Overview
The word wolds means gentle hill in ancient English and, when you take on this walking holiday, starting and ending in Moreton-in-Marsh, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. This is a sublime circuit through the heart of the North Cotswolds in 9 days. It’s all so quintessentially English, the villages boasting iconic honey-coloured architecture, flower-filled meadows and fecund markets are just some of the highlights along the way. Staying in a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses, this holiday is also accessible by train. As a designated Area of Outstanding Beauty, you’re never short of outstanding on this self-guided walking holiday.
If you do not have the time, you can alternatively complete the North Cotswold Round in 6 days at a swifter pace.
- Moreton in Marsh
- Evenlode Valley
- Chipping Campden
- Broadway Tower
- Sudeley Castle
- River Windrush
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh is a historic market town in the Cotswolds, which still holds a weekly market on its High Street. Part of the Evenlode Valley, the area is classed as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. If time allows, we recommend a stroll around the village and a stop in one of the local cafes.
- Accommodation: The Redesdale Arms or similar in Moreton-in-Marsh
Day 2: Moreton-in-Marsh – Stow-on-the-Wold | 10.4km
Leaving Moreton-in-Marsh, the route heads into the heart of the Cotswolds, leading towards Sezincote House, an Mogul Indian palace dating back to 1805. On route to Stow-on-the-Wold, meander through typical Cotswolds villages, before gradually ascending towards Stow-on-the-Wold with its central village square and Cotswold stone houses.
- Walking for the day: 10.5km, ↑127m, ↓35m
- Accommodation: The Stag at Stow or similar in Stow-on-the-Wold
Day 3: Stow-on-the-Wold – Bourton-on-the-Water | 6km
Today’s path offers mostly level terrain or downhill slopes, guiding you through the verdant meadows surrounding The Slaughters. Continue on to Lower Slaughter, a beautiful village that still has a working mill and a river flowing through the centre. It is a short walk from here to Bourton-on-the-Water.
- Walking for the day: 6km, ↑10m, ↓108m
- Accommodation: Chester House Hotel or similar in Bourton-on-the-Water
Day 4: Bourton-on-the-Water – Guiting Power | 10.1km
Leaving Bourton-on-the-Water behind, head through farmland and meadows towards the village of Naunton. From Naunton, continue on to Guiting Power with its pretty church complete with an arch dating from the Norman period.
An evening transfer to Winchcombe or Bourton-on-the-Water may be required due to a lack of accommodations in Guiting Power.
- Walking for the day: 9.8km, ↑146m, ↓233m
- Accommodation: Guiting Power Guest House or similar in Guiting Power
Day 5: Guiting Power – Winchcombe | 9.8km
You are transferred to Guiting Power. The hike today begins with a gentle ascent through fields and woodland, before descending to Winchcombe village and taking in spectacular views. Along the way take in Sudeley Castle, serving as the final resting place of Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII.
- Walking for the day: 9.8km, ↑146m, ↓233m
- Accommodation: The White Hart Inn or similar in Winchcombe
Day 6: Winchcombe – Broadway | 15.9km
Follow in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims on the route from Winchcombe to Hailes Abbey, starting to head into the hills towards Stanway House. Don’t miss the the intricate gatehouse and ancient tithe barn before continuing on to the village of Stanton. From here, you gain height across the hills where you get some gorgeous views as you skirt around Laverton before descending into Broadway.
- Walking for the day: 15.9km, ↑240m, ↓240m
- Accommodation: Crown & Trumpet Inn or similar in Broadway
Day 7: Broadway – Chipping Campden | 9.6km
Today’s walk is relatively brief, beginning with a climb up to the 18th-century Broadway Tower, offering panoramic views on clear days as it’s one of the highest points in the Cotswolds. Following this ascent, stroll across undulating fields before descending to the village of Chipping Campden. Renowned as one of the Cotswolds’ most picturesque villages, Chipping Campden boasts a traditional covered marketplace along its main street and a wool church, funded by local wool merchants during the late medieval period.
- Walking for the day: 9.6km, ↑236m, ↓187m
- Accommodation: The Volunteer Inn or similar in Chipping Campden
Day 8: Chipping Campden – Moreton-in-Marsh | 11.6km
Walk through Broad Campden and Blockley, and continue on to Batsford, where you can explore the arboretum and Cotswold Falconry Centre. Finally, wrap up your Cotswolds adventure with a leisurely stroll through meadows to reach Moreton-in-Marsh.
- Walking for the day: 11.6km, ↑242m, ↓2564m
- Accommodation: The Redesdale Arms or similar in Moreton-in-Marsh
Day 9: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- The Redesdale Arms (Moreton-in-Marsh)
- The Stag at Stow (Stow-on-the-Wold)
- Chester House Hotel (Bourton-on-the-Water)
- Guiting Power Guest House (Guiting Power)
- White Heart Inn (Winchcombe)
- Crown & Trumpet Inn (Broadway)
- The Volunteer Inn (Chipping Campden)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village pubs and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate, with most days offer 3-5h of walking and distances ranging from 15-21km. The terrain is varied, but these are gentle wolds and not mountainous areas (read more about difficulty grades).
The trail follows well-maintained footpaths, bridleways, open fields and some minor roads. The route is not specially designated and waymarked, so check carefully against your guidebook. Generally, the route is easy to navigate, and we will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from mid-March until mid-October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The weather in the Cotswolds is generally mild throughout the year with temperatures ranging from 10-26C during the spring and summer months. For more information, see our blog, Best time to visit England.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Birmingham Airport (BHX) or Heathrow Airport (LHR).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to England without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with a train station in Moreton-in-Marsh. For more details, see Trainline.
- From London Paddington station, direct trains run to Moreton-in-Marsh. As this is a circular route, you will be walking back to your starting location to depart by the same means you arrived.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: From 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to visitors from eligible non-European countries, including Australian, Canadian and US nationals. Then, on 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 8 nights accommodation
- 8 breakfasts
- Transfers on days four and five if no accommodation in Guilting Power
- Door-to-door luggage transfers on all walking days (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
