Countryside Walks in The Cotswolds

There are lots of walks and walking routes to enjoy in Gloucestershire parts of The Cotswolds. The Cotswolds are mostly made up of hills so there are lots so opportunities for hilly routes in the area. However, there are also some options for flat routes too.

There are many dog friendly pubs in Gloucestershire, many of which are starting points for circular walks. I’ve been enjoying the countryside of the area for over 40 years and really enjoy the scenery.

Walks in the Cotswolds

These are some of my favourite places, that I have enjoyed walks. This includes some popular places for hiking in the Cotswolds, which are not so well known.

The Cotswold Way Long Distance Hiking Trail

The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile long distance hiking trail. The route runs along the escarpment of the Cotswold Hills. It is a popular route for long hikes through the area, or enjoy a section of the route for day-long walks. The route runs from Bath in North East Somerset to Chipping Campden. You can also do the route in reverse, depending where you wish to start and finish.

There are many beautiful villages, towns and sights on the route. These include Wotton-under-Edge, Dursley, Stroud, Painswick, Cranham, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Winchcombe, Stanway and Broadway. Some of the popular places to visit in the Cotwolds that are on the route include Sudley Castle, Cleeve Hill, Hailes Abbey, and Broadway Tower.

National Trails have an excellent resource about the long distance hiking trail. When hiking the trail, there are many options for dog friendly pubs in the Cotswolds which are ideal for breaks on the route.

Rodborough Common

Rodborough has a big common with lots of options for routes and splendid views. The common is in fact 250 acres in size, thus is great for some alone time. Cattle roam free on the common, which can be intimidating to some or fascinating to others.

The common is also home to Rodborough Fort, a rather pleasant building that unfortunately you cannot visit. There are a few pubs nearby in the village, including The Prince Albert, which is a brilliant spot to start a circular walk.

For those who like a longer hike, you can head into the valley and meet the Thames & Severn Canal after hiking across the Common. This then can lead to Stroud or towards Cirencester. This map is a handy circular walk to take in most of the common.

Thames & Severn Canal & River Frome

For something different, the Thames & Severn Canal is a fantastic route with a footpath. The route has many opportunities to see some wildlife, including kingfishers in the River Frome. and has a lovely viaduct on the route. This is part of a longer trail, The Severn & Thames Way.

In Stroud is a junction of two canals, The Thames & Severn Canal and The Stroud Water Navigation. These are a great option for walking along in both directions, one towards Cirencester and the other towards The River Severn.

There is the usual canal-side scenery of bridges, locks and viaducts to see. Also, these canals are a hive of activity for wildlife, including some interesting options for birdwatching. The Cotswolds Canals website provides additional information about this route.

Haresfield Randwick Woods & Standish Woods

My favourite hiking area for views are Haresfield Beacon and Randwick Woods. Both share a car park run by The National Trust. The views from the beacon include the nearby hills, the Severn Estuary and the Severn Bridge.

Haresfield Beacon is a great place for a standalone walk. It is best to visit both view points to enjoy its beauty. However, for me, Standish Woods is a great downhill route through the woods, then onwards into Stroud. You can reach both on public transport on the 66 bus route between Stroud and Gloucester.

It is a few hours’ walk to the nearest refreshment stop here, so carry enough water and food. Haresfield beacon is also popular with walkers and Standish Woods with off-road cyclists. There are lots of circular routes on Komoot. These are of a variety of lengths and difficulties. I’ve often spotted wildlife here, including rabbits and birds of prey hunting.

Next to the beacon are Randwick and Standish woods. These are a great place to either hike or enjoy some off-road cycling. This is actually on the Cotswold Way, a long distance waling route. You can find many options on the AllTrails website, including circular walks.

Stinchcombe Hill

Near to Dursley is Stinchcombe Hill, a lovely place for a walk. The hike is best started at Leaf And Ground garden centre, then follow the trails up. There are lots of marked routes and good footpaths to follow. The hill has some fantastic views of the Severn Estuary.

