Cotswold Way

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Typical Cotswold Way marker.

The Cotswold Way is a long-distance footpath, running along the escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in England (the 'Cotswold Edge').

It is due to be officially designated as a National Trail (some 40 years after it was first promulgated by Gloucestershire-area Ramblers) in May 2007.

1 Views
2 Key Towns and Villages
3 Places of Interest
4 Other Recreational Use
5 See also

[edit] Views

Because it closely follows the scarp of the Cotswold Edge, the Way usually affords good views, mainly to the North and West - starting in the south with the Severn Estuary and bridges, the meanders of the River Severn above Sharpness, the Forest of Dean, the Welsh hills of Monmouthshire and the Black Mountains on the Welsh border to the west. The distinctive shape of May Hill is visible for much of the route, as is the long spine of the Malvern Hills. Gloucester Cathedral can also be seen from the path.

Further north on the path, above Cheltenham, there are old quarries containing rock features such as the Devil's Chimney at Leckhampton. After Cleeve Hill the escarpment starts to turn to the east, giving views across the Vale of Evesham. The classic Cotswold villages of Stanton and Stanway are visited, then Broadway village, before the final steep ascent to Broadway Tower and the scenic descent to Chipping Campden.

On a clear day, the Clee Hills near Ludlow can be seen, 60 miles to the northwest.

[edit] Key Towns and Villages

The hundred-mile long trail runs northeast from Bath to Chipping Campden, through or near to the following towns:

Cotswold Way passing through the site of the Battle of Lansdowne.

[edit] Places of Interest

The Way passes numerous places of interest, including the site of the Battle of Lansdowne, Tyndale Monument, Sudeley Castle, Cleeve Hill, Hailes Abbey, and the Broadway Tower. In total the walk is 166km long (103 miles). With the exception of a small stretch around Broadway (which is in Worcestershire), the entire walkway is within Gloucestershire (including South Gloucestershire) and Somerset (including Bath & North East Somerset).

[edit] Other Recreational Use

Besides being popular with walkers, the Way is presently run annually as a 10-stage relay (Cotswold Way Relay) from North to South, usually in early July. The winning team typically takes an aggregate time of about 12 hours. It is run under Fell Runners' Association rules.