Cotswold Way is a picturesque long-distance walking trail in the English countryside, spanning approximately 102 miles. This trail winds through Cotswold villages, woodlands, hills, and market towns, offering scenic views at every turn. With roots dating back to ancient times, the trail follows a path that has been traveled by locals and visitors for centuries. It was officially designated as a National Trail in 2007, acknowledging its significance as a beloved walking route.

I first heard about Cotswold Way from my co-worker, who completed the entire trail a year before us. Tanya and I were instantly captivated by her photographs. We had never embarked on a hotel-to-hotel walk (sometimes referred to as inn-to-inn walks), where we would spend nights in hotels or B&Bs, walk to our next destination during the day, and have our luggage transported for us. My friend had a fantastic experience with Cotswold Walks, a specialized travel agency that organizes self-guided walking vacations in the region, so we opted to use them as well. The complete walk typically takes more than 10 days, depending on one’s pace. However, considering our time constraints and endurance, we decided to book a variation of the trail called The Cotswold Ring.

Our decision proved to be the right one. The Cotswold Ring encompasses the highlights of Cotswold Way while incorporating some unique and fascinating places that are not part of the 102-mile route, such as Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water. We also allocated an additional two days in Bath at the end of our trip, which turned out to be a wise choice. Although I had visited Bath before, it was Tanya’s first time, and she instantly fell in love with the city’s charm. We even discovered another walk along the canal from Bath, which added more memorable moments and extra miles to our journey.

We embarked on our Cotswolds adventure in May and were fortunate to encounter excellent weather. Clear blue skies, pleasant temperatures, and no rain at all accompanied us throughout our trip. I understand that this is atypical for England, so it’s important to note that your experience may vary, especially if you visit during the shoulder seasons. The paths were delightfully uncrowded, another advantage of exploring this region in spring or fall. As you’ll see in our pictures, the blooming flowers adorned the landscapes, even though the harvest for many fruits and vegetables had yet to begin. Nonetheless, we savored delicious food and sampled some seasonal produce along the way.

• Day 1 – Arrival to UK, Cheltenham
• Day 2 – Cheltenham to Winchcombe
• Day 3 – Winchcombe to Broadway
• Day 4- Broadway to Chipping Campden, Hidcote Gardens
• Day 5 – Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh
• Day 6 – Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-the-Water
• Day 7 – Circular walk to Upper and Lower Slaughter
• Day 8 – Bath
• Day 9 – Walk from Bath to Bradford On Avon
• Day 10 – Leaving England

Day 1 – Arrival in the UK, Cheltenham

The flight to Heathrow Airport was uneventful. This was our first time flying on Virgin Atlantic. The most memorable part of the experience was the safety video. It was very original, so much so that we actually watched it. Whoever came up with it did a superb job. We landed a bit earlier and ended up waiting for our bus to Cheltenham for over an hour.

The weather was rather chilly, so we were grateful for packing warm clothing. Although the bus provided a comfortable setting for a much-needed nap during the two-hour ride, our hopes for some rest were shattered as an incessantly talkative passenger from Chicago befriended their seatmate and proceeded to chat away throughout the entire journey.

Cheltenham is a perfect gateway to The Cotswold Way, and this is where we were going to start our hike. We arrived in town at 10:30am and had almost the whole day to explore it. Every building, especially in the center of the town reminded us that Cheltenham has a rich history dating back to Roman times when it was known as “Aquae Sulis.” Its transformation into a fashionable spa destination occurred in the 18th century, attracting the wealthy and aristocracy seeking the healing properties of its mineral springs.

Today, Cheltenham’s elegant architecture and vibrant community reflect its spa heritage, making it a captivating starting point for exploring the picturesque Cotswold Way hiking trail.

We stayed at the Portland Guest House, which is centrally located and has spacious, comfortable rooms. Every person we met there was super nice and helpful.

We spent a while talking to a Ukrainian refugee, who shared her experience of the horror of war. She was happy to speak to us in Russian, and we wished her all the best in building her life in the UK (apparently, England goes above and beyond to support the Ukrainian refugees).

