Green rolling hills. Ancient tracks. Stately homes. Slow down. Golden-stone villages and market towns. The new Cotswold Way National Trail. Meadows and woodland. Famous cottage scenes. An easy walking break in the heart of England.

The Cotswolds are famous for all that is quintessentially English, with golden stone villages, handsome manor houses, rolling cornfields and green valleys.

Our guided Classic Walking holidays are perfect for beginners allowing you to discover this most English of landscapes. There are village-to-village walks as well as delightful paths through woodlands, meadows and across the Cotswold plateau. The Cotswold Way provides some of the most scenic walking with medieval churches, country estates, ancient sites and Roman villas.

Detailed information

	Classic Walking programme details
	Footpath information
	Average temperatures
	Other walking holiday ideas

Last minute special offers

Classic Walking programme details

A typical Classic Walking day…

… will offer you a choice of 2 or 3 guided walks, each of varying length and ascent. If you are new to walking, start at the easier level, where the pace is the gentlest. We have plenty of stops to enjoy the views and to rest. As your holiday progresses you may feel confident to try a more challenging level, or stick to the same level - it's entirely your choice.

More information on the type of footpaths you're likely to find in the Cotswolds.

On holidays before Easter and from 25 October, your daily choice of walks will generally comprise a medium and a harder walk chosen to suit guest numbers and the cooler weather. 2, 9, 13, 30 March; 3, 10, 14, 20 April 2009.

The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
12, 16, 23 July; 2, 6, *16, 30 August; *13, 17 September; 4, 27, 31 October; 7, 17, 24 November 2008.

The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
*5, *26 July; 9, 23, 27 August; 6, 27 September; *19 October; 3, 14, 21 November; 5 December 2008.

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Footpath information

On these holidays there is a choice of up to three walks for varying abilities each day. For maximum choice we offer two weekly itineraries - ideal if you wish to book a 14-night holiday or return for a second visit.

	Easier Walks: 5 to 7 miles with easy gradients. Up to 250-750ft of ascent in a day. (On dates marked *, there will be an additional Easier option: 3 to 4½ miles with easy gradients. Up to 380ft of ascent in a day. These shorter walks will finish after a picnic lunch and then return to Harrington House in the early afternoon.)
	Medium Walks: 7 to 8¾ miles with easy gradients. Up to 1,075ft of ascent in a day.
	Harder Walks: 9 to 11 miles with gently undulating gradients. 330ft to 1,275ft of ascent in day.

All levels of walks use a combination of riverside, field and woodland paths, with some stiles and kissing gates, to reach picturesque towns and villages. Bourton-on-the-Water is particularly recommended if you are new to walking or prefer easier terrain.

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Average temperatures

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Other walking holiday ideas

We also offer the following holidays at Harrington House, find out more below:

• Easier Walks in the Cotswolds
• Classic Walking with Sightseeing
• Classic Walking with Tinsel & Turkey
• Learn to use Map & Compass
• Discover birds in Winter
• Rover Tours

Alternative, guided walking holidays in and around the Cotswolds include

• The Cotswold Way
• The Thames Path
• The North Cotswold Diamond Way

For the independently minded we also offer a self-guided walking break along The Cotswold Way.

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