Taste of the Cotswolds Independent (self-guided) walking holiday Taster Break – Short Break Staying in One Place
“As first timers to the area we could not have been happier with your planning and communication. We have booked with other companies in different parts of the world but we would have to say your company has been outstanding in all areas.� Adele
Welcome & trail story by Alison Howell We are thrilled to introduce to you our Taste of the Cotswolds walking trip. Over four days, take an enjoyable adventure into this stunning area of the Cotswolds. The ancient spiritual heart lies deep in the ‘wolds’, based near the market town of Cirencester, the second largest town in Britain during Roman times. We have strong family connections to the area. My family farm here and David (my husband) grew up here too, so we know the Cotswolds inside out. We’ve created a spectacular and varied trail using this local knowledge. You will therefore be right in the heart of the ancient wool trade. Pretty stone cottages, grand medieval churches and rolling pastoral landscapes. We love the Cotswolds and we can’t wait to help you walk here and enjoy it too. The trail can be enjoyed as a 3 or 4 night stay. Warm regards Alison Howell Founder & Director
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About Taste of The Cotswolds This taster break is where you stay in one place - each day enjoy a different and varied walking trail and return to your host inn at the end of the day. The trail is great for a short relaxing break or those new to walking & hiking on multiple days. This style of walking enables you to explore this area of the Cotswolds deeply and then unwind and relax back at your personally chosen country inn. Take in the 2nd century Roman villa and be amazed by some of England’s best examples of mosaic floors. Explore the parish church in the market town of Cirencester, and its array of independent shops and walk through peaceful river valleys and wonderful Cotswolds stone villages. Taste of the Cotswolds may leave you wanting more! Read on for a pick of the highlights.
Contents Our pick of the highlights
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Where & getting here
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Suggested daily itinerary
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Where you stay
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Trail details & prices
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Booking your trail
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Our pick of the highlights * Enjoy the tapestry of the Cotswolds landscapes; tranquil, breathtaking and centuries old. * Take a stroll around Cirencester, a lovely example of a rural English town.
* Walk with the Romans and explore one of England's best loved villas. This 2,000 year old legacy is a wonderful example of the ingenuity, creativity and presence bestowed to us by the Romans during the peak of the Empire. * Sample West Country hospitality at its best, with locally sourced food served with a smile. * Take a peek at English history as you walk past gorgeous mill houses and grand estates.
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Where & getting here The Cotswolds is an area of outstanding natural beauty in the South West of England. Not a county itself, it sits mostly in Gloucestershire and extends to Oxfordshire on the east and Bath in the south. How to get here? The trail begins just to the North East of Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The nearest train station for arrivals is at Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire. Travel is approximately 100 minutes from London Waterloo. The journey time by car, about 2 hours from London. The suggested international airport is London Heathrow which offers an easy transfer to London Paddington, and around two hours to the start of the trail. There is also a regional airport at Birmingham. Airport cars often make the most convenient transfer and we can arrange this for you.
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Suggested daily itinerary... We have created this suggested itinerary as an outline for the optimum Taste of The Cotswolds. You will find the mileages & prices for this itinerary in the ‘Trail details & prices’. Custom Itinerary Service If the suggested itinerary; lengths of stay, arrival day, daily mileages are not right for your plans, we can customise an itinerary to you. You can choose your preferred dates - start on any day of the week - stay for how long you wish - include rest days - change the daily walk distances. Day 1 - Arrive and Relax Arrive The Cotswolds and your Foot Trails adventure! Take a little time to settle in and for those that wish take today's short introductory trail to get to know the local area. Day 2 - The Romans (Drop off service included) An historic hike that will connect you with the Romans and enable you to tread in their footsteps. Explore one of the county's best loved Roman villas, Chedworth, built over 2000 years ago as a place of Roman wealth, luxury and comfort. Your trail also includes little Cotswolds stone villages, tumbling streams, cottage gardens, this is what the Cotswolds is all about!
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Day 3 - Classically Cotswolds (Transport to and from the trail can be included or use your own car) The Slaughters are classic & quintessential Cotswolds, the sight of the river Eye crossed by many stone bridges, the stone cottages perched on its banks, is very evocative. Your trail winds and meanders, following a tributary of the river Windrush. The sound of the water in the river, running through the village and a medieval dovecote are lovely sights. Fabulous views, following back to the start. Day 4 - Depart at your leisure At the end of your Foot Trail it's time for your onward travel, full of memories and tales of your adventures. Walks / hikes lengths? Our approach to walking is very much about enjoyment, something achieved but not too much that you are not excited to do it again! When we put together the trails we plan them with a day out in mind, so 2 to 3 hours walking in the morning, a nice place to pause for lunch such as a pub or cafe. Then a couple of hours walk in the afternoon. The trail mileages (kms) are summarised in the ‘Trail Details’ and range from your 7.5 to 10 miles a day. On some days there are options to shorten / lengthen trails.