In the afternoon, we walked around getting lost in the narrow street, taking pictures of churches, old buildings, and monuments, which dot the center. Cheltenham hosts numerous festivals through out the year, and we happened to be there during Pride Festival. It was a festive affair with crowds of enthusiastic participants from all across England, all dressed up for the big party at Imperial Gardens.

The more time we spent walking around, the more we started to remember our time in the UK in the early 2000s. When we discovered Marks & Spenser Foods, we knew what we would do for dinner. We finished the day with a nice assortment of food from our favorite department store.

We could have spent more time here, perhaps even try Cheltenham’s famous spas. As our walk was starting tomorrow, Tanya re-packed the suitcases and our day packs to prepare for 8 miles hike before we went to bed, There would be no food on the way, so we bought sandwiches and some other stuff in M&S and asked a helpful staff member to keep them in the fridge.

Day 2 – Cheltenham to Winchcombe

28,588 steps. 13.80 miles.

Today marked the beginning of our multi-day hiking adventure. According to the booklet from Cotswold Walks, we were supposed to hike 8 miles to Winchcombe, but by day’s end, we had covered over 12 miles! This wasn’t a big surprise since we made a few detours.

Fueling up with a traditional English breakfast at our hotel, we opted for a healthier choice of scrambled eggs and toast instead of sausages. During breakfast, we encountered another group heading in the same direction, and though they departed a few minutes ahead of us, we caught up with them later on.

The walk began just 0.5 miles from our hotel, leading us through lovely parks along the way.

As we ventured beyond the town, the path started ascending the vast plain of Cleve Common. We were bathing in warm sunshine, which caused us to work up a sweat. Gradually shedding layers of clothing, we found ourselves carrying more clothes on our backs than on our bodies.

The path meandered through fields dotted with lazy sheep and embraced by small wooded forests. The view of Cheltenham became increasingly breathtaking as we ascended higher. Despite having detailed instructions from the booklet, we occasionally lost our way. Thankfully, we had a navigation app on our phone that proved handy in getting us back on track.

After traversing the Common and passing an abandoned Wontley Farm, we reached a remarkable piece of ancient history – the impeccably restored burial ground of Belas Knapp, a site that dates back over 4,500 years!

Taking a moment to take in this incredible sight, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch before descending along narrow country paths that led us into the picturesque village of Winchcombe.

Before entering the village itself, we made a detour to explore Sudeley Castle & Gardens. This historic castle had a diverse history, transforming from a 10th-century fortress into a lavish Tudor residence and later becoming a coveted destination for royalty. Notably, it housed Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII, and her final resting place. The castle grounds, adorned with ten enchanting gardens, became our playground for photography and exploration.

Exhausted yet content, we finally reached our next accommodation, The White Hart Inn.

Luck was on our side as the weather remained pleasant until we stepped indoors. We were worried about finding a place to eat as we discovered that most of the pubs we passed along the way were closing early on Sundays. Fortunately, our inn had its own pub, which remained open throughout the day, allowing us to indulge in a satisfying, hearty dinner. After so much walking, we deserved it. We even split gelato.

Although fatigue was creeping in, we couldn’t resist taking a leisurely stroll through Winchcombe’s idyllic streets adorned with charming honey-colored stone cottages adorned with climbing flowers. We took a few more snapshots of St. Peter’s church, impressed with its towering spire and intricate façades.

Upon returning to our room, Tanya got into bed and refused to get up for any reason at all.

Day 3 – Winchcombe to Broadway

30,431 steps. 14.53 miles.

Our second day of walking again rewarded us with good weather. We were fortunate because someone had informed us that until a few days before we landed, the weather in England had been cold and wet. Now, however, the sun finally emerged, and the flowers began to bloom.

