Читать книгу The Cotswold Way. NATIONAL TRAIL Two-way trail guide - Chipping Campden to Bath онлайн

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The Cotswold Way ended for me as memorably as it had begun. And in between? Well, in between there had been colour, history, romance, peace – an ever-evolving experience through a constantly changing series of landscapes. A walk, it was, of considerable beauty. What more could anyone ask?

May your experience of the Cotswold Way be as rich and memorable as each of mine has been.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Choosing an itinerary

The Cotswold Way skirts the drystone wall surrounding Dyrham Park (Stage 12, Southbound; Stage 2, Northbound)

For the purpose of this guide, the Cotswold Way has been divided into 13 separate stages dictated by the availability of overnight accommodation. Alternatively, you could devise your own itinerary by using the Trek Planner provided, which indicates where else it is possible to break your journey along the route.

The longest stage described here is 10 miles (16km), the shortest 6 miles (9.5km). How many days you take to walk the full 102 miles (163km) is naturally down to personal preference and ability but by combing some of these stages, the Cotswold Way could be walked in as little as five days for those who only have a week, rather than a fortnight, to devote to it. To do this, however, you have to be prepared to average a little over 20 miles (32km) a day, and this is most definitely a route best walked at a leisurely pace.