Trailstrider

Day-by-day trail itinerary

Cotswold Way: 6-day itinerary

Climbs onto Cleeve Common, the highest ground on the whole Cotswold Way at around 330m, with wide views over Cheltenham, then on to Leckhampton Hill and the Devil's Chimney rock pillar. Ancient beech woodland at Crickley Hill and Cranham breaks up the high, open walking before Cooper's Hill, better known for cheese-rolling than as a viewpoint. This is the most built-up stretch of the trail. The path skirts Cheltenham's edge through a run of villages rather than open countryside, before a last climb and drop into Painswick, the recognised midpoint and the best base for splitting a long day.

165 km3,668 m ascent6 walking daysEngland

A practical starting point

6 days from Chipping Campden to Bath

Use these daily distances and overnight stops as a starting point, then customise the trip in the planner.

  1. 1
    Day 1: Chipping Campden → Winchcombe

    28.9 km · 604 m ascent · 8h08–11h30 (about 9h35, incl. ~1h36 of stops)

    Via Weston-sub-Edge, Saintbury, Willersey, Broadway, Childswickham, Buckland, Laverton, Snowshill, Stanton, Stanway, Didbrook, Hailes, Greet
  2. 2
    Day 2: Winchcombe → Leckhampton

    25.8 km · 690 m ascent · 7h28–10h32 (about 8h47, incl. ~1h28 of stops)

    Via Sudeley, Charlton Abbots, Langley, Bishop's Cleeve, Woodmancote, Cleeve Hill, Southam, Prestbury, Whittington, Charlton Kings, Coberley, Cowley
  3. 3
    Day 3: Leckhampton → Randwick

    30.9 km · 703 m ascent · 8h50–12h28 (about 10h23, incl. ~1h44 of stops)

    Via Shurdington, Witcombe, Birdlip, Brimpsfield, Great Witcombe, Brockworth, Upton St. Leonards, Cranham, Painswick, Slad, Edge, Pitchcombe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Whiteshill
  4. 4
    Day 4: Randwick → North Nibley

    24.3 km · 616 m ascent · 7h07–10h02 (about 8h22, incl. ~1h23 of stops)

    Via Rodborough, Stonehouse, Leonard Stanley, Kings Stanley, North Woodchester, Selsley, South Woodchester, Frocester, Nympsfield, Owlpen, Uley, Coaley, Dursley, Cam, Stinchcombe
  5. 5
    Day 5: North Nibley → Dodington

    25.6 km · 530 m ascent · 7h10–10h07 (about 8h26, incl. ~1h25 of stops)

    Via Kingswood, Wotton-under-Edge, Ozleworth, Wortley, Alderley, Hillesley, Tresham, Hawkesbury Upton, Horton, Little Sodbury, Old Sodbury
  6. 6
    Day 6: Dodington → Bath

    29.6 km · 525 m ascent · 8h10–11h31 (about 9h36, incl. ~1h36 of stops)

    Via Tormarton, Codrington, West Littleton, Hinton, Dyrham, Doynton, Beach, North Stoke, Swineford, Upton Cheyney, Kelston, Newton Saint Loe

Solve the practical questions

Plan Cotswold Way with confidence

Route-specific answers from Trailstrider's researched trail data, with the planner ready when you want to turn them into your own trip.