Last night, we were very tired and slept well. We woke up at 6am feeling rested and ready. Our hotel wasn’t the best; it was a bit dusty and worn out. The shower seemed to have a mind of its own, randomly turning off the hot water. As for breakfast, well, it was an English breakfast. Nevertheless, nothing could dampen our spirits as we prepared for another walk. Before leaving the hotel, we said goodbye to the hiking group from yesterday as they were heading in a different direction.

We began the walk by following the pilgrims’ route to Hailes Abbey. Just outside the village, we stumbled upon a field full of bright yellow flowers. We had caught glimpses of these yellow fields from the bus on our first day, but this was our first close encounter.

We continued through the fields, exchanging greetings with sheep and encountering a few locals walking their dogs. Unfortunately, the Abbey was closed (open Tuesday-Saturday), and the fruit farm next to it had nothing interesting to offer.

From the Abbey, there were two options for walking over to Stanton. We opted for a shorter path with less uphill climbing. As a result, we missed the old Cromwell fort but were rewarded with the sight of a vibrant pink field surrounded by white flowers.

The landscape kept changing as we traversed muddy fields, small farms, parkland with towering trees, and small forests. We passed through wooden gates, kissing gates, small gates, and wide gates. We crossed streams and only had to turn back once when we lost our way.

Before reaching Broadway, our final destination, we passed through two charming small villages: Stanway and Stanton. We were certain that these were among the most beautiful places in England. The Stanway Church, in particular, left us breathless.

However, when we arrived in Broadway, it took the top spot.

Broadway is renowned as the ‘Jewel of the Cotswolds’ and the ‘Show Village of England’ due to its beauty and grandeur. The ‘broad way’ is a wide street fringed with grass and lined with Horse Chestnut trees and ancient honey-colored limestone buildings. In the past, Broadway was a bustling staging post on the route from Worcester to London, serving as a place where coaches could harness fresh horses for the arduous climb up Fish Hill. The village once had as many as 30 inns to accommodate the numerous travelers passing through, but today only three remain.

We strolled up and down the street several times, capturing countless pictures and venturing into the fine art galleries. The place felt a bit crowded, especially after encountering very few people throughout our walk.

Since the restaurants hadn’t started serving dinner yet, we satisfied our hunger at the local Co-Op store. We bought some bread, cheese, yogurt, and vegetables before heading to Windrush House, our accommodation for the night. This B&B turned out to be the best one we experienced during our trip. Despite its location on a busy street, the rooms were peaceful and offered lovely views of a charming little garden. It was one of those places, which you instantly fall in love with.

After enjoying our DIY dinner in the dining room, we took another stroll through the now-empty village. The day trippers had left and the houses were bathed in the glow of the sunset. We didn’t want to leave.

Day 4 – Broadway to Chipping Campden, Hidcote Gardens

27,732 steps. 13.3 miles

The day began with the best breakfast we had experienced so far. We had porridge, cereal, yogurt, and toast with homemade jam. We also tried a sausage but decided that our son-in-law would appreciate it more than we did. It’s a family joke that’s too long to explain.

During breakfast, we reconnected with the friendly older couple from Canada, whom we had encountered on the way from Winchcombe. They were hiking half of the distance each day and taking taxis for the rest. We were nevertheless impressed and hoped to be as active when we reach their age.

To start our hike, we walked back to the center of Broadway and captured more pictures of houses adorned with blooming flowers on their walls. The path then led us uphill, and it was quite challenging. However, knowing that it was the only climb for the day, we persevered.

Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with a magnificent view of Broadway and the iconic Broadway Tower. While there was an admission fee to go up the tower, the views from the hill were satisfying enough for us.

After visiting the tower, we turned left and walked several miles until we reached another field of yellow crops. This time, the path took us right through the field, creating an otherworldly experience akin to walking through a vibrant cartoon.

As we approached Chipping Campden, we encountered more hikers heading in the opposite direction. Chipping Campden is where the Cotswold Way begins, and some people asked if we were finishing our Cotswold Way journey. We were tempted to tell them that we had walked all the way from Bath, but instead, we gave them as many tips about the road as we could master. We couldn’t help but envy them, as they would be experiencing the beauty of the Cotswolds for the first time.

