Cotswold Short Break
- The perfect hiking short break in the Cotswolds
- Honey-coloured stone architecture; cottages, churches, manor houses
- Stay in the classic villages of Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water
- Peaceful hiking trails next to the Windrush River
- Rolling and typically English landscapes and hedgerows alive with birdlife
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Moreton-in-MarshMoreton-in-Marsh is a one-hour thirty-five-minute train journey from London Paddington.
One of the principal market towns in the Northern Cotswolds, it has been a traveller's town for at least 1700 years. The wide main street is lined by inns, shops and galleries and hosts a weekly Tuesday market.
Redesdale Arms Hotel is a 17th-century coaching house which has a contemporary decor with stylish bedrooms and you can enjoy log fires in the winter and a patio garden in the summer. The rooms are spread between the original main house, dating back to 1650, and to the rear of the building in the original stable block or courtyard. Two of their rooms feature whirlpool baths and many have spacious walk-in showers. All the rooms are equipped with Digital TV, CD players and new king-size beds. The restaurant has an AA Rosette award and the menu boasts good quality produce including local game and vegetables, and Cornish seafood.
The White Hart Royal, with individually designed bedrooms, is a historic 17th century coaching inn. All bedrooms have complimentary tea and coffee making facilities, mineral water and biscuits. From the revenue the hotel receives they donate the cost of a new baby tree to the local woodland trust. In this way they not only contribute towards a great local ’green’ cause, they also provide guests with the feel good factor of knowing that having an overnight stay here a little tree will grow!
Acacia Guesthouse is a small B&B in Moreton in Marsh. All rooms are equipped with flat screen tv's,, free wi-fi, tea/coffee making facilities, clock radio alarms, use of ironing board facilities, and hairdryer. Dorothy and Michael will cater for your every need with freshly soured local products for that homely breakfast. Just off the high street there is a choice of local restaurants to choose from for your evening meal.
As you start your walking tour of the Cotswolds you can look forward to the most delightful day of walking. Hopping between some of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds you soon reach Stow-on-the-Wold, an important market town, whose streets are lined by art galleries, gift shops and inns. Don’t linger for too long as a few more miles through the rolling Cotswold countryside bring you to Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the prettiest villages in Britain and an absolute delight.
Ascent: 575 ft /Â Descent:Â 575 ftÂ
Broadlands Guest House is situated in a quiet street, a few minutes walk from the beautiful village centre. Accommodation is tastefully furnished in a friendly home from home atmosphere.
Situated in the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water, the Chester House is a 22 bedroom privately run hotel. Their rooms are elegant and traditionally furnished. The riverside restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning coffee. Food is made from high-quality local ingredients, and each Sunday roast dinner is served. The bar offers a wide variety of drinks, draught lager, craft ales and spirits.
The Dial House Hotel demonstrates a blend of old and modern to bring you the ultimate country hotel experience. The Hotel is situated in idyllic surroundings and is built from the famous mellow Cotswold Stone. The Dial House dates back to 1698 and is the oldest building still standing in the village. Room amenities include flat screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities.
Free wi-fi is available throughout the hotel.
Following the River Windrush out of Bourton-on-the-Water you are quickly immersed in the Cotswold countryside. The day is punctuated by wide open views, quiet woodlands and secluded valleys.
Walk through Naunton a delightful Cotswold village and then circle back along the Warden’s Way through typical Cotswolds landscapes and the quaint villages of Lower and Upper Slaughter. Arrive back in the appealing riverside village of Bourton-on-the-Water.
Ascent:Â 590 ft /Â Descent:Â 590 ft
Broadlands Guest House is situated in a quiet street, a few minutes walk from the beautiful village centre. Accommodation is tastefully furnished in a friendly home from home atmosphere.
Situated in the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water, the Chester House is a 22 bedroom privately run hotel. Their rooms are elegant and traditionally furnished. The riverside restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning coffee. Food is made from high-quality local ingredients, and each Sunday roast dinner is served. The bar offers a wide variety of drinks, draught lager, craft ales and spirits.
The Dial House Hotel demonstrates a blend of old and modern to bring you the ultimate country hotel experience. The Hotel is situated in idyllic surroundings and is built from the famous mellow Cotswold Stone. The Dial House dates back to 1698 and is the oldest building still standing in the village. Room amenities include flat screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities.
Free wi-fi is available throughout the hotel.
A transfer from Bourton-on-the-Water to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station is included.
This trip has a carbon score of 4kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 4kg is equivalent to 2.5 avocados. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?This is a short break hiking tour that can be taken over a long weekend. – giving you the perfect flavor of the Cotswolds if you are just passing through. With 2 easy to moderately rated hikes, overnight stays in picturesque Cotswold villages, and easy access to the start/finish point, this is an ideal tour for those wishing to sample the very best of the Cotswolds in a couple of days.
Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
This trip is graded between easy to moderate and moderate depending on which itinerary you choose. The trail follows well maintained footpaths, bridleways, open fields and some minor roads. It does involve some relatively steep ascent and descent from the escarpment and days of up to 12 miles hiking. The longer days can be shortened by taking local buses or taxis.
We use handpicked, high quality B&B’s, guesthouses and country inns of typical Cotswold character. Honey coloured cottages, roaring log fires, comfortable country bedrooms and the warmest of welcomes are what we look for to make your stay extra special. We have included a few examples below to give you a better idea of what to expect.
