Bath to Cheltenham Walk

70.8 miles (114 km)

This walk follows the Cotswold Way from Bath to Cheltenham.
Covering around 100 miles, this classic National Trail traverses the length of the Cotswold escarpment, linking two of England's finest historic spa towns. Along the way the route passes through a succession of attractive limestone villages, beech woods, flower-rich grasslands and open hilltops, with frequent panoramic views across the Severn Vale towards the Malvern Hills, the Forest of Dean and the mountains of South Wales.
Highlights include the hilltop viewpoints at Lansdown, Dyrham, Wotton-under-Edge, Coaley Peak, Haresfield Beacon, Painswick Beacon, Crickley Hill and Leckhampton Hill.... The trail also passes close to the beautiful Slad Valley, associated with the writer Laurie Lee, and visits some of the Cotswolds' most picturesque villages, including Painswick and Winchcombe. Wildlife is abundant throughout the route, with ancient beech woodland, limestone grassland rich in orchids, butterflies and wildflowers, and a wealth of historic dry stone walls and traditional farmland.
The walk begins in Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage city renowned for its Roman Baths, Georgian architecture and the magnificent Royal Crescent. It finishes in Cheltenham, an elegant Regency spa town with tree-lined promenades, fine parks, independent shops and the acclaimed Cheltenham Racecourse, home of the Cheltenham Festival.