The hill is home to many species of wildlife and fauna. Stinchcombe hill also has three sites of special scientific interest too. At the end point, if doing a circular walk, there is a lovely lake to rest by or you could get refreshments from the garden centre. Komoot has many options for hiking here and also some mountain bike routes. You can find various walking routes in this part of Gloucestershire on the Komoot website.

Haresfield to Painswick

Another fantastic walk to do without a car is to walk from Haresfield towards Painswick. The walk passes through some woodland then onto some open countryside. A highlight of the first section is passing through Rudge Hill, a national nature reserve. From the nature reserve, the route takes you past the Edgemoor pub. The pub is lovely and their garden has some splendid views of Painswick.

After leaving the pub you take a lane, then off-road again into a pretty valley with a stream and some fantastic views. After a small climb up the hill, you reach the town of Painswick with its choice of pleasant pubs for hikers. You can see a map of the route on my Komoot profile.

Tyndale Monument in North Nibley

The Tyndale Monument is a tower built on a hill at North Nibley and is a fantastic place with good views. The hill in North Nibley has some fantastic views including seeing the river Severn from above. There is a topograph on the hill which helps you to spot other places of interest from the viewpoint. Hiking on the hill is great, however it is quite steep. BBC Countryfile has a great route for visitors to follow on their website.

Woodchester

The area near the gothic Woodchester Mansion, Woodchester Park, is great for walks, including in the woods. You can incorporate the mansion into longer routes in the area, including from Dursley to Stroud. You can find many options for walking routes in this part of the Cotswolds on the Komoot website.

Minchinhampton

Four miles from Stroud is the ancient market town of Minchinhampton, a very picturesque place. The village is on a hill with splendid views of the local area and the Severn Estuary. The area is fantastic for walking including on the popular Minchinhampton common.

Minchinhampton Common is an 182.7-hectare biological and a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, thus a great place to have a walk. The site is owned and managed by The National Trust, including the carparks. In fact, Minchinhampton common is one of the largest grassland commons in the Cotswold area. At Minchinhampton common, there is a great pub and restaurant, The Old Lodge, a great place for refreshments.

The common has many cows grazing throughout the year and other wildlife that you may spot while exploring the area. There are lots of options for hiking in Minchinhampton, some of the most popular include. Minchinhampton has some great independent shops and some great pubs for drink or dining out.

Broadway Village & Tower Circular Route

A nice place to enjoy a walk is to Broadway Tower, an epic place in the hills. Broadway Tower is an 18th-century folly in the hills above the village of Broadway. It is a Grade II listed building that they built with limestone ashlar. Broadway tower is three storeys high, with three round corner turrets and battlements. You can pay to visit the tower.

The Park and the tower is in is beautiful and has lots of options for walks. There are public rights of way and other areas only available for ticket holders in the deer park. You can also do a circular route that includes the tower and the picturesque village. This takes over two hours, plus stops on the way to see things.

Breakheart Quarry Near Dursley

Near to Dursley in Gloucestershire is Breakheart Quarry, a great place to go for a walk or picnic. The area is a former quarry and a great place to study the geology or maybe find a fossil. It is also a great place to see some wildlife while hiking. This includes frequent sightings of rabbits, squirrels and kestrels that circle above. They have some nice tables in the area for a picnic too. There are many options for circular walks in the area on the Komoot app.

Slad Village & Valley

Made famous by Laurie Lee, the author of Cider with Rosie is the Slad Valley. Slad village and the valley are an absolutely gorgeous place with splendid views and great options for hiking. The picturesque village has many holiday cottages that tourists can rent or bed and breakfasts for your break in the village.

The village pub, The Woolpack who serve great beer and food. The pub is a good starting or ending point for walking in the valley. Komoot has details of a 3.9 mile circular hike in the Slad area.