Day-by-day trail itinerary
Cotswold Way: 8-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.
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Compare Cotswold Way itineraries
A practical starting point
8 days from Chipping Campden to Bath
Use these daily distances and overnight stops as a starting point, then customise the trip in the planner.
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1
Day 1: Chipping Campden → Stanway
18.9 km · 399 m ascent · 5h20–7h32 (about 6h17, incl. ~1h03 of stops)
Via Weston-sub-Edge, Saintbury, Willersey, Broadway, Childswickham, Buckland, Laverton, Snowshill, Stanton -
2
Day 2: Stanway → Southam
20.7 km · 557 m ascent · 5h58–8h25 (about 7h01, incl. ~1h10 of stops)
Via Didbrook, Hailes, Greet, Winchcombe, Sudeley, Charlton Abbots, Langley, Bishop's Cleeve, Woodmancote, Cleeve Hill -
3
Day 3: Southam → Great Witcombe
26.1 km · 514 m ascent · 7h19–10h19 (about 8h36, incl. ~1h26 of stops)
Via Prestbury, Whittington, Charlton Kings, Coberley, Cowley, Leckhampton, Shurdington, Witcombe, Birdlip, Brimpsfield -
4
Day 4: Great Witcombe → Randwick
19.9 km · 527 m ascent · 5h49–8h13 (about 6h51, incl. ~1h08 of stops)
Via Brockworth, Upton St. Leonards, Cranham, Painswick, Slad, Edge, Pitchcombe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Whiteshill -
5
Day 5: Randwick → Stinchcombe
19.9 km · 538 m ascent · 5h52–8h17 (about 6h54, incl. ~1h09 of stops)
Via Rodborough, Stonehouse, Leonard Stanley, Kings Stanley, North Woodchester, Selsley, South Woodchester, Frocester, Nympsfield, Owlpen, Uley, Coaley, Dursley, Cam -
6
Day 6: Stinchcombe → Hawkesbury Upton
21.0 km · 488 m ascent · 6h–8h28 (about 7h04, incl. ~1h11 of stops)
Via North Nibley, Kingswood, Wotton-under-Edge, Ozleworth, Wortley, Alderley, Hillesley, Tresham -
7
Day 7: Hawkesbury Upton → Doynton
19.7 km · 288 m ascent · 5h17–7h28 (about 6h14, incl. ~1h02 of stops)
Via Horton, Little Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Dodington, Tormarton, Codrington, West Littleton, Hinton, Dyrham -
8
Day 8: Doynton → Bath
18.9 km · 357 m ascent · 5h17–7h28 (about 6h13, incl. ~1h02 of stops)
Via 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.