mixture of sunshine and cloud, perfect for walking this wonderful national trail. A real national asset.
Dominic and Sharon Godwin
From: Melbourne, Australia
Started: 27th Jun, 2017 — Finished: 7th Jul, 2017
A great walk with many fabulous viewpoints on the way. Some of our highlights were:
· Cooper’s Hill (where the annual cheese-rolling competition takes place) with its surprisingly terrifying view from the top!
· The amazing golf course at Painswick Beacon – Krazy Golf on a large scale. Also, Painswick itself was probably our favourite village of the walk.
· Selsley Common. Great views after a hard climb up.
· Beautiful Stone walls (catch the new one just South-West of Tormarton).
· Eating at the Star Bistro at Ullenwood.
Tips:
· There are a lot of very steep climbs and descents – perhaps not by Lake District standards, but you must still be very sure on your feet and take boots with good grip. A walking stick would also be useful, especially as some of the paths can be slippery when wet. The Cotswold way is certainly no walk in the Park!
· The trailblazer guidebook is excellent, but take a map and compass too (in case you need a shortcut or emergency detour)
· If you’re scared of heights some parts of the Way won’t be much fun, so be prepared to check your map for alternative routes if it gets hairy. In particular the official path passing below the Barrow Wake car park is very “sporty” (Grid Ref SO 9310 1535). Just take the tarmacked path through the car park instead – much less scary.
John & Maggie Coats
From: Northwich, Cheshire
Started: 16th Jun, 2017 — Finished: 30th Jun, 2017
"Despite walking during the 5 day heatwave, the several woods along the Way provided much needed respite. Walking along the Western Escarpment provided many fine views across to the Malverns and down into Wales. We visited many places of interest along the Way such as Hailes Abbey and Dyrham Park, as well as exploring the villages and towns such as Broadway, Stanton, Painswick, Wotton under Edge and finally the glorious Bath. The Way is well maintained, well signposted and is full of interest."
Bob & Asher Luder
From: Finchley, London,
Started: 3rd Jul, 2017 — Finished: 30th Jun, 2017
I walked the Cotswold Way with my son Asher, starting at Chipping Camden on a lovely Monday, 3rd July ,having arrived on the London train to Moreton in Marsh that morning.
I had walked a lot of the trail myself before in sections,and indeed with the same son from half way near Stroud to Bath 5 years before, but never complete from end to end.
The whole week was very warm indeed, with only a smattering of rain on the first day, and probably a little to hot to be entirely comfortable! We stayed in Wood Stanway the first night, then at Cleeve Hill house hotel the second ,experiencing the lovely views from the ? Rising sun pub having dinner. On the third day, I found someone's money clip with £120 in cash and all his cards and driving licence. By my wife's efforts from home, amazingly, we managed to locate the chap, who had dropped it out running, and reunited him with it at a lovely hotel called Greenway hotel and spa! He was extremely grateful.
We then walked to stay in Painswick, finding an injured Young crow on the golf course, and tried unsuccessfully to get help for it from local vets and RSPCA. Next was Dursley, via going up the Tyndale Monument ,where we loved the town centre, and then the Fox Inn in Hawksebury , losing our way temporarily leaving the village trying to get back onto the trail! We then walked through the lovely named Pennsylvania village and Cold Ashton, to stay at Hill farm, where we had also stopped 5 years before. Finally, a brisk walk into Bath on Monday 10th to be picked up by my wife and driven to lunch!
It was very warm, very tiring and very up and down: but equally extremely rewarding with many fabulous views !
Chuck and his dear friend John
From: Downers Grove, Il. USA.
Started: 16th Jun, 2017 — Finished: 25th Jun, 2017
I did the walk in behalf of John, who passed away last fall! He was a dear friend and I was able to turn my hike into a fundraiser in his name! People from England and Canada even contributed to the fundraiser (scholarships for needy students at a private high school we both attended many years ago). The hike was a wonderful life experience! I need to come back to the Cotswolds as a tourist with my wife. We used Celtic Trails who did an awesome job for our accommodations. Towns like Painswick, Winchcombe, Dursley and Bath are to be treasured. The English people were friendly, the paths well marked (except for some need of repair/upkeep as we approached Bath) and the beer was always enjoyed in a welcoming pub! As of today, we will be planning another hike next spring, likely to Hadrian’s Wall. And, we have now convinced our wives (my travelling partner, Bill Chalberg, has been/is in separate contact with you) that we will be coming back for a tour of this wonderful area!