We arrived in the center of Chipping Campden around 1pm, having walked 6 miles. However, it was clear that this distance wasn’t sufficient for avid hikers like us. Since our room at The Noel Arms hotel wasn’t ready yet, we took a taxi to Hidcote Garden, which was a 10-minute drive away, with the intention of walking back a short distance of 3.5 miles.

Hidcote Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in England, created by Lawrence Johnston in the early 20th century. His vision for Hidcote was to design a series of interconnected outdoor “rooms” with distinct themes, featuring carefully selected plants, architectural elements, and vibrant colors. We were fortunate to witness the flowers in full bloom as we explored the garden’s various sections and hidden pathways.

Armed with a map and detailed instructions, we began our walk back from the garden to Chipping Campden. Once again, the path led us through fields and countless gates. Along the way, we met a woman from California who was also following the same directions. Everything went smoothly until we were supposed to cross a field, but there was no clear way to do so. We searched back and forth, trying to find a passage but to no avail. Finally, we had no choice but to walk along the road and rely on Google Maps to guide us the rest of the way. Fortunately, we weren’t too far from our destination.

As we passed through the town, we came across a beautiful church where we heard live music. Curious, we entered and discovered an orchestra rehearsing for an evening concert. They were performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in G minor (although we didn’t recognize it until we saw a flyer outside).

We were once again very tired when we finally reached our hotel, The Noel Arms. After taking a shower and resting for a while, we concluded the day with a nice dinner at Michael’s Mediterranean restaurant.

It was there that we met a retired couple from Miami, who were on a two-week driving tour of England. They were fascinated by our walking adventures, and we were relieved not to have the stress of driving on the opposite side of the road weighing on us.

Day 5 – Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh

29,492 steps. 14.3 miles

At breakfast, Tanya had curry from an award-winning chef at our hotel. She liked it. I had scrambled eggs, like a normal person. When we were leaving for our walk, we ran into our friend from California, who had gotten lost with us yesterday. She didn’t hold it against us. This was her first day of walking, so we gave her plenty of valuable advice because we were experienced walkers now.

Our next destination was Moreton-in-Marsh. The name Moreton comes from the word “market”, which is what the town is known for. It stands in the middle of the expansive marsh. On the way, we passed through Bourton-on-the-Hill, which is located on the hill. Tomorrow, we should be hiking to Bourton-on-the-Water, so I am guessing that there would be some lakes or rivers around.

Back to our walking. Today’s walk was supposed to be only 7.2 miles. We thought that it would be an easy day, and I was wondering how we would kill time before checking in at 3pm. Spoiler alerts: we rolled into Moreton almost at 6pm. Why? Because we love the gardens, apparently.

We were making good time and reached the small village of Blockley by lunchtime. When we wandered into the village church, we learned that the famous British series Father Brown has been filmed there.

From the village, we began a long climb up. Once again, the views opened up as we went higher and higher with yellow fields, farms, cows, and small villages all around us.

When we were passing Bastford Arboretum and Gardens, we saw a strategically placed sign for a cafe with a picture of tasty-looking desserts. This made us realize that we were quite hungry despite the award-winning curry, which some of us had consumed for breakfast. We got off the path and had a nice meal at the Arboretum cafe.

After we rested, we thought that going to the garden right in front of us would be too easy. So, we walked a couple of miles further away from our trail to see the 16th-century Bourton House and Garden. The garden at Bourton House is absolutely stunning. It has beautiful flower beds, peaceful water features, and well-kept terraces.

The place was almost empty, and we walked around the garden for a while before settling on the chairs in front of the main lawn to catch some afternoon sun.

On the way out, we had to partake in the afternoon tea at the Barn. We didn’t have tea actually, but we did murder a big piece of Apple and Sultan cake. We wanted to get a smaller piece, but the woman said that she doesn’t make small pieces of cake, they are too depressing. The truer words have never been spoken, because the cake was delicious and not depressing at all.

