Cotswold Way – Three Points of the Compass

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day eleven. Cold Ashton to Bath

Our final day- a walk through pastoral England, wide views, ancient battlefields and a racecourse ahead, before a final descent into an historic city, with it's Roman Baths and the architectural splendour of the Abbey.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day ten. Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton (Pennsylvania)

Easier walking today with few hills. Crossing busy roads, a deer park, ancient strip lynchets and passing a hill fort where English history was redrawn by the establishment of new political and cultural boundaries.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day nine. Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury

Today took us first to one of the oldest houses in England, then on to the ramparts and ditches of the most impressive of hill forts on the Cotswold Way. Later, we would pass through parkland landscaped by Capability Brown in the mid-eighteenth century

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day eight. Dursley to Wotton-under-Edge

We continue to follow the western edge of the Cotswold escarpment, with expansive views over the River Severn and Forest of Dean. Another hill fort to visit, and a monument to the man who translated the Bible in to English

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day seven. King’s Stanley to Dursley

Further climbing today, crossing hills separated from the main escarpment. A neolithic long barrow and ancient hill fort awaited us, but would we have the energy for the off-trail diversions these would require?

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day six. Painswick to King’s Stanley

A day of farmland meadows, ancient woodlands, lonely villages and views

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day five. Birdlip to Painswick

We continue along the Cotswold escarpment, taking in woodlands, hill forts and views, passing a Roman villa and the place that people throw themselves off in pursuit of a round of Double Gloucester Cheese.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day four. Dowdeswell to Birdlip

Today we have the steady climb to one of the most important hill forts in the country. But there are a few dips and ascents to contend with first.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day three. Winchcombe to Dowdeswell

Our walk to Bath continues- today brings us a neolithic burial site, a dramatic hill fort, a butterfly reserve and the highest point on the Cotswold Way.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day two. Stanton to Winchcombe

Our second day on trail and another climb in front. Today we have a hill fort, ruined abbey and a fruit farm to visit.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Cotswold Way- day one. Chipping Campden to Stanton

Mr and Mrs Three Points of the Compass set out for our annual saunter along a longer trail, enjoying comfortable accommodation and good food on the 102 mile long Cotswold Way.

books

A hiker’s library: Aurum Recreational Path Guides

'Recreational Paths' are a class of trail in the UK that have historically received scant attention from the larger publishers of guidebooks. Three Points of the Compass looks at one series of books that addressed this, if only in part.