We are two seniors in very good health. Considering hiking/walking the following towards the end of May:
Day 1: Arrive Stratford-upon-Avon. Stay overnight
Day 2: walk to Chipping Campden. Stay overnight
Day 3: Walk to Moreton-in-Marsh via Blockley and Batsford Arboretum. Stay overnight
Day 4: Walk to Bourton-on-the-Water via Stow-on-the Wold Stay overnight
Day 5 Transfer to Bibury. Stay overnight in Bibury
Day 6: Walk to Cirencester via Northleach. Transfer to Northleach and walk to Cirencester via Chedworth Roman Villa. Stay overnight
Day 7: Cirencester and depart

We're comfortable with the distances but haven't a clue if these towns are worth the visit. I mean no offense, it's because it will be first trip w/o a car. We enjoy exploring towns with history, good food, relaxed vibe, not crazy crowded, gardens and of course a decent Inn at end of day.
Many thanks in advance for your time.

All of those are lovely villages and worth staying. One issue is many if not most places will require a two-night stay over weekends. Because your plan is seven days there has to be at least one weekend (possibly parts of two). Not knowing where the weekend(s) falls its hard to tell where is which.

What I might do is stay 2 nights in Northleach. So one day you'd walk Stow-on-the-Wold to Northleach -- less than 10 miles. Stay the night. Next day walk out and back to Bibury via two different routes (about 11 or 12 miles total). Next day do the Chedworth/Cirencester leg.

This would give one 2 nighter so one less hotel check in/out and Northleach is a larger village with more services/pubs/etc.

Wonderful that you are using public transportation and are fit enough to see the magnificent countryside there. I'm doing the same; returning also in May, but will base in either Cheltenham or M-i-M for my northern Cotswolds routes via bus/rail. I'm only chiming in to mention I've read about the issues tourism has brought to the locals in terms of parking and road congestion, so applaud those who are able-bodied/without children, etc. visiting the area responsibly, as you're choosing to do.

(As to crowds, I'm a little apprehensive about what I'll encounter in the villages and my impact, as well. It's been several years since I've hiked in the Cotswolds, pre-covid.)

Another thing: if you are there 16-18 May, Winchcombe is holding their annual Walking Festival, Winchcome Welcomes Walkers. (Winchcombe's Sudeley Castle is worth a visit if you find yourself with time to explore.) https://www.winchcombewelcomeswalker...king-festival/

Are you plotting your own walks with an OS Map, or using a service for both the baggage transfer and the walks? Have you looked at staying at the Bourton on the Water HF Holidays House? They have both guided and self-guided walks, and you'd have other walkers to socialize with, if you wished. I really wanted to try an HF Holiday this year, but it didn't work with my dates. https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/country-houses/locations

Some resources/information:
https://explorethecotswolds.com/cots...lic-transport/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly30p7pppxo
https://www.oxfordshirecommunityrail.org/leisure-trails

Have fun!

Following. Thanks for the suggestions ChgoGal, hope to do something similar next year, probably May 2026�

My suggestion would be to have a look at the Cotswold Way which misses some of the more overcrowded villages but offers others of equal beauty, some dramatic landscapes, accommodations that cater to walkers, muddy boots & all & maybe fewer 2-night minimum rules & an especially well-marked path.

I’ve walked the entire 102 miles over several visits & loved the variety of scenery, towns & villages & the welcome & help offered at B&Bs all along the way. It’s a wonderful way to have one’s walking days organized without buying handholding & there are loads of books & websites that steer walkers to sites of note as well as detours & circular paths for those who prefer walking from several bases staying more than 1 night.

https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_G.../cotswold-way/

That’s the official website for the path but google “cotswold way” for many more that include maps & mileages. The guidebook for the path is small & portable, likely available in e format now, though I like the small book that I can scribble in as I go. There are other guides as well but I recommend the official one which is regularly updated.

For years I visited every year to complete another section of this & a number of other long-distance paths & hope to finish the latest, the Thames Path, before I hang it up. Everyone, have a wonderful time walking. It’s the best thing as far as I’m concerned.

It is delightful to hear about two other "seniors in very good health." We walked the Cotswold Way in May, 2024, and while that was a very different itinerary than what you are looking at, I am sure you will see similar scenery and feel a similar ambience.

I am not sure how much long-distance self-guided walking you have done, so you may already have thought of all the things that need to be dealt with, but a couple of pointers may help:

- As you are doing mostly point-to-point walks, you will have to figure out what you are doing about luggage transfers from one village to another. If you are travelling extremely lightly, you could carry it all on your back. Your alternative would be to have it moved by taxi or some kind of courier In our case, we booked our Cotswold Way walk through Celtic Trails, who arranged all of our luggage transfers and booked our walker-friendly accommodations. Arranging this by yourself may be a chore, as we were repeatedly told that accommodations fill up early and taxis tend to be very busy. We also found that many restaurants needed to be reserved well in advance.

- Navigation: the OS 1:50,000 maps are excellent, as all public footpaths are clearly marked. If you are comfortable with the technology, the OS Online maps are an excellent walking companion. A subscription will give you access to all UK OS maps, right down to the 1:50,000 scale, and you can select specific aress and download them to your mobile phone and then use them offline. The icing on the cake is that the OS app works with your phone's GPS, and it therefore tells you exactly where you are on the map. This is very handy when you reach a bifurcation and then stop to puzzle over which leg to choose. The little GPS symbol will soon tell you whether you are "off piste" or are headed the right way.

- Weather: we walked eight days and enjoyed mostly warm and sunny weather, but we were ready for rain. On a related note, there were parts of the trail, especially in forested areas, that were extremely muddy.

If I may, regarding luggage transfers, I find it altogether unnecessary. I arrange the logistics by staying in a hotel or guesthouse before I begin my days of walking that will hold my suitcase until I return at the end to retrieve it. I walk with a day pack with a change of clothes, minimal toiletries, a change of footwear for evenings & not much more. I've never felt deprived wardrobe-wise, rinse quick-drying garments out as needed. I found, the 1 time I tried it, having my suitcase follow me around a waste of resources.

Regarding OS maps, for walking I find the more detailed 1/25,000 scale more useful when there's a question, the maps in the guidebook I mentioned are those. I do like to have maps covering more ground around the path so make color copies of the route from the large OS maps.

I should mention that my long-distance walks have been in my 60s & 70s.

MmePerdue, you're right. The 1:25,000 OS Explorer series is what we use when walking in the UK. (You'd think that someone who studied cartography in university would have gotten that right, but it was late at night for me. )

On the luggage issue: with the exception of the Milford Track, we don't typically return to where we started, and we like our rucksacks to be as light as possible. A day's water, food, first aid kit, wet weather gear, spare socks, map, compass, whistle, knife, guide book, and a Garmin InReach when we're going to be beyond cell coverage ... there are a few kilos there, and that's enough for a six- or seven-hour walk.

Most of our walking has been in our 60s and 70s, but we learned a bit of a lesson about over-reach a couple of months ago in Liguria, so our next walks will be a little easier.