The Cotswolds
Green rolling hills. Ancient tracks. Stately homes.
Slow down. Golden-stone villages and market
towns. The new Cotswold Way National Trail.
Meadows and woodland. Famous cottage scenes.
An easy walking break in the heart of England.
The Cotswolds are famous for all that is quintessentially
English, with golden stone villages, handsome manor houses,
rolling cornfields and green valleys.
Our guided Classic Walking holidays are perfect for beginners allowing you to discover this most English
of landscapes. There are village-to-village walks as well as delightful paths
through woodlands, meadows and across the Cotswold plateau. The Cotswold
Way provides some of the most scenic walking with medieval churches,
country estates, ancient sites and Roman villas.
Detailed information
| Classic Walking programme details |
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A typical Classic Walking day…
… will offer you a choice of 2 or 3 guided walks, each
of varying length and ascent. If you are new to walking, start
at the easier level, where the pace is the gentlest. We have
plenty of stops to enjoy the views and to rest. As your holiday
progresses you may feel confident to try a more challenging
level, or stick to the same level - it's entirely your choice.
More information on the type of footpaths you're likely to find in the Cotswolds.
On holidays before Easter and from 25 October, your daily choice of walks will
generally comprise a medium and a harder walk chosen to suit guest numbers and the cooler weather. 2, 9, 13, 30 March; 3, 10, 14, 20 April 2009.
The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
12, 16, 23
July; 2, 6, *16, 30 August; *13, 17 September; 4, 27, 31
October; 7, 17, 24 November 2008.
| Arrival day |
| Shorter Easier Walk: The Slaughters |
4 |
75 feet |
| Easier Walk: The Slaughters |
5½ |
350 feet |
| Medium Walk: The Slaughters and Lower Harford |
6¾ |
425 feet |
| Harder Walk: Naunton and The Slaughters |
9 |
600 feet |
| Shorter Easier Walk: Westwell to Burford |
4 |
150 feet |
| Easier Walk: Barringtons to Burford |
6¼ |
325 feet |
| Medium Walk: Cotswold villages from Windrush to Burford |
8 |
425 feet |
| Harder Walk: Sherborne Park and the
watermMeadows To Burford |
11 |
550 feet |
| Shorter Easier Walk: All the Dunts to Daglingworth |
4 |
125 feet |
| Easier Walk: All the Dunts |
6¾ |
300 feet |
| Medium Walk: Winstones Way to Cirencester |
8 |
325 feet |
| Harder Walk: Ermin Way and River Churn to Cirencester |
9½ |
625 feet |
| There are no organised walks today to allow you time to explore the area independently or just relax in Harrington House and grounds. |
| Shorter Easier Walk: Blenheim Park and Palace |
4½ |
250 feet |
| Easier Walk: Blenheim Park and Palace |
5 |
325 feet |
| Medium Walk: Slates, fossils and Blenheim Great Park |
7¼ |
400 feet |
| Harder Walk: Oxfordshire Way to Blenheim |
10½ |
650 feet |
| Shorter Easier Walk: Stanton on the Cotswold Way to Broadway |
3¼ |
250 feet |
| Easier Walk: Quiet walk to Broadway |
6½ |
475 feet |
| Medium Walk: Three villages and a hamlet to Broadway |
9 |
575 feet |
| Harder Walk: Hidden Cotswolds with the Tortoise and The Hare |
11 |
1000 feet |
| Departure day |
The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
*5, *26
July; 9, 23, 27 August; 6, 27 September; *19
October; 3, 14, 21 November; 5, 8 December 2008.
