The Cotswold - Guided
Cotswold Villages £485
15th-20th July
COTSWOLD VILLAGES
Nowhere
else in England does the work of nature and the work of man appear to be in
greater harmony than the Cotswolds, the combination of idyllic stone villages
and small towns set amidst a gentle, rolling countryside is without parallel
and quintessentially 'English'. This walking holiday programme enables you
to explore some of these beautiful villages and small towns as well as experience
the typical rolling wold country. Many sheep still graze the wolds, which
is all that remains of the wool industry, which once brought prosperity to
this part of England. We will walk along the valleys of many of the meandering
streams and rivers of the area and ponder on the beauty of the picturesque
villages built out of oolitic limestone, which looks warm even on the dullest
days.
For your Cotswold walking holiday you will be staying at the 17th Century Hatherley Manor Hotel at Down Hatherley, Gloucester. A three-star hotel set in 37 acres of its own grounds located four miles from Gloucester and 6 miles from Cheltenham. The hotel offers good food and comfort for a guided walking holiday in the beautiful Cotswold countryside.
Your Programme
Day 1: Arrive for your walking holiday
Day 2: Deerhurst, Apperley - River Severn (E:7mls/11kms)
This walk starts at the small Saxon chapel of Odda at Deerhurst and takes you across pastureland to the village of Apperley.You then make your way along bridleways to the disused Coome Hill canal,passing through a nature reserve before reaching the banks of the River Severn and returning to Deerhurst.
Day 3: Stanton and Stanway (M:6mls/10kms)
The route takes you along part of the Cotswold Way through some of Cotswolds finest countryside. We walk through the picturesque villages of Stanton and Stanway and continue into woodland before emerging onto the hillside above Stanway.Our return route then takes you across open countryside passing Shenberrow Hill Camp.
Day 4: Winchcombe – Sudeley Castle- Belas Knap (M:6mls/10kms)
This walk follows the Windrush Way past the magnificent Sudeley Castle and you climb the Cotswold scarp for wonderful views. We visit Belas Knap, one of the great burial mounds of ancient Britain and return back to the market town of Winchcombe.
Day 5: Bourton–on–the–Water,Slaughters (E:6mls/10kms)
Our walk starts from the picturesque town of Bourton-on-the-Water and we follow the valley of the River Windrush across pastureland. We spend time in the picturesque villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter and then return to spend time exploring Bourton-on-the-Water.
Day 6: Depart