Follow The Cotswold Way To Explore Beautiful Rural England

If you are really looking for a beautiful area, you should consider going to the Cotswolds, an area of rolling hills throughout Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. This part of rural England is known as the Heart of England and is where you can find many different towns and villages, characterized by quaint buildings and distinctive flair. In 1966 the government designated that this was an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in 2000, they upgraded the status to a national park.

The Cotswold Way is a beautiful, long-distance foot path which runs along the escarpment at the edge of the Cotswold Hills for a distance of 102 miles. The foot path is relatively new, although it was originally conceived in the 1950s. The Gloucestershire County Council launched the concept of a long-distance foot path in 1970, but it did not become a National Trail until as recently as 2007.

Every yard of the Cotswold way offers something of interest and a spectacular introduction to the beauty of the area. The trail begins in Chipping Camden and ends in the city of Bath, passing through and alongside such distinctive locations as the ruins of Hailes Abbey, the Devils Chimney, the unspoiled village of Painswick and the quintessential English town of Stroud.

One of the best ways to see the Cotswold Way is to choose one of the Cotswold walking holidays available in the region. At the introductory end, these range from 5 to 7 nights in duration typically and the organisers look after all the necessary details in order to allow you to really enjoy your visit to the area. Usually your overnight accommodations and breakfast are included in two distinct locations. You needn't worry about your luggage and trappings either, as baggage transfers are catered for.

Walking holidays are organised by people with an intricate knowledge of the area. Don't worry if you've never taken part in one of these adventures before, as they are not designed to wear you out. Rather, they are designed to give you a great impression of the region, an appreciation for the beauty of the Cotswolds and a healthy "get away from it all."

You might like to complete the entire length of the Cotswold Way, just over 100 miles and can set up a walking holiday to take this all in. In these cases you would walk somewhere between six and 11 miles on average every day and would be able to take in the entire route during a fortnight's holiday. For those who are looking for a different kind of holiday for a change, one which does not involve lazing around on the beach or next to a pool, this is really one of the best solutions available.

You never know, you might be so smitten by the beauty of the area and the topography of the Cotswold Way that you might choose to move up. Broaden your horizons and turbocharge your walking adventure by taking part in one of the several marathon running events that also cover the length of the foot path from time to time!


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