Winchcombe to Bourton
Thirteen miles of rolling countryside, stone villages and the River Windrush threading through the landscape.
A day on the trail through the Cotswolds.
Set out from Winchcombe and follow the countryside towards Bourton-on-the-Water, moving between open fields, quiet lanes and honey-stone villages along the way. The landscape keeps changing as you walk, with autumn bringing colour to the hedgerows and the River Windrush appearing and disappearing through the valley.
Thirteen miles of classic Cotswold scenery.
The Windrush Way takes you through some of the countryside the Cotswolds does best, rolling farmland, old villages and long stretches where the only company is the landscape around you. It is a route to take slowly, allowing time for the scenery to change rather than treating the miles as something to get through.
Come back by a different path.
For a longer day, the Wardens Way creates a loop that brings you back through new countryside rather than retracing your steps. Pack a lunch and settle into the rhythm of it; there are few distractions along the way, which is rather the point.
Thirteen miles rewards good preparation.
This is a full day's walk, so proper boots and an early start are worth it. The reward comes in the small changes along the route, golden fields giving way to woodland, stone villages appearing between the hills, and the river guiding you through the landscape.
