Cotswold Way: Three Girlfriends Hike an Ancient Footpath

We were three women in our 60s—each veteran travelers who knew the surprises that only a long walk can reveal.

Our two-day trek on the Cotswold Way began not with a trail marker but with a noon pickup at the Moreton-in-Marsh rail station, where we arrived after an early-morning Heathrow flight. The station clock chimed as if to mark the moment: bags in the trunk, car parked, boots laced, jet lagged but determined.

“The Cotswolds are England at its most quiet and eternal—where every footstep feels borrowed from another century.”—James Herriot

Chipping Campden could be a Cotswolds postcard with its honeyed stone cottages, wool-merchant history, and rolling green fields. To mark the start of our adventure, we pointed the toe of one shoe on the circular limestone disc that serves as the official northern terminus marker for the Cotswold Way National Trail. 

We found the marker set into the ground near the iconic 17th-century Market Hall. It features the names of locations along the Cotswold Way. A similar marker is located at the other end of the 102-mile trail, near Bath Abbey, and they act as “bookends” for the route.

Day 1: Chipping Campden to Stow-on-the-Wold

After stopping for sandwiches to fortify us, we stepped into our first field bordered by dry-stone walls. Then we began the hilly trek out of Chipping Campden. The broad brown path cut a swatch through a field of grass framed by stormy blue skies. 

You spend a lot of time looking at the horizon if you’re jetlagged. I knew from previous 10-mile hikes that you don’t hurry to the destination. Put one sneaker in front of another sneaker and walk boldly forward.

I was heartened to see the official Cotswold Way Public Footpath sign on a pole. The gold arrow pointed us ahead.

Cotswold Sheep

The afternoon walk unfolded through farmland and rolling pastures. Bleating sheep lifted their heads as we passed. The traditional Cotswolds sheep have white faces. They may have some grey mottling.

But I saw black-faced sheep that reminded me of my chocolate Siamese cat, whom I left at home with the pet sitter. Possibly, this farmer raised Valais blacknose sheep, which are famous for their black noses, ears, front legs, and back knees.

I posed in the green field while the sheep minded their own business and dined on wild flowers. (Click this link to see the sheep frolicking on my YouTube channel.)

For the rest of the afternoon, we walked without hurry through farmers’ fields. The sheer joy of following the ancient trail guided us forward.

Tea Time

By 4 p.m., I could no longer find the will to walk due to my jet lag. We decided to reward our progress by stopping at a traditional English tea shop. We chose a table in the cafe garden to soak up the afternoon sun.

I am happy to report that the British know how to steep a proper tea. Our menu featured the options: loose-leaf black/China tea, English breakfast tea, Oolong tea, flavored tea, loose-leaf green tea, and spice Imperial tea.

Our afternoon tea included a flaky scone served with a pot of strawberry jelly and Devon clotted cream.

Evening: The Unicorn in Stow-on-the-Wold

Stow-on-the-Wold announced itself with its medieval market square and its famously narrow “Wool Church” door framed by yew trees. We checked into The Unicorn, settling into a cozy two-bedroom apartment. The architecture featured low beams, soft light, and windows propped open to catch the night’s cool air.

I fell asleep instantly at 8 p.m., my jet lag finally catching up with me. I vaguely remember a delicious meal in a historic tavern. But it is all a blur.

Day 2: The Road to Stanton

Morning found us at Huffkins Bakery, sipping coffee and eating eggs and toast. Outside our café, a vintage roadster was parked in the square. The owner proudly displayed the “Morgan Sports Car Club” above his license plate.

With daypacks refilled, we set off toward Stanton. We immediately met up again with sheep, now dining on their breakfast of grass. I looked down on the green path. Hikers, dog walkers, and a dad toting his child on his shoulders headed toward us.

We also saw brown horses roaming in the grass. They didn’t even lift their heads to acknowledge us. I kept taking “mental snapshots” of the rural scene—wooden fences, giant hedges, and leaning tree branches.

Then we descended a hill covered with molting leaves from last fall. I imagine the trees were more than a hundred years old. They spread their branches like arms ready to embrace you.

We walked for three hours before we reached our destination.

Exploring Stanton

After a long trek past horses, we entered the outskirts of Stanton. The road threaded past thatched-roof cottages, medieval farmsteads, and gardens edged with clipped boxwood.

These limestone Cotswold cottages featured mullioned windows, gabled rooftops, and timber frames. The owners also named their homes.

I saw Pixie Cottage (circa 1629).

I admired Little Sheppey House.

And I posed outside a house where roses grew on a trellis up along the exterior.

We tried to eat lunch at The Mount Inn. Set on a hill, the restaurant offered stunning views over the surrounding fields and countryside. 

Unfortunately, we arrived after the chef closed the kitchen, so we didn’t get to enjoy a hot meal. Instead, we sipped a mug of beer and ate chips.

Afternoon Walk & Reluctant Ending

We were now on the final segment of our two-day hike. Leaving Stanton, the fields opened wide again. Wildflowers peeked through the green blades and nestled near a grandmother tree.

We thought we would walk for four more hours, but England had other plans. By mid-afternoon, a rainstorm swept in—swift, insistent, and absolute. Our shoes slid on the muddy trail. Water poured off the visors of our raincoats.

We laughed, surrendered, and called an Uber. Trail wisdom: sometimes quitting early is its own victory.

A Brief History of the Cotswold Way

The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile (164 km) National Trail. It was officially designated in 2007, but walkers had followed much of its unofficial route for decades. Its path traces ancient trading routes, medieval pilgrimage ways, and hilltop forts.

 Dry-stone walls—some over 300 years old—line many sections. Today, it remains one of Britain’s most beloved long-distance trails, known for its pastoral landscapes, thatched cottages, and historic towns.

If you’re thinking about planning a visit to the trail, please view the Interactive Map on the Trail Information & Map page on the National Trails website. 

Key Towns and Villages Along the Full Cotswold Way (Chipping Campden → Bath)

For hikers completing the entire journey, the trail includes:

• Chipping Campden – Elegant wool-merchant town; official start
• Broadway – Thatched cottages, Broadway Tower, sweeping Vale views
• Stanton – A nearly perfect Cotswold village of limestone cottages
• Stanway – Jacobean manor, medieval history
• Winchcombe – Sudeley Castle and royal connections
• Cleeve Hill – Highest point in the Cotswolds
• Cheltenham – Regency architecture, spa-town charm
• Leckhampton Hill – Dramatic escarpment scenery
• Painswick – The “Queen of the Cotswolds,” 99 yew trees at the churchyard
• Stroud – Textile history and rolling valleys
• Dursley – Market town below the wooded ridge
• Wotton-under-Edge – Timbered houses and historic inns
• Hawkesbury Upton – Quiet rural charm
• Tormarton – Farmland and open skies
• Bath – Roman and Georgian grandeur; official finish of the Cotswold Way

Total Length: Approximately 102 miles (164 km)

Typical Completion: 7–10 days for fit walkers

Closing Reflection

Walking the Cotswold Way—whether two days or ten—is not simply a hike. It’s an immersion into England’s layered past: Roman roads, wool-rich prosperity, Georgian market towns, and an architectural language written in limestone. For my two trail mates, it became something more personal—a reminder that the best adventures aren’t measured in miles but moments.