Cotswold Way or Thames Path?
 

Which of the two would you recommend for bucolic countryside, picturesque villages and the like? I would stop before London if doing the Thames Path, so no worries about that. Thanks for any advice!

Very little of the Thames Path is particularly "bucolic"

It's exaggerating a bit and misleading to say that all of the Thames until you're several miles NW of Oxford is either built up or suburban. There's a huge amount of lovely - but impeccably manicured - countryside for quite long stretches. And a lot of the built up bits involve seriously impressive, picturesque and impeccably conserved cities and towns - often with quite outstanding architecture.

But it's never difficult to remember that you're under Heathrow's flight paths all the way, and walking through Europe's richest and most economically advanced microregion. Even if you weren't, the Thames itself is always busy (and, to my mind, pretty noisy. Most of those boats do chug). But just about everything you pass has that sheen to it that shouts "posh, highly desirable, residential area within easy commuting distance of London."

The Cotswold Way (which is nothing special: just an awful lot of taxpayer money thrown away on silly logos along 100 of Britain's 120,000 miles of footpath) feels a great deal more bucolic and remote. As is almost a constitutional requirement, you're never more than 45 mins from a decent boozer, though

Many thanks. Just wondering why you say the Cotswold Way is "nothing special." Would it be special to an American suburbanite longing for hedgerows, green hills and lambs?

Cimbrone, I think the point is there are lots of "ways" all over the country. Just this one is being "marketed" (see also "quaint" "bs" etc).

Lambs, only if the month is right :-)

My own thoughts is to make sure that you start from somewhere pretty and that there is a pub towards the end.

Sheep are fine as well. Any recommendations for other lesser known paths would be most welcome. I did some of the Dales Way years ago and loved it.

I think the Cotswold Way would be a fantastic way to experience the English countryside.

Have a look here for more resources

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/

http://www.walkingenglishman.com/ldp/ldplist.htm

Go to Google Images and type in Cotswold Way - that should whet your appetite.

I know nothing about the Thames Path, but as part of the Cotswold Way passes within 100 yard of my front door, I admit to being biased. And I do live in a particularly beautiful part of the Cotswolds

However there are many, many more footpaths even more scenic all over England.

Cimbrone: There are footpaths just absolutely <i>everywhere</i>. Every Cotswold village will have walks/footpaths heading out in every direction. The "Cotswold Way" covers a lot of the same territory as many other walks in the region.

So if you want a specific long distance walk - then the Cotswold Way fills the bill. But if you simply want lots of lovely walks and not necessarily a long distance/point-to-point trek then base anywhere in the Cotswolds and tackle a different walk every day.