Accommodation Location
We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in the tour itinerary. Occasionally, because of limited availability we may have to accommodate you into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. If those listed are unavailable the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described.
Solo Walkers
This hiking tour is available to solo walkers but as we incur additional baggage transfer costs there is a solo walker supplement payable.
Single Rooms
If you require single rooms within your party we will always try and accommodate you subject to availability. A single supplement is payable.
Most of the route is marked by a variety of waymarks. Navigation is straightforward with the Macs Adventure App which has maps, GPX tracks, and daily route info. Simply download the tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you’ll find your way.
Recommended Reading
Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- Map: The Cotswolds. Ordnance Survey Explorer OL45 (1:25,000)
- 3 Nights in hand-picked B&B's and small hotels
- 3 Breakfasts
- Door to door baggage transfer
- Transfer on Day 4 to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station
- Detailed information pack, GPX tracks and route information with the Macs Adventure App
- Emergency telephone support from our office in the event of a problem.
- Travel to the start or from the finish of the walk
- Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Equipment
- Extra nights
- Hotel upgrades
This tour can be best enjoyed from April to October. Spring time is particularly beautiful as all the spring flowers will be in bloom. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans, subject to availability.
Getting to/from Moreton-in-Marsh
Rail: Regular services connect London Paddington and Moreton-in-Marsh (1h35). You can find train schedules on the National Rail or Trainline websites.
Road: On street parking is available in Moreton-in-Marsh, there is no secure parking. Driving directions from the M40 Southbound: Leave the M40 at junction 15 (signposted to Warwick, Stratford, Coventry A46) and join the A429 southbound towards Cirencester. Continue on A429 for approx. 22 miles into Moreton-in-Marsh.
As part of your trip an included transfer from your accommodation in Bourton-on-the-Water to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station on Day 4.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
If you are travelling from far afield and do have more than one bag it is possible to arrange for the extra luggage to be stored whilst you are on the tour for a fee of £25 per bag. These additional bags would be picked up from your accommodation at the start point of your tour and dropped off wherever you finish depending on the itinerary you are doing. Please contact us if you are interested in this option.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard hiking gear such as good hiking boots or shoes, sun hat, sun screen and a day pack. For the summer months lightweight clothing. and the winter months warmer clothes along with a hat and gloves.
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard hiking gear such as good hiking boots or shoes, sun hat, sun screen and a day pack. For the summer months lightweight clothing. and the winter months warmer clothes along with a hat and gloves.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
The fitter you are the more you will enjoy your trip. The longer days can be shortened by using taxis or public transport if you would prefer shorter days.
If you currently don’t enjoy an active lifestyle we suggest regular walking in hilly terrain supplemented by cardiovascular exercise for at least six months before your walk. A good gym or personal trainer will be able to draw up a personalised training programme.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the Cotswolds are extremely popular. If booking at short notice, we will always try and accommodate your plans.
We would recommend Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and Hidcote, famous for its rare trees and shrubs. Click here for a full list of Gardens and Arboreta in the Cotswolds.
There are many houses and historical monuments throughout the Cotswolds, and what you can see depends on the itinerary you are doing. There are historic houses, rustic ruins and many museums for you to explore. Click here for a full list of Historic Houses and Museums.
You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc.Â
We offer this trip between April and October. In our opinion there is no bad time for walking in the Cotswolds but would especially recommend the spring and autumn.Â
We recommend you travel by train to Moreton-in-Marsh, which is 1h30 from London Paddington. If you are driving, we recommend leaving your car in Moreton-in-Marsh where on-street parking is available.
A daily door to door baggage transfer is included in the cost of your holiday. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets.
You can use local bus services or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
-
Hiking in the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are world-famous for bustling market towns, beautiful villages, and stunning countryside. This short feature follows Mark and Sonia who spent their 30th wedding anniversary walking on a Macs Adventure hiking tour in the Cotswolds.
-
HikingHow fit should I be for a hiking trip in the Cotswolds?Read More3 Min Read14 May 2019
-
HikingFrequently Asked Questions about Hiking in the CotswoldsRead More2 Min Read02 May 2019
-
Tips & AdviceThe Best Chocolate Box Villages in the CotswoldsRead More2 Min Read16 February 2018
-
HikingWhere to Eat in the CotswoldsRead More3 Min Read10 August 2020
-
Tips & AdviceHiking Cotswolds Way: A Truly Memorable EscapeRead More4 Min Read11 June 2024
-
Save %6 Days 5 Nights
The Cotswold Trail - 6 Days & 5 Nights
Hike the complete Cotswold Trail in four days, ideal for keen hikers.Highlights- Hike the full Cotswold Trail at a faster pace
- Scenic Cotswold villages and rolling hills
- Ancient abbeys, historic houses and Roman ruins
-
Save %6 Days 5 Nights0 Reviews
Cotswolds to Bath In Style
The Cotswolds to Bath In Style, where modern-day luxury meets the timeless beauty of the CotswoldsHighlights- Stay in the Cotswolds finest luxury hotels.
- Stroll through small honey-pot villages.
- Green pastures dotted with Cotswold lions (Sheep!)
-
Save %5 Days 4 Nights
Hadrian's Wall Short Break
A short break exploring the central section of Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Highlights- Discover the highlights of Hadrian's Wall.
- Wild and beautiful landscapes.
- View forts, turrets and milecastles en route.