Andy and Jo
From: Kidderminster
Started: 24th May, 2021 — Finished: 29th May, 2021
Loved every minute of the Cotswold Way. So many stunning views, awesome memories and running into interesting likeminded people along the way. Route is well waymarked. Will definitely return and given us the appetite for more national trails.
Philip Dark
From: Bristol
Started: 30th Apr, 2021 — Finished: 4th May, 2021
Did the walk over 4/5 days as part of Captain Tom 100 challenge. For my local NHS hospital charity and cancer research. Stunning scenery makes multiple climbs worth it. Kept pace with a Muntjac Deer also enjoying the route at Dowdeswell reservoir. A total wellbeing experience, brought all buried feelings about grieving for family and challenges of covid to front of my mind so I could release them. Emotional at times but spurred me on to fulfill my challenge.
Shan Nagarajan
From: Reading
Started: 2nd Apr, 2021 — Finished: 5th Apr, 2021
It is very beautiful trail and good views of Cotswold.
John Crabtree
From: Clevedon, Somerset
Started: 20th Jun, 2020 — Finished: 16th Oct, 2020
Alison Quayle, Quinton Quayle, Rufus
From: Ebrington, near Chipping Campden
Started: 9th Apr, 2017 — Finished: 10th Oct, 2020
Walking north to south, we've tackled some sections of the route with just our spaniel Rufus, some with family, and some with friends. During our time on the trail we gained a daughter-in-law, and later a grandson, who was responsible for a significant slowing of progress! However, in the year of Covid we needed a target, so we polished off the second half of the walk in five months. We have wonderful memories of the wide-ranging views; glimpses of history, from Iron Age forts to Tyndale's first translation of the Bible into English, from the Civil War to the Canal Age at the Stroudwater Navigation; the varied scenery, from green lanes to woodland and from parkland to wildflower meadows - and a good few steep hikes, at places such as Cooper's Hill, and before and after Dursley! Arriving in Bath, a city we know and love, gave us a tremendous sense of achievement. Now, Rufus will be wondering where next?
Michelle, Claire, Karen and Kim
From: Worcester
Started: 22nd Jul, 2016 — Finished: 22nd Sep, 2020
It took a while but we finished it!
Sue & Ray Davis
From: West Wickham, Kent
Started: 15th Sep, 2020 — Finished: 21st Sep, 2020
Loved every minute of it. We walked it in 7 days of glorious sunshine. Every steep climb rewarded us with a beautiful view. Fantastic scenery, lovely villages, interesting history and a well earned couple of days in Bath to recover at the end!
Jason Smith
From: Cheltenham
Started: 1st Feb, 2020 — Finished: 30th Aug, 2020
A lovely trail which I was able to walk with lovely company.
Sumit and Debs
From: UK
Started: 22nd Aug, 2020 — Finished: 28th Aug, 2020
Wonderful scenery, friendly people along the route, weather was a mixed bag but overall a very enjoyable multi day walk.
John and Kath Gould
From: Kidlington, Oxon
Started: 22nd Mar, 2020 — Finished: 26th Aug, 2020
We started the first leg of our walk in Chipping Campden on a sunny spring day in late March, just before the nation was plunged into lockdown, which meant that our attempt immediately stalled at Stanton! In early July we resumed the challenge and after a further seven days in the next two months, all chosen for their good weather, we elatedly arrived outside Bath Abbey. What a fantastic walk and thank you to all the rangers, some of whom we met en route, for maintaining the Way. There were too many highlights to mention, but the memories will live on in the log we created. On the way we identified over 120 wild flower species, 40 bird species and 16 butterfly species and met many fellow walkers. We shall probably do the walk again in the opposite direction!
Arianne, Chloe, Katie , Emma , Jean and Graham Harbord
From: Stroud, Gloucestershire
Started: 5th Jan, 2020 — Finished: 10th Aug, 2020
Our four daughters aged 7,10,12 and 14 have grown to love walking and all of the things that happen unexpectedly along the Way . From wildlife to wild weather and the joy of soup and a sandwich in the woods ! Great experience and somehow enhanced as we couldn't go in to cafes and pubs ( although we plan to go to plenty of them soon!)
Rob Lewis
From: Stroud, United Kingdom
Started: 2nd Aug, 2020 — Finished: 6th Aug, 2020
It was hot
Emily Collins
From: Denbigh, North Wales
Started: 22nd Jul, 2020 — Finished: 29th Jul, 2020
A lovely, lovely walk. I met so many friendly people and saw such wonderful landscapes. The trail goes up and down, which rewards the walker with fantastic views. I would wholeheartedly recommend the walk. I travelled North to South and had a lovely final morning sightseeing Bath.
Gregory & Sharon Kane with sons Nathanael and Samuel
From: Gloucester
Started: 18th Jul, 2020 — Finished: 25th Jul, 2020
Sections of the Cotswold Way are very familiar to us as we live in Gloucester, and we have often talked about exploring the rest of it. With the uncertainties surrounding Covid-19 we decided that a holiday not-too-far-from-home would be a fairly safe bet. We walked it South-North which meant the landscape before us was bathed in sunlight when the sun shone, and on the one day that it rained, that was at our backs. We are very appreciative of those who maintain the path and for the way-marker posts; with very few exceptions the trail was easy to follow. Highlights - phenomenal views, variety of landscape and of wildlife, encouragement from others we met along the way, interesting historical sites and pretty villages, and days at a time with no traffic noise. Tough bits - some of the hills are pretty hard work, both up and down. Warmest hospitality - Lisa at Colgate Farm who supplied breakfast provisions that more than matched the appetites of our teenage sons, and Sara in Greencourt Loft, Middleyard who picked up our take-away evening meal. Thank you to both of you :-) We had never done a long trail walk before and there were moments when we weren't sure if we would make it. The euphoria of finishing was amazing. It was a family challenge and we achieved it by keeping on helping and encouraging one another.
Gerry O’Brien
From: Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
Started: 24th Jun, 2020 — Finished: 28th Jun, 2020
I really enjoyed my experience on the Cotswold Way! Starting from Chipping Campden, I sat in the sun by the Market Hall and enjoyed watching the screaming Swifts scything through the sky overhead. It seemed a good omen for the impending journey! The following days & nights were filled with enriching experiences and I enjoyed having the time to savour the historic & scenic landscapes, have long friendly chats with locals, pause & observe wildlife and to sleep out under the stars. The feeling upon reaching Bath Abbey was incredible and I enjoyed revelling in the atmosphere of this historic city as I refuelled with endless cups of tea and sandwiches!