Cotswolds National Landscape is a very popular walking area
Along with numerous self guided and guided walks that take place throughout the year, there are also some wonderful Walking Festivals that take place across the Cotswolds, Winchcombe Cotswolds Walking Festival (May); Wotton Walking Festival (June); Bathscape Walking Festival (September); Stonehouse Walking Festival (September); Dursley Walking Festival (October).
Walkers are Welcome towns and villages
Walkers are Welcome was a nationwide initiative launched in 2007 to be ‘welcoming to walkers’. The initiative enabled the development of over 100 accredited Towns and Villages members to assist with their communities’ economic, physical, health and mental well-being through walking.
Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon near Bath was the first Walkers are Welcome town in Wiltshire.
This was made possible by the support and funding of Bradford on Avon Town Council, Wiltshire and Swindon Ramblers and the Bradford on Avon Area Board (Wiltshire Council), in conjunction with Bradford on Avon Chamber of Commerce, Bradford on Avon Information Centre and Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon.
Set in the beautiful Bristol Avon Valley and on the edge of the Cotswold AONB, the historic town of Bradford on Avon is the perfect place for a walking holiday, with walks to suit all ages and abilities.
The MacMillan Way and the Kennet and Avon Canal pass right through the town.
Bradford on Avon is very well served by train and bus links, including Bath, Bristol and London.
Find out more about Bradford on Avon
Charlbury
This vibrant yet attractive Oxfordshire town has the benefit of being on the main rail line to Oxford and London. It’s an ideal starting place to explore the Evenlode Valley on foot or on two wheels. There is welcoming accommodation and a good choice of pubs and cafes.
Corsham
The historic town of Corsham in Wiltshire has achieved “Walkers are Welcome” status and held their first ever walking festival on Saturday 28 June 2014. Walkers came from as far as London and Malvern as well as nearby, while others had just moved into the area and were keen to explore it.
The organisers would like to thank the wonderful staff from the Tourist Information Centre in Corsham for all their help and hospitality; the staff at the Town Hall for their invaluable help, plus the pubs and cafes who looked after the walkers so well, and to BCH Camping for their display of walking equipment in the precinct and Tourist Information Centre. Another two-day festival will take place next year, keep an eye on their website for further details.
Dursley
Positioned on the Cotswold Way, Dursley has been welcoming walkers for a long time. However, since being accredited as a Walkers are Welcome town in September 2013, the community has been working hard to welcome all types of walkers, not just end-to-enders. There are now regular walking festivals, they offer a free guide service for walking groups and can advise on walks of all lengths and difficulty. From Dursley you can explore Stinchcombe Hill, Cam Long Down and Cam Peak, with wonderful views across the Severn Vale to the Forest of Dean and Malvern Hills.
Dursley runs a 5 day walking festival every October, you can find out more about the festival on the Dursley Welcomes Walkers website.
Winchcombe
You can base yourself in Winchcombe to walk a variety of long distance routes such as the Cotswold Way, Winchcombe Way, Wardens Way, and Windrush Way. The circular Gloucestershire Way also passes through finishing at Tewkesbury.
Winchcombe runs a 5 day walking festival every May, you can find out more about the festival on the Winchcombe Welcombs Walkers website.
Find out more about Winchcombe