This week, David and I (Alison) are staying in the beautiful Cotswolds to deliver one of our founder-led guided hikes with eight guests.
Here’s an account of our adventures on day two (our first proper day of hiking)!
In the morning we met the guests and hopped aboard our transport for the short, scenic drive into the Cotswolds market town of Chipping Campden. Early autumn mist hung in the low valleys and through the windows we caught incredible, far-reaching views across the countryside.
This remarkable town shares its Chipping name with a few other English towns. The word “Chipping” means market or marketplace in old English.
In Chipping Campden we toured this fascinating town, known for its connection to the Arts and Crafts movement. This movement began in London and the South East in 1902 as a reaction against the industrial revolution. A group of 50 to 60 craftspeople moved from London to Chipping Campden to set up home and a working community.
Near the church, founded in the 13th century, we walked past the former site of the Hicks family home, which was destroyed in the English Civil War. Only the impressive looking banqueting hall now remains.
As we walked and listened to David’s storytelling we admired the many historic buildings made of beautiful Cotswolds limestone and the wonderful historic wooden doors, many of which were decorated with attractive flower and leaf wreaths.
After our tour we set out on the couple-of-hours hike to Hidcote Gardens. Time passed with our steps and enjoyable conversations. A last climb uphill (with spectacular views) brought us into Hidcote Gardens.
This impressive garden, of the Arts and Crafts period, was created by Lawrence Johnstone. When Johnstone arrived in 1907 there were no gardens. The space was a blank canvas and Johnstone created the beautiful series of garden rooms we see today. Our first order of the day was lunch! Then we toured the gardens admiring the many features, flowers, trees, a pond, an archway, and tree-lined avenues.
Following our tour we headed homewards towards our country inn. A climb took us out of Hidcote and up onto the top where we had breathtaking views across to the Malvern hills and even into Wales. We could see some 50 miles in the distance at times!
Eight miles later we returned to our village home and country inn. We’d done it! Ready to kick off our boots and prepare for pie night!
Alison
If you’d like to hike the lesser-known paths of the Cotswolds in 2027, browse our selection of trips or drop us a line. We’d love to create a tailored itinerary for you.
