Overview
The idyllic villages of the Cotswolds and wild seascapes of Wales’ spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast Path are on this spectacular journey. On the Cotswold Way, we’ll hike between honey-colored 17th century wool villages tucked among ancient forests and emerald-green meadows. After exploring Jane Austen’s beloved city of Bath, we hike right into Wales to reach romantic Tintern Abbey, then along the lush banks of the River Wye and the cliff paths of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Overnights are in historic manor houses, a Georgian townhouse, and traditional inns, and our culinary delights range from local Cotswold lamb to Welsh mussels straight from the sea.
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-2
Broadway / Cotswold Way
Meeting in the beautiful Cotswold village of Stratford on Avon, we hike the Cotswold Way through Chipping Campden, with its golden limestone buildings dating to the 16th century, and to the archaeological site of Belas Knap, a Neolithic chambered tomb. Our hotel is a historic coaching inn with a welcoming restaurant.
Days 3-4
Wotton-under-Edge / Painswick
We follow trails through magical English forests to a farm where rare Old Gloucester breeds of cows are raised, visit a prize-winning cheesemaker here, sample his Double Gloucester, then hike to the wool village of Wotton-under-Edge. Our hotel is in the hilltop village of Painswick, a center of the wool trade since the Middle Ages.
Day 5
Highgrove Gardens / Bath
We visit the colorful gardens at Highgrove, built in the late 18th century in Georgian neo-classical style, after which we’ll head to the World Heritage city of Bath. With its monumental Georgian architecture and original Roman baths, it’s easy to see why this city inspired Jane Austen.
Days 6-7
Wye Valley, Wales / Tintern Abbey
A hike across the Anglo-Welsh border brings us to the tranquil Wye Valley and then to magnificent Tintern Abbey, where a monk-historian leads us through the haunted halls. In Brecon Beacons, we’ll hike through heather-cloaked hills then explore the book-lover’s mecca of Hay-on-Wye.
Days 8-11
Laugharne / Pembrokeshire Coast Path
We’ll stop in at the poet Dylan Thomas’ home at Laugharne, then hike the dramatic Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, keeping watch for basking seals. Our final hike circles Carreg Cennen, one of Wales’ most spectacular castles, with a Farewell Dinner in the majestic Cardiff Castle itself. Depart from Cardiff on Day 11.
Hiking the Cotswold Way and Wales
Highlights
Highlights
Details
9 hiking days on moderate trails with some short steep sections 2-5 hours a day, van support
Download Brochure
Download a PDF of our Hiking the Cotswold Way and Wales Detailed Itinerary to learn more about our day-to-day itinerary, prices and dates, and more.
