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Oxford to Bath Walk

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10 Days from

0 Days from

USD 3,079

incl. Taxes

Walking & Trekking

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Walking & Trekking

Activity Levels :

2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate

Ages :

12+

Trip Code :

W09OX

Starting from the historical and culturally acclaimed city of Oxford, home to the oldest university in England wind your way through the southern Cotswolds to Bath, with its Roman baths and stunning Georgian architecture.

Visit some of Oxfords treasures from the Ashmolean to Bodleian Library before setting off along the Shakespeare Way to your first stop at Woodstock, home to Blenheim Palace. Follow the River Windrush into the heart of the Cotswolds to explore 'wool' towns before arriving in Cirencester (Corinium), the second largest town in Britain during Roman times. Enjoy a visit to the Bathurst Estate, created in the 1700s as a deer park by the first Earl Bathurst before following the disused Thames and Severn Canal through a landscape of gently rolling hills to arrive in Tetbury, and a chance to visit Highgrove Royal Gardens. Continue through the bucolic landscape to Castle Combe to admire the picturesque high street lined with former weavers' cottages that was used as the film set location for War Horse. The final stretch of your walk continues through countryside and along the canal to your final destination, Bath.

Highlights

Discover historical Oxford, Cirencester and Bath
Visit Blenheim Palace, Highgrove Gardens and the Bathurst Estate
Walk between some of the most scenic Cotswold villages in the southern Cotswolds, including Castle Combe, the film set location for War Horse
Gentle walks through wooded valleys and along canals and rivers

Key Information

9 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation
Full English Breakfasts
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Route directions and maps
Luggage transfers between hotels

Countries visited: United Kingdom

What's Included

9 Breakfasts
All accommodation
Route directions and maps
Luggage transfers

What's Not Included

Hotel upgrades
Transfers to and from hotels
Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
Visas & vaccinations

Terrain:

Walks on this holiday are on village streets, country lanes, farm tracks and rural paths.

Day 2

18 km / 11.2 miles

Day 3

18 km / 11.2 miles

Day 4

17 km / 10.6 miles

Day 5

21 km / 13 miles

Day 6

18 km / 11.2 miles

Day 7

22 km / 13.7 miles

Day 8

24 km / 14.9 miles

Day 9

27 km / 16.8 miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Arrive in Oxford. Spend time visiting one of the many historic buildings, colleges or museums.
Staying overnight at Oxford Coach & Horses or similar.

Today's walk follows the River Thames before joining the Oxford Canal and the Shakespeare Way to Woodstock. You'll have sweeping views back to Oxford across the flood plain meadows. You'll pass a derelict nunnery and the church at Bladon where Sir Winston Churchill is laid to rest, before ending up in the picturesque town of Woodstock where you can visit Blenheim Palace.
Stay overnight at The Kings Arms or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

A chance for another visit to Blenheim Palace before setting off through Capability Brown's wonderful landscaped grounds towards the village of Combe, set on a hill above the Evenlode Valley. Continue on through the lush green Oxfordshire countryside to the busy town of Witney, the largest market town in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, once famous for its blankets.
Stay overnight at Corncroft B&B or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today follow the River Windrush into the heart of the Cotswolds. The route passes Minster Lovell and your walk ends in the bustling medieval town of Burford, where the High Street sweeps downhill towards the River Windrush, its three arched medieval bridge and its impressive 'wool' church.
Stay overnight at The Highway Inn or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Your route today passes through the quiet hamlet of Holwell, through part of the River Leach valley and follows the Roman road into Gloucestershire to Hatherop. Follow a trail along the River Coln to Bibury, described by designer William Morris as 'the most beautiful village in England'.
Stay overnight at Cotteswold House B&B or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Head through the village of Barnsley, past Barnsley House where the garden was designed by its former resident, Rosemary Verey. Cross pasture and arable land to Ampney Crucis before heading to the Roman town of Cirencester. Visit the Abbey or stroll in the grounds of the nearby Bathurst Estate.
Stay overnight at The Prince of Wales or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

From Cirencester head through the grounds of the Royal Agriculture College to follow the disused Thames and Severn Canal. After walking through a landscape of gently rolling hills you'll reach the small town of Tetbury, with its independent specialist shops and the Prince of Wales's original 'Highgrove Shop'. Possibility of visiting Highgrove Royal Gardens - pre-booking is essential.
Stay overnight at Alma House or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Skirt the edge of the Highgrove Estate and follow the Monarch's Way through a typical Cotswold landscape and through the National Arboretum at Westonbirt. Walk through charming Cotswold villages and into Wiltshire to drop down into Castle Combe, with its pretty high street used as the film set location for War Horse and Stardust.
Stay overnight at Castle Inn or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Walk through wooded valleys to the old market town of Marshfield. From Batheaston follow the canal to Bath for a triumphant entrance to the city, finishing up at the steps of Bath Abbey.
Stay overnight at Apple Tree Guesthouse or similar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Depart after breakfast.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

United Kingdom

Travellers from the US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter the United Kingdom. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Vaccination

United Kingdom

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for polio, tetanus and rabies (bat lyssavirus). Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

Enjoy the local cuisine in quintessentially British pubs, cafes and delicatessens - local delicacies include Cerney Ash or Stinking Bishop cheeses, Crackleberry Farm eggs, Cotswold Cream liqueur and the local ales - try the Yubby beer from the Yubberton Brewery Co. There's also the archetypal English Cream Teas that go down a treat with a nice hot cup of tea!

Weather

The Cotswolds has a temperate maritime climate with warm, rather than hot, summers and cool to cold winters. The Cotswolds hottest month, on average, is July and the coldest is January with rainfall, on average, falling fairly evenly throughout the year. The weather is unpredictable as with the rest of the UK and it is possible to see elements of all four seasons in one day. It is advisable for visitors to check the weather forecast before they arrive in the Cotswolds to get a better idea of the sort of clothing they will need during their trip. Bringing hooded waterproof coats and hats will ensure visitors are prepared for any spells of wind and rain the region may experience.

Spring: The climate is milder in spring making it a good time to visit the Cotswolds. There can be some great sunny days mixed with cooler and wet weather. From March to May the average daytime temperatures are between 9°C and 17°C.

Summer: Most days in summer range from mild to warm with the possibility of some infrequent hotter days, the days are at their longest in the summer. There may be overcast and humid conditions in the summer. From June to August the average daytime temperatures are between 19°C and 22°C.

Autumn: The climate can vary from some pleasantly mild days particularly at the start of September to cooler and colder days in October and November. Autumn is a good time to visit the Cotswolds as it avoids the peak summer season whilst enjoying milder temperatures and longer hours of daylight particularly at the start of September. Visitors can see some wonderful autumn colours. From September to November the average daytime temperatures are between 9°C and 19°C.

Is this trip for you?

Walking Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Activity Level: 2 (Leisurely/Moderate)
Average daily distance: 20.7km
No. of days walking: 8
Terrain and route: Walks on this holiday are on village streets, country lanes, farm tracks and rural paths.
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to walk independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with route directions so that you can walk at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next.

It is important that you are happy following route directions, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The routes directions contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.