# Cotswold Way - full summary > Independent planning guide for the Cotswold Way National Trail - 102 miles (164 km) from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire to Bath in Somerset. Most walkers take 7 to 10 days. The official route is divided into 15 sections that you combine to match fitness and overnight stops. This file is a compact extract for AI systems. Canonical pages on https://cotswoldway.org remain the source of truth. A shorter index is at https://cotswoldway.org/llms.txt. ## Key facts ### How long is the Cotswold Way? The Cotswold Way is 102 miles (164 km) long. It runs along the western edge of the Cotswold Hills from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire to Bath in Somerset. ### Where does the trail start and finish? The official start is in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, and the finish is in the city of Bath, Somerset. Both towns have good transport links and plenty of accommodation for the night before or after your walk. ### Which direction should I walk? You can walk either way - the Cotswold Way is waymarked in both directions. North to south from Chipping Campden to Bath is the usual guidebook order and finishes in a city with strong transport links. South to north can feel quieter in peak season, and morning light falls differently on the west-facing escarpment. Many guidebooks and apps favour one direction, so check before you buy - see our north to south vs south to north guide. For terminus logistics, use the Getting to Chipping Campden and Getting to Bath pages under The Way. ### How many days does the full walk take? Most people allow 7 to 10 days for the full route, depending on fitness, luggage transfers, and how much time you want in villages along the way. The trail is often broken into 15 stages if you prefer shorter daily distances. ### Is the route well waymarked? Yes. The Cotswold Way is a National Trail and is marked with the familiar acorn symbol. Even so, you should carry a paper map or guidebook and treat phone apps as a backup rather than your only navigation tool. ### How hard is the walking? The path follows the escarpment for much of its length, so expect regular climbs and descents even if you are otherwise fit. Surfaces vary from grassy tracks and woodland paths to stony lanes and short road sections. ### Can I wild camp along the trail? Wild camping is not permitted on the Cotswold Way. Use official campsites, B&Bs, inns, hotels, or self-catering accommodation along or near the route instead. ### What is the best time of year to walk? The trail can be walked year-round. Clear views from the escarpment are often best on crisp winter days or in autumn and spring. Late spring and early summer bring wildflower meadows, while beech woods are particularly good in spring and autumn. ### Do I need a guidebook or map? A guidebook or Ordnance Survey map is strongly recommended for day-by-day notes, alternative routes, and offline navigation. See our Maps and navigation page for recommended guidebooks, mapping tips, and app options. ### How do I find accommodation along the route? There are B&Bs, pubs with rooms, hotels, campsites, and self-catering options in villages and market towns along or near the trail. Browse accommodation by type or by town to plan overnight stops that match your daily mileage. ### Is there a Cotswold Way map I can download? Yes. You can download a full-trail GPX file and compare apps, paper maps, and guidebooks on our Maps and navigation page. Use the interactive map there as a route planner alongside the 15 official stages. ### Can I use a luggage transfer or sherpa service? Yes. Luggage transfer, sherpa, and baggage services move your bags between overnight stops so you walk with a daypack only. See our luggage transfer page for providers covering key stage ends. ### How do I get to the start in Chipping Campden? Chipping Campden has no station of its own. Most walkers take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh, then a taxi or bus into town. Full options for rail, road, and parking are on our getting to Chipping Campden guide. ## Official stages (north to south) ### 1. Chipping Campden to Broadway - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/chipping-campden-to-broadway - Distance: 9.4 km - Summary: Historic Campden to Broadway via Dover's Hill, escarpment views, and Broadway Tower. ### 2. Broadway to Wood Stanway - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/broadway-to-wood-stanway - Distance: 10.6 km - Summary: Broadway to Wood Stanway over high tracks, Stanton, and the Stanway Estate. ### 3. Wood Stanway to Winchcombe - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/wood-stanway-to-winchcombe - Distance: 8.7 km - Summary: A steep pull to the ridge, then Beckbury Camp, Hailes Abbey, and Winchcombe. ### 4. Winchcombe to Cleeve Hill - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/winchcombe-to-cleeve-hill - Distance: 10.2 km - Summary: Winchcombe via Sudeley and Belas Knap, then down and up again to Cleeve Hill. ### 5. Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/cleeve-hill-to-dowdeswell - Distance: 8.4 km - Summary: High-level walking from Cleeve Common to Dowdeswell via reserve, lanes, and woodland. ### 6. Dowdeswell to Leckhampton Hill - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/dowdeswell-to-leckhampton-hill - Distance: 8.7 km - Summary: Dowdeswell to Leckhampton through Lineover Wood, Seven Springs, and open common. ### 7. Leckhampton Hill to Birdlip - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/leckhampton-hill-to-birdlip - Distance: 8.2 km - Summary: Leckhampton to Birdlip via Crickley Hill viewpoints and Barrow Wake grassland. ### 8. Birdlip to Painswick - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/birdlip-to-painswick - Distance: 11.2 km - Summary: Birdlip to Painswick through beech woods, Cooper's Hill, and Painswick Beacon. ### 9. Painswick to King's Stanley - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/painswick-to-kings-stanley - Distance: 14.8 km - Summary: Painswick to King's Stanley via Edge Common, Haresfield Beacon, and Standish Woods. ### 10. King's Stanley to Dursley - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/kings-stanley-to-dursley - Distance: 11.5 km - Summary: From King's Stanley through Pen Wood and Coaley Peak to