Traveller's Tales: Five Days in the Cotswolds

Traveller Anna Frank recently completed our Exploring the Cotswolds self-guided walk. This is how she spent five days in this extraordinary part of England.

I visited the Cotswolds as a little girl, under ten, and the imagery of the famous bridges in Bourton-on-the-Water and the colour of the beautiful stonework were embedded in my memory. I settled in the USA 30 years ago, and the trails of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State and the state parks near home are where I have done most of my walking since. We try to come to the UK every few years, and though enjoyable, I am always left with the feeling I should have stayed longer.

So on this trip, when my husband had to get back to work, I stayed an extra week and decided to go on a solo walking holiday. I picked Walkers' Britain & Europe's Exploring the Cotswolds trip to get my feet wet with this type of holiday. As I was alone and unsure whether I would drive myself mad in my own company, get lost or grow bored on a long or demanding trip, I chose the shorter five-day option. Here is how I fared.

Day 1: Arriving in Moreton-in-Marsh

The day I dropped my husband off at Heathrow was the day after the CrowdStrike outage. It was absolute bedlam in the terminal. I kissed him goodbye and made rapidly for the Elizabeth line. On the advice of a helpful Heathrow employee, I took a National Express coach to Reading rather than the Tube, and from there an overground train to Moreton-in-Marsh. A tip worth sharing: I booked my train from Reading about three weeks ahead, and even then it was a fairly full service, so do not leave it to the last minute.

My accommodation in Moreton-in-Marsh was The Swan, run by a lovely team full of local knowledge and happy to store my lunch in the kitchen fridge. I ate at Raj Mahal across the street, which was excellent.

Day 2: Walking to Bourton-on-the-Water

After a fabulous full English, I set off on the Monarch's Way. My only unpleasant moment of the entire trip came almost immediately, when an off-lead Alsatian named Carl decided I was the enemy and ran directly at me, pouncing and growling. I came to no harm but was very much awake from that point on.

The path led through mostly open, flat fields with beautiful big oaks and good country walking to Longborough. I stopped briefly in Donnington, which was very pretty, then pressed on to Stow-on-the-Wold. Stow was lively, mostly older visitors as the school holidays had not yet started. There are some fabulous charity shops and a cheese shop where I picked up a hunk of cheddar for my picnic. I ate lunch in St Edward's Churchyard and completely missed the stunning church door by failing to look ahead in the route notes. Fortunately my brother later took me back to see it, along with a visit to The Porch House, said to be the oldest inn in the UK, for a very good lunch.

Lower Slaughter was another spot I could have happily lingered in, but by this point I was tired and the afternoon was getting warm. After 11 miles, I finally reached Bourton, inhaled a large portion of chips with salt and vinegar under a tree, and made my way to my lodgings. The Lansdowne was by far the best of the places I stayed throughout the trip. Modern, comfortable and with excellent service. I slept extremely well.

Day 3: Walking to Guiting Power, transfer to Winchcombe

Have you ever wondered why you brought something on a trip only to not use it, feeling it weigh down your pack? Before this walk I had been schlepping trekking poles around the UK and had not used them once. I had also packed exclusively long trousers and no shorts. This morning showed me I had packed wisely. My first public footpath out of Bourton-on-the-Water was a slanted, uneven trail with overhead stinging nettles on one side and thistles on the other. Being July, the growth was at its most epic. Both poles and long trousers were essential.

The path travelled through farms, with cows and sheep in pastures and sections of deep woodland with old railway bridges and the River Windrush winding through. I stopped for lunch in Naunton and made sure not to miss the Naunton Dovecote this time. There is a lovely spot by the river beside it to eat your picnic.

The rest of the route to Guiting Power passed through farm fields, some with shoulder-high crops. I stopped at The Cotswolds Guy for provisions, then into the Hollow Bottom pub for a read and a pint. As I had no accommodation in Guiting Power, Walkers' Britain & Europe had arranged a taxi to Winchcombe, where I spent two nights. It was a pleasure to be based in one spot for two evenings, with more food options and no packing up to do.

Winchcombe has an attractive winding high street with a lovely climb of buildings. I visited St Peter's Church twice: once to sit quietly, and once to see the famous altar cloth said to be connected to Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. I arrived the first time after closing and was let in by a caretaker who had come to put out the bins. I had the place entirely to myself.

Day 4: Walking back to Winchcombe

I chose the longer of the two route options. If you had asked me on day one, I would have said the shorter route was definitely my future — but having learned there were abbey ruins and views to savour, I was fully committed. The taxi dropped me back into Guiting Power in the rain, but that is precisely why I had packed the Gore-Tex raincoat.

A woodsy, muddy section through the Farmcote estate led to a good section of road, then a longer bridleway where the world gradually opened up around me. The views grew bigger and wider. One field of curious cows provided my funniest moment of the trip: I had just started down a spur trail and taken out my phone to check the GPS when I became aware I was not alone. Two cows had decided they were coming too. The phone was swiftly pocketed and haste was made.

Hailes Abbey was closed on a Tuesday, so I looked around the chapel, had lunch, and made my way across the fields into Winchcombe. I did get into Sudeley Castle and Gardens, the latter of which I highly recommend. There was a live raptor display the day I was there, and the gardens are immaculately kept. I will admit I felt slightly out of place sitting on a bench, covered in mud and sweat (and quite possibly some cow manure), while beautifully dressed young women posed for photographs nearby.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I loved this trip. The one time I reached out to Walkers' Britain & Europe with a question, I was helped immediately. The GPS files and app were easy to use, and the 52-page notes and wayfinding information were thorough. I never felt unsafe. There was a phone signal almost everywhere and a road never too far away.

I enjoyed the solitude enormously. The walking was meditative, and I feel I gave myself the greatest gift of time, space and natural beauty.

Words by Anna Frank, who walked the 5-day Exploring the Cotswolds self-guided trip.