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The Cotswolds (England) walking tour. 2008: Saturday July 19th - Sat 26th.
This tour is a real gem! Now only 3 Spaces available. Typical Cotswold cottage garden
View from Painswick Beacon - above the Inn
A week of varied walking in the enchanting Cotswolds - based in a classical 16th century Coaching Inn, in the beautiful village of Painswick (known as "The Queen of The Cotswolds"), situated between Stroud and Regency Cheltenham. The Inn is in the centre of the village, directly opposite the village church - with its 'cannon dented' tower from the 17th century English civil war and its famous 99 Yew trees in the surrounding churchyard. All the rooms are well appointed and comfortable with en suite facilities.
Now under new management, the whole Inn is slowly undergoing extensive refurbishment and up-grading. Over the past two years, our guests have particularly reported that the food is really quite excellent too! The old chef will still be there in 2008... and with an eclectic and international staff (all retained by the new owners), they could not be more charming or helpful.
July is always a wonderful time of the year in England. In mid July, the wild flowers are at their vibrant best and the fields and hedgerows are abundantly adorned with colour and all the pretty Cotswolds honey-coloured cottages are smothered in climbing roses and honeysuckle. And hopefully, all under blue skies - in warm sunshine! Everyone has heard of Britain’s Cotswolds, but not everyone has seen the other side of the proverbial coin. Obviously, within the Cotswold region, (Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire), there are well known gems that should not be missed, but there are also places that have remained hidden to all but the locals and those visitors who seek out the rather less touristy places. We have done that…
Over the years, we have visited this beautiful region many times and have discovered that although it is a very popular tourist destination, it is still possible to take beautiful scenic and historic walks where you don’t often meet other walkers. There seems to be parts of The Cotswolds that many tourists like to visit - the classic pretty villages and towns, etc - and in so doing, they often miss the other more secretive side - where we will also take you. So although we’ll include a few visits to some of the “honey pots” that you will have heard about, this will predominently be a walking tour that visits the less well known areas of this wonderfully diverse region. We will walk the high wolds, along ancient ridgeways, through wooded coombs, along shady dis-used canals and past quiet quintessential Cotswolds villages. It’s actually the beautiful honey-coloured oolitic limestone that makes this region so very distinctive - and practically everything is made from it - not just the houses and larger buildings, but also the field walls and churches too. If appropriate, we’ll also visit some famous gardens, historical castles and ancient Roman villas/towns.
Typical Cotswold cottage One day, we may pass Prince Charles' country house on our way to the nearby "Westonbirt Arboretum" - England’s finest collection of mature trees (600 acres) from all over the world. The National Acer (Maple) collection is based here. This is merely an option - you may prefer to just keep walking and exploring - we are always flexible!
Although it's difficult to predict the British climate very accurately, temperatures at this time of the year are often in the region of 19-28C (66-86F). Walk with Martin and two of his best friends, John and Carole Sidgwick. Please email us for a detailed illustrated itinerary and a booking form: adventureline@btinternet.com
Ground costs in 2008 are £850 - with no single room supplement. Including 3 course dinner, bed and breakfast, transport, all guidance - and the famous and always well enjoyed Adventureline picnic lunches! There are still a few spots remaining...
Hope to see you there! Martin, John and Carole. |