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Distance: | 97 miles |
| Difficulty: | Easy to Moderate |
| Way-marking: | Very good |
Trails:
| Excellent underfoot. Lots of forest and meadows.
| | Lodging Styles: | Upscale English B&Bs |
Best Season:
| Spring is best. Baby lambs, green grass, and not so many tourists.
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Highlights:
| The towns of Chipping Campden and Broadway at the beginning and of course
beautiful Bath.
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The Cotswold Way, one of England's many long-distance footpaths, runs 100 miles from Chipping Campden to the beautiful city of Bath. The  route is rich in history, gentle countryside, and charming villages made from the creamy Cotswold stone. These "picture postcard" villages are what give the Cotswold it's identity.
The route itself traces the line of limestone excarpment that faces toward the west. It is seldom far from civilization and is generally easy to follow.
If you love history, the attractions here are many. In remote settings you'll come upon barrows where Neolithic tribes buried their leaders or fine Norman churches and religious institutions such as Hailes Abbey.
After the Normans, England became known worldwide for it's excellent wool and nowhere was that wealth  more apparent than in the Cotswolds. Many rich wool merchants built lovely homes in such towns as Chipping Campden and Painswick. It may not be the center of the world's wool market today, but sheep are still an important part of the landscape.
Apart from the picturesque villages, the Cotswold Way takes the walker through green,  gentle countryside, through deep forest, and along the limestone path to it's destination, the glorious city of Bath. And what a fitting finale it is. You find yourself out in the country, then over a rise and there it is. To finish in Bath is to finish in style. Don't be in a hurry to leave, for Bath provides much in history, architecture, and culture. In essence, it's a great place to celebrate your accomplishment.
 If you're interested in trying a long-distance route for just a day or two while traveling in England, I highly suggest you walk the first few days of the route from north to south. These days are easy, well-marked, and quite lovely.
Book your lodging well ahead since this is a popular area for walkers and sight-seers alike.
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