Learn about the Cotswold Way National Trail: distance, landscape, and how to explore it safely.
Use this map to understand the shape of the Cotswold Way at a glance: where it climbs onto the escarpment, where it drops into villages and valleys, and how settlements are spaced for potential stage breaks. The route line and markers are intended for trip planning and orientation before you set out.
The Cotswold Way runs from the market town of Chipping Campden to the Roman city of Bath, following the western edge of the Cotswold Hills. It crosses rolling pastures, beech woodland, and honey-coloured villages built from Cotswold stone, much of it within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Along the route you pass ancient commons, Neolithic burial barrows, stately homes, and historic battle sites. The path on the escarpment gives wide views west towards the River Severn and the Malvern Hills.
The National Trail is well way-marked in both directions (Chipping Campden-Bath or Bath-Chipping Campden). Most of the route follows the escarpment, so expect regular steep climbs even if you are otherwise fit; a guidebook or map is still recommended. Clear views from the escarpment are often best on crisp winter days or in autumn and spring; late spring and early summer show the grasslands at their finest, with beech woods particularly strong in spring and autumn.
The trail is known for variety: pretty villages, the Bath World Heritage Site, Belas Knap long barrow, Sudeley Castle, Hailes Abbey, and many churches and historic houses. You can move from wildflower meadows to shaded woodland in a short distance, from a quiet village breakfast to a busy market town for lunch.
Wild camping is not legal on the Cotswold Way; use official campsites or other accommodation. There are bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, self-catering properties, campsites, and glamping options along or near the trail - many are listed on the National Trail site and interactive map. The Cotswold Way is managed and maintained by Cotswolds National Landscape with support from Cotswold Voluntary Wardens.
For route sections, circular and linear walks, events, news, and educational resources (including Young Cotswold Way Explorers), see the links on the Cotswold Way National Trail hub.