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Where you stay personally chosen Where you stay is a key part of your Foot Trail & experience. One of the reasons guests choose Foot Trails is for our choice and quality of accommodation. The country inns and country pubs where you stay are small, personal and friendly with excellent hospitality. Each one is in an English village with comfortable bedrooms and delicious local food and drinks to enjoy with dinner after your walk. Alison, Foot Trails founder, chooses each inn personally. Centuries old, each building provides a relaxing and authentic setting in which you can kick off your boots and eat dinner at the end of an inspiring day on the trail. On your Taste of the Cotswolds tour you will be treated to a 17th century, honey coloured stone, ivy clad country coaching inn. Here you'll find individually styled bedrooms, delicious food and heavenly gardens. You will receive full details and website addresses of our suggested accommodation with your itinerary when we confirm availability of your trip.
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Trail details & prices Details for the sample itinerary Best start day: Daily miles: Grade: Arrival train station:
Monday, staying for 3 nights 2 - 10 (or 7.5) - 9 – depart Easy to moderate, walking with some ascents & descents Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire
May & September: June to August: April & October: Winter:
Standard - £385 p/p // Superior - £440 p/person Standard - £335 p/p // Superior - £385 p/person Standard - £335 p/p // Superior - £385 p/person Standard - £285 p/p // Superior - £330 p/person
Weekend supp: Transport Day 3:
+£50 p/person +£50 p/person
Prices are based on 2 persons sharing a bedroom. Solo's welcome (solo supplements apply). 4 night stays start from £385 per person. Group discounts (4+) and returning guests thank you discounts offered. Customise your itinerary If the itinerary featured, lengths of stay, arrival day, daily mileages are not right for your plans, we can customise an itinerary to you. You can choose your preferred dates - start on any day of the week - stay for how long you wish - include rest days - change the daily walk distances. Prices for custom itineraries are quoted per trip and will vary from the prices quoted above.
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What is included? * Our services in arranging your itinerary * Our guest support in preparing for your trip, and on call support during your trip * Accommodation for 3 nights, double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms * Country breakfast to set you up each day * 2 days of independent walking with a tailored itinerary to suit you and the season * Transport drop off services if required for your itinerary * A comprehensive Walk and Explore box, posted to your home address Including: * Local maps with your trails clearly marked (on our fully waterproof paper) * Innovative trail cards, one for each day, with clear easy to follow directions in word (on waterproof paper) * Trail cards also include local histories and stories to enjoy and read as you explore * Suggested departure times so that you don't miss lunch, recommended lunchtime stops at hand picked country pubs or cafes (lunch not included) * Foot Trail’s famous fortifying sweets, nature guide, guest booklet, local information and more
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Booking your trail If you would like help choosing the best trail for you then call us on +44 (0) 1747 820626 or email us at Enquire@FootTrails.co.uk. We plan, write and create all our own walking trails and are here to offer you our expert advice. If the trails featured, arrival days or lengths of stay are not right for you, you can choose your preferred dates and start on any day of the week. We will create a custom itinerary for you based on your preferences. Prices for custom trips are quoted per trip and vary from the prices quoted in the brochure. You can make your booking by calling us on +44 (0) 1747 820626 or if you prefer you can email us at Enquire@FootTrails.co.uk. We will ask you a few details to enable us to make a reservation for you. We will then be able to confirm the availability of your trail. Due to the crafted nature of our trails there may be a day or two's wait while we contact our inns and hosts. We will email you with confirmation of your itinerary, accommodations and details for your deposit. Payment of your deposit will confirm your booking. Balances are due 8 weeks before arrival. We accept bank transfers, all major credit cards and PayPal.
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Words from our guests “We've used Foot Trails 4 times now and would book with them again. Foot Trails is a company where you can just pick your destination and that's all you have to do. They have a standard and they stick to it.” Fleur, UK “Thank you so much for organising a carefully planned program. We have booked with other companies in different parts of the world but we would have to say your company has been outstanding in all areas.” Adele, Australia “The more we talk about your company to our friends, the more we realize what a unique and special service you provide. We are already talking about our next holiday with you.” Bob and Linda
You can read more reviews from our guests on our tripadvisor page – www.tripadvisor.com/foottrailsUK
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Why a Foot Trail? A Foot Trail avoids the formulaic nature, crowds and predictability of mass tourism and focuses instead purely on the quality of your experience. Take a Foot Trail and you will explore deep beneath the surface. You will walk and hike in real and authentic places. Enjoy real, not manufactured tourism moments. Shared conversations with a local person, the stillness of time spent in beautiful landscapes and the joy of encountering stories and moments from England's past. Three words describe a Foot Trail perfectly.
Simple - Crafted – Authentic The press say: "One of the 7 Adventure Vacations you need to take in your lifetime." JetSetter.com, 2019 Foot Trails are one of England's best loved regional walking travel companies. We work within our local community, crafting walking experiences from scratch, aiming for a positive outcome for us all.
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Bookings & Contacts Call +44 (0) 1747 820 626 with your chosen date, we will then confirm your place for you upon which a £125 per person deposit will be payable. Full balances due 8 weeks before arrival. Bank transfers, PayPal & all major credit & debit cards accepted. +44 (0) 1747 820 626 (landline) Enquire@FootTrails.co.uk
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