England: The Cotswolds

7 days
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4.9/5 Excellent
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Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Covering some 800 green square miles, the Cotswolds are England’s largest “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”—and it’s easy to see why. Its ancient limestone villages and gentle hills (or “wolds”) are the very essence of England. Though time appears to stand still here, you won’t! You’ll follow detailed maps from the historic market town of Moreton-in-Marsh ...
From$2,248
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Overview

Trip type
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Stroll through a bucolic landscape of plowed fields, pastureland, forests, and grassy paths straight out of a fairytale.
    • Stay in quaint country inns and converted manors brimming with English charm and surrounded by beautiful gardens.
    • Connect with locals and soak up the ambiance in historic pubs.
    • Visit the beautifully preserved Sudeley Castle and gardens, where King Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Queen Katherine Parr, is buried.

What's this trip about?

    Covering some 800 green square miles, the Cotswolds are England’s largest “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”—and it’s easy to see why. Its ancient limestone villages and gentle hills (or “wolds”) are the very essence of England. Though time appears to stand still here, you won’t! You’ll follow detailed maps from the historic market town of Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-the- Water, the “Venice of the Cotswolds.” Peruse antique shops in Stow-on-the-Wold, then meander to the Saxon capital of Winchcombe, site of 500-year-old Sudeley Castle. Your walk to Broadway enthralls with 16th-century architecture and an 18th-century folly tower. Delve still deeper into history at the ruins of Hailes Abbey, an important Cistercian monastery. Explore the almshouses and covered market of Chipping Campden on a route rich with discoveries—from tiny shops and Elizabethan cottages to gourmet restaurants and classic village pubs where you can savor a pint with the locals.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizePrivate - your group only
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityMoreton-in-Marsh
End CityMoreton-in-Marsh

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Transformative

Destinations

  • Europe
  • United Kingdom
  • England

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic sightseeing
  • Homestays & Cultural Immersion
  • Nature

Trip includes

    • All accommodations while on tour
    • Local transfers as noted in the itinerary
    • Orientation with a Country Walkers representative
    • Luggage transfers between the hotels
    • Detailed Route Notes and maps (mailed to you approximately one month prior
    • to your departure)
    • 24-hour tour-related support provided by Country Walkers’ local partner
    • 24-hour One Call International Emergency Hotline and Travel Assistance
    • The unbeatable and cumulative experience of the Country Walkers staff

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrival in Moreton-in-Marsh

Accommodation: The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh

Begin your adventure in the thriving market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, at the head of the beautiful Evenlode Valley.

Day 2: Broadwell Crossroads to Lower Slaughter

Accommodation: The Slaughters Country Inn, Lower Slaughter

Today you’ll pass through a bucolic landscape of green pastures and wheat fields, breaking for lunch in the antique-filled village of Stow-on-the-Wold, once a mainstay of the Cotswolds’ wool industry. This evening’s destination is a rural manor turned boutique hotel in the tiny hamlet of Lower Slaughter.

Day 3: Layover day in Lower Slaughter

Accommodation: The Slaughters Country Inn, Lower Slaughter

Spend a relaxing day exploring the surroundings of Lower Slaughter. Stroll hidden streets full of tiny shops, Tudor houses, and gourmet restaurants in Bourton-on-the-Water, regularly voted England’s pre...

Day 4: Winchcombe to Broadway

Accommodation: Broadway Hotel, Broadway

Begin your day walking the Cotswolds Way from Winchcombe to the eerie ruined arches of Hailes Abbey. From here, it’s a gentle climb to the Iron Age fortress at Beckbury Camp for superb valley views. After a pub lunch in S...

Day 5: Broadway to Chipping Campden

Accommodation: Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, Chipping Campden

This morning you’re rewarded with stunning, unspoiled vistas at Broadway Tower, the second-highest point in the Cotswolds. From here, it’s a gentle descent to Chipping Campden, a charming town once famous for its wool trade, with many fine 14th-century buildings and a covered market.

Day 6: Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh

Accommodation: The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh

After a morning walk to Blockley, visit the arboretum at Batsford, filled with spectacular coral bark maple and russet-berried mountain ash trees. The final stretch is an easy stroll to Moreton-in-Marsh, where your Cotswolds walking journey began six days ago.

Day 7: Departure from Moreton-in-Marsh

After breakfast, transfer on your own for onward travel connections.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,248
Price per day$321
Last Updated: 7/15/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Country Walkers.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Country Walkers Reviews & Ratings

4.9/5  Excellent
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Other Country Walkers Reviews

S

Sharon P

Mar 2021

Provided byCountry Walkers

Beyond beautiful

We were blown away by the beauty of the area of each and every walk we took. We loved waking up each morning excited for the adventure ahead. The people, the food, t...

T

Tasha

Mar 2021

Provided byCountry Walkers

A Fantastic Trip

What a fantastic trip this was. This was my 6th time going to England, but my first for the Cotswold region and what an extraordinary time it was. The food was fanta...

G

GeeBR

Mar 2021

Provided byCountry Walkers

insider view of Japan

great combination of walking and culture trip with insider access thank...

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Breakfast daily; beverages not included

Accommodation

The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh

On the main street of Moreton-in-Marsh, a 16th-century golden-stone manor converted into a classic country-house luxury hotel. Bedrooms are stylishly decorated with modern furnishings and warm colors, and feature views of the surrounding town and countryside. Common rooms include a library, inviting sofas, striking artwork, and an open terrace on the ground floor onto a tranquil garden with herbaceous borders, pathways, and a 300-year-old mulberry tree. Moreton-in-Marsh has been a market town since the 1,200s and a travelers’ stop for 1,700 years; its main street has many 18th-century inns and houses.

 

Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, Chipping Campden

In addition to its award-winning spa, fine food, and exemplary service, the Cotswold House boasts an idyllic location in the heart of the beautiful market town of Chipping Campden at the start of the Cotswold Way walking route. Spacious and comfortable guest rooms offer views over either the dazzling two-acre gardens or Chipping Campden’s historic High Street. The town that was once the center of Europe’s wool trade contains the region’s most beautiful “wool church” and rows of historical stone houses.

 

Broadway Hotel, Broadway

A 16th-century coaching inn on the main street of the “Jewel of the Cotswolds” features tastefully appointed rooms surrounding a small central courtyard. Guestrooms, located in a converted wing, are luxuriously furnished and decorated in light colors. Bar, restaurant, and lounge areas on the ground floor have low beams, open fires, warm colors, and paneled walls. The honey-colored limestone buildings and garden-lined streets were an inspiration to many artists and writers, such as J.M. Barrie and John Singer Sargent.

 

The Slaughters Country Inn, Lower Slaughter

A rural manor converted into a stylish boutique hotel, blending traditional architecture and furniture with strategically placed modern art. Plush guest rooms incorporate vintage and handmade furnishings and luxurious linens. Occupying manicured gardens on the bank of the River Eye, the inn is just a 15-minute stroll along country paths to Bourton-on-the-Water, the Cotswolds’ best-known village for its picturesque streets, series of bridges over the Windrush River, and bird habitat.

Cancellation policy

Cancellations must be made in writing and fees are applied as noted. Cancellation refunds will be calculated as of the date we receive your written cancellation. All payments for travel services not provided to the guest will be refunded in accordance with these Terms and Conditions and in accordance with Country Walkers’ cancellation policy. Exceptions to this cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including personal emergencies, illness, or weather.

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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
countr-EngTheCou

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