We were happy and walking back to our original trail when we saw a sign for Sezincote House. Sezincote is a unique property, built in the early 19th century, which showcases a remarkable blend of Indian and British architectural styles. For some reason, I thought that it was right there, but we ended up walking a couple of miles. I should have looked at Google Maps.

We were glad to make this second detour, however. First, we had a chance to get very friendly with a herd of brown cows.

Until that day, we had been socializing mostly with sheep, so cows were a novelty. We camped a bunch of pictures before scaring them away. Sezincote House turned out to be a grand mansion, surrounded by expansive gardens and a picturesque lake. The magnificent Indo-Islamic influence, with its minarets, cupolas, and intricate detailing, makes Sezincote truly remarkable. Apparently, the owners still live there and open the house and ground for visitors a few times per week to help pay for the upkeep of the place.

By the time we were done exploring the gardens, we were much further away from our destination than just a few hours ago. We retraced our steps and rolled into Moreton right in time for dinner.

We were staying at The White Hart Royal Hotel, which was very nice and full of history. We were told that most of the occupants are also hikers, and they were very hungry. Hence, we couldn’t get a reservation at the restaurant and had to walk across the road to another recommended place, Redesdale Arms. There, we were seated right away and had a great meal.

We also met a very friendly local couple with a cute dog. We ended up chatting with them for over an hour about life, travel, movies, European politics, and everything in between. It was funny to learn that they had been to more places in America while we had seen more of Europe.

Day 6 – Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-the-Water

32,391 steps. 15.9 miles

On day 6 of our trip we came very close to getting killed. Twice. If anyone tells you that England is safe, don’t believe them.

Let’s start from the beginning. The breakfast at our hotel was delicious, probably the second-best we’ve had on this trip so far.

As we left Moreton, we overtook several walking groups and set a fast pace, aiming to cover our longest daily distance of 12 miles. Everything was going smoothly until we stumbled upon a group of unusually friendly brown cows.

Initially, we enjoyed their attention, but things took a turn when they charged at us with the surprising determination of The Light Brigade at the battle of Balaclava. We’re still unsure what triggered their sudden madness, but it was a genuinely scary moment.

The cows surrounded us, racing towards their water bucket. One cow lingered nearby, looking at us funny. We blinked first and hastily made our way through the field to the nearest gate. In our hurried retreat, we accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in a knee-high grass field. Reluctant to face the aggressive cows again, we forged ahead without a path.

At this point, we were completely off course. We passed through a few more fields and eventually reached a busy road. Like most UK roads, it had only one lane in each direction. Walking alongside the traffic for nearly half a mile posed our second real brush with danger. With no shoulder, we had to wait in the bushes for cars to pass, then dart onto the road and swiftly retreat to safety while cars and lorries zoomed by.

We were glad to be back on our route and to walk on the quiet forest trail, away from mad English drivers and unpredictable English cows.

Before long, we arrived in the charming town of Stow-on-the-Wold, featuring a picturesque square and even village stocks. Exhausted from our adrenaline-fueled adventure, we savored some delicious baguettes for lunch while finding respite in the shade of the local church.

After covering a few more miles, we reached Lower Slaughter, a delightful village situated on both banks of the slow-moving River Eye. The river is crossed by two footbridges and also meanders through Upper Slaughter, the twin village of Lower Slaughter.

We skipped Upper Slaughter for now, as it’s on our itinerary for tomorrow’s circular walk. Towards the western end of Lower Slaughter, a 19th-century water mill with an additional steam power chimney caught our attention. We visited an exhibition by local artists and strolled along the scenic riverbanks.

From there, it was a short walk to Bourton-on-the-Water, nestled alongside the River Windrush.

Despite our exhaustion from the longest walk of our vacation so far, we were revitalized by a surge of energy upon seeing this extraordinary place. It evoked a similar feeling to when we first arrived in Broadway.

Bourton-on-the-Water possesses a distinct charm, with the river flowing through it, resembling more of a Venetian canal than a typical waterway. It’s no wonder some people mistake it for a whimsical theme park rather than a genuine village.

