Looking for easy Cotswolds walks?
Our easy Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour could be just the thing for you!
Not everyone has the time or inclination to hike the entire 102 mile Cotswold Way. And if you haven’t done much countryside walking before, you might be worried about getting lost, or finding the walk too difficult.
If that sounds like you, then here at Go Cotswolds, we have a brilliant tour for you!
Easy Cotswolds walks – with a friendly local guide
Tom and I (Lisa), the owners of Go Cotswolds, are outdoorsy people. When we’re not guiding people around the Cotswolds, or running the business from our office, you’ll often find us rambling – or running – around our local countryside.
So, we wanted to create a more active tour to complement our best-selling Cotswolds in a Day minibus tour.
But we’re not ‘serious’ hikers, and there are already plenty of excellent walking specialist tour companies in the Cotswolds. So, our plan was to create an ‘entry level’ walking tour – a perfect introduction to walking in the Cotswolds for those who have done little or no walking in the Cotswolds before.
How ‘easy’ are the ‘easy Cotswolds walks’?
There are 3 walks on our Cotswolds Walks & Village tour. One short walk is required, but the other two are optional, so you can do as much or as little as you like.
You’ll need to be able to walk at least 1 mile, so a moderate level of fitness is required. However, you don’t need to be a ‘good’ hiker. Read our walk descriptions below to see if this tour would be suitable for you.
Walk 1: to Broadway Tower (required; 1 mile/1.6km one way)
The first of our easy Cotswolds walks is very scenic and not to be missed! On this walk, you’ll pass through woodland, pasture and wildflower meadows to reach the iconic Broadway Tower. Broadway Tower is on the 2nd highest hill of the Cotswolds, so there are naturally some uphill sections, but it is not steep. The distance is only around 1 mile (1.6km) one way.
This first walk is an essential part of the tour.
Walk 2: to Broadway (optional; 1.5 miles/2.5 km)
After some free time at Broadway Tower to soak up the views, maybe grab a coffee, or ascend the Tower, you have a choice.
You can either walk back to the minibus with your guide (1 mile/1.6km) and drive into the village of Broadway. Or, you can go on ahead to Broadway on foot, following a section of the famous Cotswold Way (1.5 miles/2.5km).
You will not be with your guide for this walk, but the trail is all downhill and well-signposted. We’ll also give you a map of Broadway so you know where to go when you arrive in the village.
Windrush Valley walk (maximum 2.75 miles/4.5 km)
After free time in Broadway, we’ll all get back in the minibus. If needed, we’ll make a quick stop in Burford for a ‘comfort break’, and anyone who does not wish to join the third walk can stay here in Burford for some extra free time. Otherwise, we’ll drive to the start point of our final walk of the day.
On this beautiful, flat, guided walk, we’ll follow a figure-of-eight trail through the Windrush Valley. Starting in the pretty village of Asthall – once home to the infamous Mitford family – your guide will lead you to the village of Swinbrook. With its cute village green, complete with white picket fence and red telephone box, Swinbrook is adorable. You can also find the graves of several Mitford sisters, and a memorial to their brother Tom, in the churchyard of St. Mary’s church.
If the full 3-mile walk is too much, here in Swinbrook you might like to stop for a drink at charming The Swan Inn. This is the middle point of the figure-of-eight walk, so you can rest here while the rest of your group continues – they’ll come back for you when they pass back through Swinbrook later!
Those who choose to continue the walk will pass through pretty fields and countryside, walking through the tiny village of Widford, then loop back to Swinbrook to collect anyone who stayed behind. From here, you’ll complete the figure-of-eight walk to arrive back at the minibus in Asthall.
After the walk, we will spend some free time in the beautiful Cotswold town of Burford. There are plenty of shops, tea-rooms, cafes and pubs here to help you unwind after a day in the countryside. If you do not wish to do the Windrush Valley walk, we can drop you off in Burford for extra free time instead.
What should I wear for this tour?
The Cotswolds is a hill range, so our easy Cotswolds walks are not necessarily flat. But don’t worry, it’s not too steep, and you won’t need hiking poles or specialist shoes! If you have walking boots, these are a good idea, but comfortable trail shoes, or even sneakers/trainers are fine.
Some sections of the walks pass through fields, woodland and grass, so wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty or damp. Heeled, or open-toe shoes like sandals, flip-flops/thongs/jandals are not advised.
Pick up locations for this easy Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour
As with all of our other day tours, we offer a pick up and drop off in:
- Shakespeare’s Birthplace Coach Terminal Stratford-upon-Avon
- Moreton-in-Marsh train station
Visiting from Birmingham? Take the train to Stratford-upon-Avon and we’ll meet you there (not on Sundays).
Day trip from London, Reading, Oxford or Worcester? Easy! Take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh.
Plan a two-day itinerary – but be quick!
We run this tour on a few selected dates between May and September, when the weather conditions are generally better for walking. There are just 16 spots available per tour, so don’t wait – secure your place today!
If it’s your first time visiting the Cotswolds, or you have more than one day to explore the area, why not combine our Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour with a Cotswolds in a Day tour? Use this link to get 10% off when you book both torus together!
The two tours are completely different, with no overlap, so you’ll have a different experience on each day.
Ready to book your Go Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour? Click here!
Prefer a private tour or need group transport? Then check out our private tours and minibus hire options.
You can also visit Burford, Broadway, and some beautiful lesser-known villages without the hikes on our Secret Cotswolds tour. Don’t forget our Bath & Stonehenge tour, too!
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