| Arrival day |
| Shorter Easier Walk: Windrush Valley and the Quarry Lakes |
3¾ |
100 feet |
| Easier Walk: Windrush Valley & Clapton on the Hill |
6 |
400 feet |
| Medium Walk: Windrush Valley, Clapton-on-the-Hill and Little
Rissington |
7½ |
450 feet |
| Harder Walk: Windrush Valley and Sherborne |
10 |
450 feet |
| Shorter Easier Walk: By fields, woods and a Castle to Winchcombe |
3 |
125 feet |
| Easier Walk: By fields, woods and a castle to Winchcombe |
6¼ |
750 feet |
| Medium Walk: From Naunton to the ancient capital of Mercia |
8¼ |
1075 feet |
| Harder Walk: The Warden's Way to Winchcombe |
11 |
1150 feet |
Shorter Easier Walk: Stow on the Wold by the Monarchs Way
|
4 |
75 feet |
| Easier Walk: Monarch's Way to Bourton-on-the-Water |
6 |
375 feet |
| Medium Walk: South from Longborough
with Charles Stuart |
8¼ |
450 feet |
| Harder Walk: From Moreton-in-Marsh on
the Monarch's Way |
10¾ |
600 feet |
| There are no organised walks today to allow you time to explore the area independently or just relax in Harrington House and grounds. |
| Shorter Easier Walk: From St Aldwyns to Bibury along the river |
3¼ |
minimal |
| Easier Walk: Coln Valley |
6¾ |
minimal |
| Medium Walk: Cotswold Water Park and the River Coln |
7¾ |
minimal |
| Harder Walk: River Coln and the Saltway |
10¾ |
425 feet |
| Shorter Easier Walk: Hidcote Manor to Campden |
3 |
100 feet |
| Easier Walk: Ilmington & Ebrington |
6 |
550 feet |
| Medium Walk: Through Hidcote, Lark Stoke and Foxcote |
8½ |
925 feet |
| Harder Walk: Ilmington Down |
10 |
1275 feet |
| Departure day |
[Back to the top]
| Footpath information |
|
On these holidays there is a choice of up to three walks for varying abilities each day. For maximum
choice we offer two weekly itineraries - ideal if you wish to book a 14-night holiday or return for a
second visit.
 |
Easier Walks:
5 to 7 miles with easy gradients. Up to 250-750ft of ascent in a day. (On dates marked *, there will be an additional Easier option: 3 to 4½ miles with easy
gradients. Up to 380ft of ascent in a day. These shorter walks will finish after a picnic
lunch and then return to Harrington House in the early afternoon.) |
 |
Medium Walks: 7 to 8¾ miles with easy gradients. Up to 1,075ft of ascent in a day. |
|
Harder Walks: 9 to 11 miles with gently undulating gradients. 330ft to 1,275ft of ascent in day. |
All levels of walks use a combination of riverside, field and woodland paths, with some stiles and kissing gates, to reach picturesque towns and villages.
Bourton-on-the-Water is particularly recommended if you are new to walking or prefer easier terrain.
[Back to the top]
| Average temperatures |
|
| Feb |
1°C |
7°C |
| March |
2°C |
10°C |
| April |
4°C |
13°C |
| May |
7°C |
16°C |
| June |
10°C |
20°C |
| July |
12°C |
22°C |
| Aug |
11°C |
21°C |
| Sept |
10°C |
18°C |
| Oct |
7°C |
15°C |
[Back to the top]
| Other walking holiday ideas |
|
We also offer the following holidays at Harrington House, find out more below:
Alternative, guided walking holidays in and around the Cotswolds include
For the independently minded we also offer a self-guided
walking break along The
Cotswold Way.
[Back to the top] |
| Where you'll stay |
You'll be based in our fine Country House accommodation, Harrington
House, in the picturesque town of Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds
Dating from the Tudor period, and of
considerable historical interest, Harrington
House mirrors the mellow architectural
style of the Cotswolds. Tucked away in a
quiet location, it is just 100 yards from the
charming centre of Bourton-on-the-Water,
one of the Cotswolds’ showpiece villages.
A cosy lounge, croquet lawn and walled
garden can all be enjoyed in this peaceful
atmosphere. There are 26 bedrooms,
mostly en-suite, located in the
main building and adjacent
cottages.
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