We were welcomed by a nice lady named Gemma at our home for tonight, The Landsdown B&B. It is just a short walk from the center of the village, very cute and clean. We rested for a bit and went back to the river for dinner and an obligatory photo session, before calling it a day.

Day 7 – Circular walk to Upper and Lower Slaughter

19,257 steps. 9.2 miles

We woke up feeling a bit sad because this marked our final day of walking in the Cotswolds. As per the itinerary, we had two options: trekking back to Cheltenham for a 17-mile journey or embarking on a 10-mile circular walk along the Windrush Way to Naunton and back to Bourton. However, we decided on a different path altogether, opting for a 5.4-mile circular walk through Upper and Lower Slaughter.

We wanted to explore these two charming villages more extensively, having only glimpsed them the previous day. The villages are built on both banks of the River Eye, and have been around for over a thousand years. Upper Slaughter is one of a handful of the Thankful Villages amongst the small number in England which lost no men in World War I. The village also lost no men in World War II, additionally making the village a Doubly Thankful Village. Unfortunately, the men from Lower Slaughter weren’t that lucky.

For our walk, we followed the directions provided by a helpful blog (https://explorethecotswolds.com/bourton-on-the-water-to-the-slaughters-walk). To aid our navigation and avoid getting lost again, I downloaded the Wikiloc app, which had a map of this walk.

The walk led us through breathtaking scenery, meandering along the river and across the rolling hills.

Although it involved a couple of climbs, overall it proved to be easier than our previous endeavors. We enjoyed our time exploring Upper and Lower Slaughter before making our way back to Bourton.

Since our hotel for the day was in Cheltenham, we boarded the #801 bus for a convenient 45-minute ride there. Before catching the bus, we indulged in a light but delicious lunch at the Rose Tree Restaurant, which turned out to be our best meal in England.

With over an hour to spare until the next bus, we decided to visit Birdland Park. Initially, we thought that this place might be a bit cheesy or more suited for young children. However, to our surprise, we were amazed by its incredible collection of birds (over 500!).

The highlight of the park was observing the majestic King Penguins—a sight found only in this park in the UK.

The bus ride to Cheltenham was smooth, and as we boarded, a light drizzle began. It was remarkable that we hadn’t experienced any rain throughout our entire time walking in England, considering the cold and wet weather people had described prior to our arrival. We took credit for bringing the sunshine from America.

Day 8 – Bath

While our Cotswold walk was over, we still had a few days left before flying home, and we were going to spend this time in Bath. We caught a morning bus there and arrived around 11am.

Bath has a rich and fascinating history dating back thousands of years. Its history can be traced back to Roman times when it was known as Aquae Sulis, a thriving spa town built around its natural hot springs. The Romans constructed magnificent baths and a temple complex dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva.

Over the centuries, Bath continued to evolve, with influences from the medieval period, Georgian era, and Victorian era shaping its architecture and character. Bath Abbey was built in the 7th century and holds a significant place in history as a site of religious worship.

For us, Bath is forever tied to our favorite Jane Austin novels and to the movies based on them. Austen herself lived in Bath for a while, and many buildings and streets are featured prominently in her works. We half-expected to see her characters appear from around the corner at any time.

I had been to Bath with Greg many years ago. It was a short visit as part of an organized tour. We visited Stonehenge and stopped in Bath to see the main sights. I hadn’t remembered anything other than the smell of Roman Baths and a square where we had ice cream.

From the bus station, we walked uphill to Dorian House, our hotel for the next two days. It was a steep walk and a good introduction to Bath’s terrane. The hotel had stolen our hearts from the moment we walked in. We knew that we would love staying there. From our room on the top floor, we could see a great panorama of the city.

We stayed in the Solomon room, which was the name of Tanya’s beloved grandfather. What are the chances of that?

This was a beautiful sunny Saturday, the weather gods once again favored our journey. When we came down from our hotel and walked over the river to the center, it seemed like the whole of England came to Bath to hang out.