Dursley. ### 11. Dursley to Wotton-Under-Edge - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/dursley-to-wotton-under-edge - Distance: 8.4 km - Summary: Dursley to Wotton-under-Edge via Stinchcombe Hill, North Nibley, and Tyndale Monument. ### 12. Wotton-Under-Edge to Hawkesbury Upton - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/wotton-under-edge-to-hawkesbury-upton - Distance: 11.7 km - Summary: Wotton-under-Edge to Hawkesbury Upton via Newark Park, Alderley, and Lower Kilcott. ### 13. Hawkesbury Upton to Tormarton - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/hawkesbury-upton-to-tormarton - Distance: 11.8 km - Summary: Hawkesbury Upton to Tormarton via Horton Court, Horton Fort, and Dodington Park. ### 14. Tormarton to Cold Ashton - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/tormarton-to-cold-ashton - Distance: 10.8 km - Summary: Tormarton to Cold Ashton past Dyrham Park, Dyrham village, and Dyrham Woods. ### 15. Cold Ashton to Bath - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/stages/cold-ashton-to-bath - Distance: 16.3 km - Summary: Final stage into Bath via Lower Hamswell, Lansdown, racecourse, Weston, and the Abbey. ## Planning pages - [The Way](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way): Your starting point for the Cotswold Way - distance, landscape, interactive map, history, navigation, and practical tips to help you prepare for the full National Trail from Chipping Campden to Bath. - [Maps and navigation](https://cotswoldway.org/maps-and-navigation): Maps, apps, and guidebooks for the Cotswold Way - compare phone navigation, paper Ordnance Survey mapping, and trail guides so you stay on the National Trail from Chipping Campden to Bath. - [Apps](https://cotswoldway.org/maps-and-navigation/apps): Phone apps for the Cotswold Way - the dedicated trail app, AllTrails, Komoot, Gaia GPS, and a downloadable GPX route file for offline GPS navigation alongside your paper map. - [Accommodation](https://cotswoldway.org/staying): Plan overnight stops that fit your walking stages, transport, and budget - hotels, B&Bs, pubs with rooms, and campsites along the 102-mile route from Chipping Campden to Bath, with options grouped by town and trail section. - [Luggage transfer](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way/services/luggage-transfer): Move your bags between overnight stops and walk with only day essentials - luggage transfer services trusted by Cotswold Way walkers, with providers covering key stage ends along the route. - [How to train](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way/useful-info/how-to-train): How to train for the Cotswold Way - general fitness, breaking in footwear, daily activity, a short strength routine, and backpack walks so your body recovers well and carries the load comfortably on multi-day stages. - [What to pack](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way/useful-info/what-to-pack): What to pack for the Cotswold Way - footwear, waterproofs, daypack essentials, navigation backups, and optional kit for longer or wetter stages along the escarpment and through the valleys. - [Getting to Chipping Campden](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way/getting-to-chipping-campden): How to reach the northern Cotswold Way trailhead at Chipping Campden - trains, buses, taxis, driving, and parking near the Market Hall start on the High Street. - [Getting to Bath](https://cotswoldway.org/the-way/getting-to-bath): How to reach the southern Cotswold Way finish in Bath - rail and coach links to Bath Spa, walking to Bath Abbey, and practical tips for your arrival or departure day. - [News](https://cotswoldway.org/news): Latest notices, trail updates, and news from the Cotswold Way - diversions, waymarking, events, and seasonal conditions to check before you set out on your walk through the Cotswolds. ## Articles ### Cotswold Way: north to south or south to north? - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/cotswold-way-north-to-south-or-south-to-north - Date: 2026-09-19 - Should you walk the Cotswold Way north to south or south to north? Compare guidebook direction, escarpment views, Bath and Chipping Campden logistics, and tips that work either way. ### Choosing an app for the Cotswold Way - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/choosing-an-app-for-the-cotswold-way - Date: 2026-09-19 - How to choose a Cotswold Way navigation app - compare the Cotswold Way app, AllTrails, Komoot, Gaia GPS, and GPX, plus when a paper map still matters. ### Cotswold Way itinerary: 7 vs 10 days - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/cotswold-way-itinerary-7-vs-10-days - Date: 2026-09-18 - Compare a 7-day and 10-day Cotswold Way itinerary for the 102-mile National Trail from Chipping Campden to Bath - day-by-day stages, overnight hubs, and who each pace suits. ### 5 Must-See Sights on the Cotswold Way - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/5-must-see-sights-on-the-cotswold-way - Date: 2026-09-17 - Five must-see Cotswold Way sights from Broadway Tower to Bath Abbey - landmarks, history, and garden stops for walkers on the Cotswold Way National Trail. ### How to pick luggage transfer on the Cotswold Way - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/how-to-choose-cotswold-way-luggage-transfer - Date: 2026-09-15 - How Cotswold Way luggage transfer works, what it costs in 2026, and how to choose a company that matches your overnight stops, bag weight, and walking season. ### Interview: Building the tools you find missing - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/interview-building-the-tools-you-find-missing - Date: 2026-09-10 - Editorial interview with Ian Swallow of Cotswold Way Guide - how he and Emily built a planner for self-guided walkers. ### Historic Inns of the Cotswold Way - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/historic-inns-of-the-cotswold-way - Date: 2026-08-24 - Five historic inns on or beside the Cotswold Way - from Chipping Campden to Dursley - with walker notes, food character, and official website links. ### What is a National Trail? - URL: https://cotswoldway.org/articles/what-is-a-national-trail - Date: 2026-08-11 - How National Trails differ from ordinary footpaths, who looks after them, and why the Cotswold Way belongs in this network of long-distance routes.