The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, Southwest England
2013 dates: July 7th - 14th. 8 days, 7 nights
This tour is a 'must do' and is a quintessential English gem! A week of hugely varied walking in the enchanting Cotswolds - based in Egypt Mill, a beautiful converted 16th century corn mill in the charming small town of Nailsworth near Stroud, not far from Regency Cheltenham.
July is always a wonderful time of the year in England; the wild flowers are at their vibrant best and the fields and hedgerows are abundantly adorned with lush growth and colour; all the pretty Cotswolds honey-coloured cottages are smothered in climbing roses and honeysuckle and hopefully, all under clear blue skies in bright warm sunshine!
Within the Cotswold region, (Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire), there are well known gems that should not be missed; there are also places that have remained hidden to all but the locals and visitors who them seek out.
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. You will also find much present day charm; we'll include a few visits to some of the “honey pots” that you will have heard about. Our tour will predominantly 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.
We’ll also visit some famous gardens, historical castles and ancient Roman villas/towns. 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!
Your hotel, Egypt Mill, is a thoughtfully restored 16th century corn mill full of rustic character and offers a stylish restaurant with quirky objects d'art and a good menu using fresh food and local produce. The Mill is unique in the area with fully working water wheels; a lovely seated area next to the mill pool is the perfect place to sit with an aperitif and memories of a wonderful day walking and talking with like minded people.
Although it is 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 Laine and two of their best friends, John and Carole Sidgwick...hope to see you there!
2013 costs: £1,125 fully inclusive. Single room supplement £182.50.
Includes: room, all meals (picnic lunches whilst walking), transport and full guidance.
Please contact us for a detailed illustrated itinerary.
