Cotswolds Way self guided walking holiday, England
Price includes bed and breakfast accommodation, en-suite or private bathroom, tea & coffee making facilities, daily luggage transfer, reassurance of 9am-9pm phone help line manned by Team with local knowledge, detailed itinerary, map and guide book
Description of Cotswolds Way self guided walking holiday, England
Price information
Departure information
This holiday can be booked from the 1st March to 31st October each year.
Travel guides
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Cotswolds Way self guided walking holiday, England
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 23 Jun 2019 by Barbara Zoltick
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
1) The helpfulness and kindness of the locals. People went out of their way to be helpful.
2) 10 days of rain and being wet for hours while walking.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring proven waterproof rain gear and make sure you tested that it is waterproof. We had what we thought was high quality rainwear and hiking boots that we sprayed with additional waterproofing, but were soaked every day. Resorted to wearing bin bags on top.
Be ready for very steep slopes up and down. We hike often and never used sticks, but I recommend them here.
May want to get back-up maps other than those supplied. The guidebook was not always helpful. Other travelers had better guides and maps. We got lost 3 times. Watch for the sign posts VERY carefully. We missed a few as were looking down in the rain to avoid slipping.
The operator's staff were very easy to contact and very helpful.
Don't be shy to ask the locals for help, they are happy to assist, but not all of them are aware of the Cotswold way trail and may send you down alternative paths which can be confusing..
Prepare to be up close and personal with livestock. You MUST like and be comfortable with dogs! They were all very well behaved though.
British may be used to it, but we were surprised that the walk went through family farms, back yards, fields being actively threshed and grazed. At first it made us a bit uncomfortable, but the farmers and townspeople were unbothered by our "intrusion" and very friendly.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not sure.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Would have been almost perfect if not for the constant rain. Obviously no ones fault. Locals told us it was very unusual for that time of year. Countryside and towns were beautiful even in the rain.
As Americans (English food has a bad reputation here) we were surprised how good the food was even in local pubs in tiny towns; unique varied and catered
to allergies and food intolerances.
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
We are a family run business and are committed to operating a Responsible Travel Policy. We aim to provide a quality and positive experience for our customers while contributing to and enhancing the local economy and respecting the environment. Whilst walking on the Cotswold Way you are taking part in a healthy activity and visiting the area while reducing road congestion. The local authority encourages people to visit the area on foot using public transport in line with their desire to encourage sustainable tourism.The Responsible Travel Code of Conduct which you receive with your information pack contains suggestions on how to be an ethical traveller by reducing water usage, recycling and properly disposing of litter, and reducing damage to the environment. During the booking process for your holiday we reduce paper usage by corresponding by email wherever possible and only printing correspondence which is legally binding. We recycle our ink cartridges and envelopes, and use low energy light bulbs. Paper which cannot be recycled is shredded and composted.
People
National Trust Properties on the route include Dyrham Park and Horton Court. The membership and entrance fees are used to restore and conserve our heritage, and provide employment for local people.The majority of the accommodations we use are locally owned and operated and use local produce for providing you with breakfast. Wherever possible we use accommodations that are registered with the Green Tourism Business Scheme. There are local shops, pubs and cafes along the Cotswold Way available for lunches and dinners. All these issues make a great difference to the economic welfare of the local community by providing employment.
Whilst on this holiday you will be walking at your own pace in your own group. We restrict group sizes on our self-guided walking holidays to a maximum of 12 to reduce impact on the community. We encourage you to use this walking holiday on the Cotswold Way as means to support your chosen charity by way of sponsorship.
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