We were a little shocked to see so many people after spending a week in the piece and quiet of Cotswold. To be fair, the crowds were only really bad around Roman Baths and The Abbey.

As we walked further, heading over to the Royal Crescent and Great Pulteney Street, the crowds receded. Since we hadn’t packed our Rick Steve’s tour book, we followed a wonderful Bath Walking Tour described in this blog.

The itinerary took us through all the key sights, and we took our time enjoying the architecture, various shops, and the sun. We even joined a jolly gathering of the locals and tourists, who were sunbathing on the lawn in front of The Crescent. It was a great place to people-watch and relax.

After, we had another great lunch at the restaurant, recommended by our hotel host. The restaurant’s name is The Raven, and they are famous for their pies.

This place is on a quiet side street, right in the middle of the city. We were so full that we ended up having takeouts from Marks & Spencer for dinner. We ate at our hotel’s dining room and retired to bed early.

Day 9 – Walk from Bath to Bradford On Avon

29,438 steps. 14.74 miles

On our last full day in England, we embarked on another town-to-town walk from Bath to Bradford on Avon. This walk follows the Kennet and Avon canal, passing through several cute villages, bridges, and locks.

We had learned about this walk from a British couple we met at the pub in Moreton-in-Marsh. They had told us that it was only 5 miles, but after some research, we discovered that it was closer to 10 miles.

We found this excellent article by JF Penn, a Bath-based writer who frequently enjoys this particular walk. Her directions were perfect, and we followed them all the way to Bradford.

The canal bustled with activity as narrow boats glided gently on the calm waters.

Many of them were holiday rentals, offering short rides for leisurely enjoyment. We had the opportunity to witness boats passing through locks, a fascinating sight. Some boats were moored, serving as homes for artistic and bohemian-looking individuals.

The path itself was also lively, filled with cyclists, runners, dog walkers, families with children, and fellow hikers like us. During our stop at Dundas, we initially planned to visit a nearby café, but seeing the long queue decided to continue to the next village for food.

Certain stretches of the walk were tranquil, particularly as we ventured further from Bath. Surrounded by endless fields, grazing cows, sheep, and distant cottages, we embraced the feeling of being connected with nature, much like when we had walked in Cotswold.

Around the 3-mile mark in Bathampton, we took a detour to explore St. Nicholas church and the inviting George Pub, although we weren’t quite hungry at that moment. If we had been walking in the opposite direction, we would have undoubtedly enjoyed a meal there.

We also passed the town Bathampton, which is the birthplace of plasticine. It is interesting that this beloved children’s toy was first concocted as a serious tool for his adult sculpture students: clay could be hard to work and dried too quickly. 

Eventually, we found a pleasant café in the small village of Avoncliff, roughly 2 miles away from Bradford. While others indulged in tea and cakes, we opted for a healthier option and shared a sandwich.

At Bradford, we got off the path to see the 14th-century Tithe Barn, formally used by nuns to store food. The Barn was built to last and still has its original roof.

We spent a couple of hours meandering through the historic town, wandering its narrow streets, admiring the old buildings, and discovering impressive churches.

As it was a Sunday afternoon, most shops had already closed, creating a quiet and somewhat melancholic atmosphere.

Instead of walking back, we caught a train to Bath, a quick 20 minutes journey. This was probably one of the most unique and memorable walks of our holiday in England.

Day 10 – Leaving England

We had a few hours left in the morning before catching our bus to Heathrow. We decided to use this time to leisurely walk around our favorite places in Bath and enjoy them without feeling rushed. The attractions in Bath close early and open late, so we practically had the streets and squares to ourselves.

We revisited The Royal Crescent and took a closer look at the houses.

It’s amazing to think that people actually live there now, considering they used to be occupied by royalty and nobility for many years.

Saying goodbye to Bath and Cotswold made us feel a little sad. This was our first walking holiday, and we loved it so much that we’re already looking forward to doing more in the future.