Lester12

We're looking to experience the Cotswolds (been to Bath so don't need to include it). Wondering if it would make sense to use a company that provides a self-guided walking tour and moves your luggage from place to place for 5 days and then spend 5 days doing some other stuff (Oxford / friend in Bristol).
I would not want to move locations for a 10 day excursion. Alternately we could book a few central locations (3?) and do walks from each location - taking a cab back to our base after each walk. Advantage would be not having to walk everyday if we chose not to and more time to explore each central location but don't know the feasibility of returning by cab each night. Guess other advantage would be an evening in a different town/village every evening. Seem to be pros and cons for each alternative .... suggestions? I would think we'd get a rental car out of Heathrow.
If recommendation is not the self-guided walking tour company - any ideas re recommended central locations? We're more smaller centre people than large centres - Bath is the biggest I'd want to be and would probably prefer smaller...

flanneruk

I can't see the point in pre-packaged walking tours at all.

Pick one place, drive or walk to a footpath (any decent hotel or rented cottage will be no more than 300 yards from one), do a 10-15 mile circular walk then choose another spot the following day.

There's an infinite number of options, and nowhere in the Cotswolds is more than an hour away from anywhere reasonably in the middle of the area.

The interesting questions are then where to base yourself and which walks to choose.

But we'll return to those once you've got rid of this apparent determination to do things the messy way.

SKCStu

If you are planning to get a rental car to get out of Heathrow, why not keep to self drive rather than rely on cabs to get around the Cotswolds?

Also if you don't want to stay anywhere bigger than Bath - Bristol and Oxford don't really fit the bill. You are better off looking at towns like Cheltenham or Cirencester.

SKCStu

If you are planning to get a rental car to get out of Heathrow, why not keep to self drive rather than rely on cabs to get around the Cotswolds?

Also if you don't want to stay anywhere bigger than Bath - Bristol and Oxford don't really fit the bill. You are better off looking at towns like Cheltenham or Cirencester.

SKCStu

If you are planning to get a rental car to get out of Heathrow, why not keep to self drive rather than rely on cabs to get around the Cotswolds?

Also if you don't want to stay anywhere bigger than Bath - Bristol and Oxford don't really fit the bill. You are better off looking at towns like Cheltenham or Cirencester.

ESW

Forget big towns like Cheltenham and Cirencester, and choose one of the smaller villages - Burford is really nice - and use that as your base. You will find plenty of walks you can do in the area.

Buy a copy of this map and design your own walking routes. At a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile, it is the recommended map for walkers.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/sho...cotswolds.html

If you want some ideas of suitable walks, have a look at these two websitesfor ideas.
http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org....oadable-walks/

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/cotsw...ditional-walks

MmePerdu

With a car you can obviously stay anywhere, and anywhere you stay in the Cotswolds there will be more walks than you'll know what to do with. No need whatever for cabs, as mentioned, as you'll find guides with circular walks devised for just such day-long outings as you want. No need to hire a company to move your things.

I'd choose 2 bases which will provide plenty of variety. I like Chipping Campden in the north of the Cotswolds, world-class gardens to walk to among other things and the start of the Cotswold Way. I like Winchcombe and Painswick, too, all smaller towns, all on the Cotswold Way so you'll find numerous guides to circular walks that include some of the long-distance path.

Look on Amazon's UK site for "cotswolds circular paths" and you'll find a number. Also, wherever you end up, visit the local tourist office and bookshop and you'll find locally published guides for circular routes in the immediate vicinity. Walking is the real national sport in the UK and you'll have no shortage of possibilities. Just choose a spot or 2 and you'll have a wonderful time. Bring wet weather gear & layers.

Lester12

Thanks to all - no self-guided tour... Ready to take it to the next step.
PS Flanneruk - I have no determination to do things the messy way - LOL - I'm convinced, really didn't want to move daily. So am ready to look at locations and which walks to choose!

Re location(s) to stay. We are starting or ending in Bristol (3) / Oxford (2?) (or vice versa) as meeting up with acquaintances in both locations so definitely don't want anymore cities! Therefore, we have 8 nights / 9 days, in between the above, for our own explorations.
Our idea is 3 to 4 hour long (max time) walks daily, perhaps we'll miss a day of walking here and there and explore other sites. Lazy afternoons of people watching work too! Would be nice not to have to use the car daily.

Yes we'd prefer smaller villages - will look at Burford and other suggestions you all may have - would you spend 8 nights there or would you suggest 4 nights apiece in 2 different locations or 3/2/3 nights or?

Ps My husband and I are both around 60.

janisj

No need at all for either a walking tour OR to move locations. In fact that doesnt make much sense. Pick one to stay - any nice/small town (like Burford or Chipping Campden) or pretty village and tour around by car. There are footpaths EVERYWHERE.

( I hope you aren't planning on collecting a car right off a long haul flight)

janisj

I hadn't seen your last entry - we were posting at the same time.

With a full week I'd rent a cottage and use it as a base for the whole time. You really can't do better than Burford IMO. But there are 50 other places you could choose instead.

susan001

I stayed in Chipping Campden and loved the town, but felt the location was a bit far north for most of the attractions I wanted to see. Definitely rent a car and use it in the Cotswolds. I'm in your age group and drove around by myself with no problems (bring your own GPS). You must get to Arlington Row in the village of Bibury, Castle Combe, and if you're a Downton Abby fan, Bampton (where all of the village scenes were filmed). I also loved Snowshill.

susan001

Also, visit the old mill in Lower Slaughter.

MmePerdu

If the primary objective is walking, then Chipping Campden is as good as any with Broadway and Snowshill one direction, Kiftsgate & Hidcote gardens the other. Any number of houses to visit strewn across the countryside.

So it would make a certain amount of sense to choose objectives, if any, other than the walks. If a nice town with decent places to eat is the thing, plus walks, then Chipping Campden will do nicely. If there are particular houses on the list, then there will be walks near them and likely a nice smaller town as well. But all these things are everywhere in the area and you can't really go wrong. A dart thrown at a map will get you to where you'd like to be, or very near, if you have no absolute druthers.

kraines

Just an fyi that we have the same trip planned and have booked an apartment in Chipping Campden for our entire stay in the Cotswolds.

Lester12

Thanks for the updates
Susan001 - what town do you recommend for the other sites - you felt Chipping Camden a little too far and thanks for your recommendations for other places to see in addition to walks.
Any other suggestions

Kraines -when do you leave for your trip? Have you planned other attractions as well?