The Romans had a long history in Britain, conquering the country in AD43 and staying for a good 400 years. They made themselves at home across England and Wales (although they steered clear of Scotland, preferring to keep the inhabitants in the far north out with Hadrian’s Wall).
Like modern-day Britons, the Romans were very fond of the Cotswolds. Cirencester, or Corinium, was the second largest town in Roman England, and the region is dotted with the remains of grand Roman villas. It was at one of these that David, Alastair and myself (Emma) found ourselves on a bright spring day at the end of April, checking one of the walks in our Complete Cotswolds and Journey Across the Cotswolds trips.
Setting out from the picturesque Cotswold village that was our startpoint, our trail took us through shady woodlands carpeted with wild garlic and bluebells. Birdsong was everywhere, and we walked in companiable silence, soaking in the peace and tranquility among the trees. We wandered on until we arrived at the site of what was arguably one of the grandest Roman villas in the Cotswolds, dating back to the 2nd century A.D. On a day like today, with the sun high in the sky and the landscape rolling away into the distance, it was easy to see why a wealthy Roman citizen would have chosen this spot to build their country residence.
Onwards and upwards we walked, past fields of sheep and lambs and onto a path that gave us breathtaking views into the valley below. It was a wonderfully tranquil route, and aside from the occasional dog walker, we had the trails to ourselves. We passed through several beautiful Cotswolds villages, making sure to visit each church we encountered – not just to admire the architecture and sense of history, but also to enjoy the cool air of these wonderful stone buildings.
Our destination was a charming Cotswolds village with a magnificent wool church (colloquially known as the ‘Cathedral of the Cotswolds’ due to its grand architecture). Before heading back to Foot trails HQ, we made a beeline to a wonderful country inn, enjoying a cool drink in the shady beer garden as we discussed the highlights of this quintessentially Cotswolds walk.
If you’d like to wander the paths less trodden in the Cotswolds, visit our website or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you.
