APRIL 18 - 21 - (EASTER HOLIDAY) - STRATFORD-UPON-AVON & THE NORTH COTSWOLDS

Details

Join us for an amazing Easter weekend of superb hiking in the beautiful rolling countryside of the Cotswolds and Vale of Evesham.

Number of nights - 3.

£309 for a bed in a shared twin room. For solo travellers (which is most people in the group) we will assign you a room buddy of the same gender.

£419 for a private single occupancy room.

This charming rural area is a fantastic place to enjoy a weekend of walking from our base in Stratford-upon-Avon. There are wonderful hikes in the North Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham as well as the beautiful countryside surrounding the town itself.

We have booked accommodation at the delightful four star Stratford Manor Hotel, set in a peaceful rural landscape just outside the town. This will be a great place to unwind after our hikes, where we can have a drink at the terrace bar or take a quick dip in the pool. Evening meals are included and will be served at the hotel's stylish restaurant.

We will have 2 or 3 hikes to choose from each day exploring the highlights of the local area. The typically English countryside around the North Cotswolds gives lovely views with a mixture of woodland, fields, riverside and canal walking.

There is an abundance of wonderful hiking in this bucolic and historic part of rural England.

Possible hike options include:

SATURDAY

1. OVERBURY & BREDON HILL approx. 9.5 miles, moderate

On the North West frontier of the Cotswolds, gazing out across the broad Vale of Eavesham sits Bredon Hill, a broad 299m high ridge complete with earthworks of an Iron age fort. Our walk first takes us from Ashton under Hill to the tranquil stone village of Overbury with its grand village church and 15th century tower. From Overbury our walk gently rises through countryside and woodland until we crest the ridge of Bredon Hill with views out across Shakespeare’s Avon and out as far as the Welsh Mountains. A fine place to be on a spring day! After following the ridge east our path begins to descend, soon reaching our starting point back in Ashton under Hill.

2. CHIPPING CAMPDEN, DOVERS HILL, BROADWAY & BROADWAY TOWER approx 11 miles, energetic

From Chipping Campden, one of the finest Cotswold villages, our hike sets off on the first section of the Cotswold way to find the excellent vantage point of Dovers Hill. Now, a series of rolling ups and downs across the edge of the Cotswolds escarpment takes us through fields and woodland to the showplace village of Broadway. The second half of our day starts steeply up and over another shoulder of the ‘scarp’ to the iconic landmark of Broadway Tower surrounded by its country park with a resident red deer population. Finally we finish along ‘the mile drive’ a grassy carriage road that leads us back to our start.

3. THE COTSWOLDS WAY FROM CHIPPING CAMPDEN TO WINCHCOMBE approx 17.5 miles, strenuous

The Cotswold Way is a 102 mile route which begins in the beautiful market town of Chipping Campden and for the most part follows the Cotswold escarpment to The World Heritage City of Bath. It is a popular trail, journeying through green landscapes, rolling farmland, peaceful woodlands and attractive villages. We would need at least a week for the whole route but the first section to Winchcombe is perfect for anyone seeking out a taste of quintessential English countryside. Our lengthy hike takes in ancient hillforts, idyllic villages and breathtaking views from locations like Broadway Tower. As the path meanders along the escarpment, we will be treated to ever-changing views which are steeped in history and wonderfully varied scenery.

SUNDAY

1. ILMINGTON AND EBRIGTON approx 7 miles, moderate

This beautiful walk straddles the Warwickshire-Gloucestershire border and links two attractive villages in the North Cotswolds. We will hike to the highest point in Warwickshire (261m) up on Ilmington Down but all the ascent and descents are easy and gradual. Although relatively short, our route still offers outstanding views extending across the Cotswolds, the Avon Valley and across south Warwickshire to the long wooded ridge of Edge Hill. This hike will suit people looking to enjoy a relaxed Sunday and perhaps time to explore Stratford-upon-Avon in the afternoon.

2. THE ROLLRIGHT STONES approx 9 miles, moderate+

The Rollright stones are a complex of neolithic and bronze age standing stones and are a highlight of the North Cotswolds, made up of the King's Men Stone Circle, the Kings Stone and the Whispering Knights. The stones are the focal point of this walk which starts from the village of Long Compton. We will need to climb steadily up to the ridgeline which forms the Oxfordshire-Warwickshire border, once an ancient trackway, now a minor road. After exploring the curious Rollright Stones we continue along the ridgeline with views out to the left and right before descending through fields and looping back to Long Compton.

3. MICKLETON, ILMINGTON, EBRIGTON & THE HIDCOTES approx 12 miles, energetic +

This is a hilly hike through some wonderful Cotswolds countryside. From Mickleton the route heads up the Cotswold escarpment through the picturesque hamlet of Hidcote Bartrim before continuing up to the top of Ilmington Down which is the highest point in Warwickshire. Superb views can be enjoyed across broad expanses of the Vale of Evesham and the lovely villages of Ilmington and Ebrington are visited before descending through Hidcote Boyce back to the start.

MONDAY

1. WARWICK CASTLE AND THE GRAND UNION CANAL approx 9 miles (or 7.5 miles with shortcut), fairly easy

We will start our walk alongside the Grand Union Canal, as it departs Warwick, and soon come to Hatton Locks whose famous 'stairway to heaven' flight of 21 locks were built in 1799 to carry coal into the factories of the Black Country. After capturing the best photographs, we pass through farmland and return to Warwick via the King’s Deer Park. Heading for the 1,000 year old Warwick Castle, we will pass several Elizabethan buildings and church on the way. Not only can the castle’s stones tell the history of England’s kings and queens, it was used extensively for scenes in the Harry Potter movies. We can’t go inside without a ticket, but we will be able to circuit the outside and capture its grandeur from several viewpoints.

2. STRATFORD-UPON-AVON AND SHAKESPEARE COUNTRY approx 9 miles, moderate

This lengthy but easy-paced walk in the heart of Shakespeare Country may well include paths used by the great writer himself. We will enjoy the picturesque village of Luddington with its green, pretty cottages and riverside church. The return section is delightful with the return route running close to Shakespear's Avon before joining a wide path beside Stratford's racecourse. The grand finale takes in many of the town's most striking buildings including medieval Holy Trinity church where Shakespeare in buried.

...........................................................................................

A great Easter weekend! :D

Price includes:

3 nights hotel accommodation in twin share or private single rooms.
3 cooked breakfasts.
3 delicious (three course) evening meals.
A choice of guided hikes by trained Mountain Leaders (https://www.mountain-training.org/qualifications/walking/mountain-leader) and qualified first aiders
Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992

Amazing value!!! :D

Price does NOT include: