Gentle hills, pretty villages, dreamy landscapes... revel in Cotswolds charm on these delightful short walks, with Ben Lerwill
Ben Lerwill is an award-winning freelance writer based in the Cotswolds, where his walking boots rarely have time to rest.
There’s something about the Cotswolds that just begs you to lace up your hiking boots. The hills rise and fall with pleasing softness, the panoramas are deep and the footpaths are many.
In this region, a rolling view without a right of way is rare. All of which makes it a deeply rewarding place to walk, especially when you factor in the legions of attractive tearooms and inviting country pubs.
There are several multi-day options for lovers of long-distance trails – the 68-mile Oxfordshire Way, 65-mile Diamond Way, the beginning of the Thames Path National Trail and the iconic 102-mile Cotswold Way National Trail being just four – but here we’re focusing on some of the best short walks in the region. This is a year-round walking destination, and trail signage is usually pretty good, but regardless of your plans it’s always sensible to have full route directions and a map to hand before you set out.
For full route details and maps for all the following walks, go to our website countryfile.com.
1 Coopers Hill 3.7 miles/6km 2 hours | moderate/challenging The star attraction on this Gloucestershire loop-walk is Coopers Hill, a steep grassy slope midway along the route. The hill is best known for its spring bank holiday shenanigans, when thrillseekers hurtle down its banks in pursuit of a wheel of cheese (left). The eccentric custom brings yearly commotion to an otherwise peaceful swathe of wooded countryside.
2 Cleeve Hill 6 miles/9.7km 3–4 hours | moderate/strenuous This spread of blustery heathland is the highest point in the whole of the Cotswolds. Cleeve Hill tops out at an altitude of 330 metres, granting an extraordinary vantage point across Cheltenham, the Vale of Evesham and as far west as the Black Mountains. This six-mile circular makes good use of the Cotswold Way.
3Tyndale Monument 4.6 miles/7.3 km 3 hours | moderate A varied hike with hilltop views, woodland trails and a walk through a classic market town. Your goal on this out-and-back trail from Wottonunder-E
