The Cotswolds Hiking And Biking

The TIC stocks a variety of walking and cycling guides. The Cotswold Map and Guidebook in One (£5) is good for planning bike routes and short hikes. Hikers planning more than a short stroll should use the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map #45 (£7), which provides topographic information and highlights nearly all public footpaths. The Cotswolds Voluntary Warden Service (☎01451 862 000) leads free guided walks (1½-7½hr.),some with themes. All walks are listed on its website (www.cotswoldsaonb.com) and in the “Programme Guide” section of the biannual Cotswold LION (free at the TIC).

Long-distance hikers can choose from a handful of trails. The extensive Cotswold Way spans just over 100 mi. from Bath to Chipping Campden, has few steep climbs, and can be done in a week. The trail passes through pastures and the remains of ancient settlements. Pockmarks and gravel make certain sections unsuitable for biking or horseback riding. Consult the Cotswold Way National Trail Office (☎01453 827 004) for details. The Oxfordshire Way (65 mi.) runs between the popular hyphen havens Bourton-on-the-Water and Henley-on-Thames, site of the famed regatta. Amble through pastures on your way from Bourton-on-the-Water to Lower and Upper Slaughter along the Warden’s Way, a half-day hike. Adventurous souls can continue to Winchcombe. The Thames Path Walk starts on the western edge of the Cotswolds in Lechlade and follows the Thames 184 mi. to Kingston, near London. The section from the Cotswolds to Oxford is low-impact and particularly peaceful. The Severn Way runs for 210 mi. from Plynlimon in Wales to Bristol along the River Severn and runs along the western border of the Cotswolds. Contact the National Trails Office (☎01865 810 224) for details. Local roads are perfect for biking—rolling hills welcome both casual and hardy cyclers. Parts of the Oxfordshire Way are hospitable to cyclists, if slightly rut-riddled. TICs in all towns have a Cotswolds cycling route packet (£3) that outlines five different routes between villages. They also have free cycling guides detailing trails of 16-30 mi.