There is something deeply satisfying about a circular walk. No retracing your steps, no fiddling with bus timetables — just a loop through some of England's most celebrated countryside, ending right where you started. The Cotswolds, with its 790 square miles of rolling wolds, hidden valleys, and honey-stone villages, is one of the finest places in the country for exactly this kind of walking.
Here are some of the best circular routes across the region, ranging from easy two-mile ambles to more demanding half-day hikes.
Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters (5 miles, moderate)
This is arguably the classic Cotswolds walk, and for good reason. Starting from the car park on Station Road in Bourton-on-the-Water, you follow the River Windrush upstream through water meadows before climbing gently to Lower Slaughter. The village is absurdly picturesque — a shallow stream runs between rows of limestone cottages, crossed by simple stone footbridges. The Old Mill at Lower Slaughter, with its brick chimney and waterwheel, is one of the most photographed buildings in the Cotswolds.
From Lower Slaughter, a well-signed footpath leads across fields to Upper Slaughter, which is quieter and arguably even lovelier. The return leg follows a ridge path with broad views over the Windrush valley before dropping back into Bourton.
Practical tips: Allow 2.5 to 3 hours. The paths are mostly well-drained but the section between the two Slaughters can get muddy after rain. Bourton has plenty of cafes and pubs for refuelling afterwards. Free parking is available at Station Road car park, though it fills quickly in summer — arrive before 10am on weekends.
Broadway Tower and the Cotswold Escarpment (4 miles, moderate)
Broadway Tower stands at 1,024 feet above sea level on the western escarpment of the Cotswolds, and on a clear day you can see across sixteen counties. The tower itself is a folly, built in 1798 for the Earl of Coventry, and it now operates as a small museum and viewing point (adult admission around £6).
The best circular walk starts from the Broadway Tower Country Park car park. Head south along the escarpment edge, where the ground falls away steeply to the Vale of Evesham below. The views are extraordinary — the Malvern Hills, the Black Mountains of Wales, and on exceptional days, the Brecon Beacons. The path loops through Fish Hill woodland before returning along a bridleway through open grassland back to the tower.
Practical tips: The car park charges around £3 for the day. The escarpment can be very windy, even in summer, so bring a layer. The path is well-maintained and suitable for reasonably fit walkers including older children. Broadway village, a mile downhill, has excellent pubs including The Lygon Arms.
Painswick and the Rococo Garden Loop (3 miles, easy to moderate)
Painswick bills itself as the "Queen of the Cotswolds," and while that is a bold claim in a region packed with beautiful places, the town does have a particular elegance. This short circular takes in the famous churchyard with its 99 yew trees (legend has it the devil always kills the hundredth), the Rococo Garden, and the surrounding farmland.
Start from the car park at Stamages Lane. Walk through the churchyard of St Mary's, noting the elaborate table tombs dating back to the 17th century, then follow the Cotswold Way markers north out of town. After about a mile, a footpath branches right towards the Painswick Rococo Garden, a restored 18th-century pleasure garden that is genuinely unique — it is the only surviving complete rococo garden in England. Entry is around £9 for adults. The return follows quiet lanes back into town.
Practical tips: Allow 2 hours, or 3 if you want to explore the Rococo Garden properly. The garden is open from January to October. Painswick has several good cafes, and The Falcon Inn does a solid pub lunch.
Chipping Campden and Dover's Hill (3.5 miles, moderate)
Chipping Campden is one of the finest wool towns in the Cotswolds, with a high street that reads like a timeline of English architecture from the 14th century onwards. This walk climbs from the town to Dover's Hill, a natural amphitheatre on the escarpment that has hosted the Cotswold Olimpick Games since 1612.
From the Market Hall in the centre of Chipping Campden, follow the Cotswold Way signs north through the town and up through farmland to Dover's Hill. The open grassland at the top offers panoramic views across the Vale of Evesham. The toposcope identifies landmarks including the Malverns and, on clear days, the hills of mid-Wales. The return follows a different path through Kingcomb Lane and past the thatched almshouses back into town.
Practical tips: Allow 2 hours. Dover's Hill is National Trust land with free access. There is a small car park at Dover's Hill itself, but starting from the town is more rewarding. The Volunteer Inn and Eight Bells are both worth a post-walk visit.
Winchcombe, Sudeley Castle and Belas Knap (6 miles, challenging)
This is the most demanding walk on this list, but also one of the most rewarding. It combines the handsome town of Winchcombe, the grounds of Sudeley Castle (where Catherine Parr is buried), and the nearly 6,000-year-old Belas Knap long barrow — one of the best-preserved Neolithic burial chambers in England.
From Winchcombe's town centre, walk south past Sudeley Castle (you can pay to enter the grounds and gardens, around £18 for adults, or simply admire the exterior from the footpath). The route then climbs steadily through beech woodland to Belas Knap, sitting at around 1,000 feet with views over the surrounding countryside. The false entrance portal, flanked by drystone horns, is remarkably intact for a structure built around 3800 BC.
The return follows the Cotswold Way northward along the ridge before descending back to Winchcombe through sheep pasture.
Practical tips: Allow 3.5 to 4 hours. The climb to Belas Knap is sustained and can be slippery in wet weather — proper walking boots are recommended. Winchcombe has a good range of pubs and tearooms. The Lion Inn is a reliable choice.
Chedworth Roman Villa and the Coln Valley (4 miles, easy to moderate)
This quieter walk takes you through the Coln valley to one of the finest Roman villa sites in Britain. Chedworth Roman Villa, managed by the National Trust, has remarkably well-preserved mosaic floors, bathhouses, and a water shrine. It gives a vivid picture of wealthy rural life in Roman Britain.
The walk starts from the small car park near the village of Yanworth. Follow footpaths through the wooded valley of the River Coln — this is a gentle, sheltered landscape quite different from the open wolds. The villa sits in a natural hollow surrounded by beech woods. After exploring the site (National Trust members free; others around £13), return via a higher path through Chedworth Woods with views across the valley.
Practical tips: Allow 2 to 3 hours plus time at the villa. The villa is open from February to November — check National Trust opening times. The paths are mostly good but the woodland sections can be muddy. The Seven Tuns pub in Chedworth village is a fine traditional Cotswold pub.
What to Bring
For all these walks, a few essentials will serve you well. A decent pair of walking shoes or boots — the Cotswolds limestone can be slippery when wet. An Ordnance Survey map (Explorer OL45 covers much of the region) or a downloaded route on an app like OS Maps or Komoot. Water, especially in summer when shade can be scarce on the open wolds. And a waterproof layer, because this is England and the weather will do what it likes.
The Cotswolds is crossed by thousands of miles of public rights of way, so these six walks barely scratch the surface. But they offer a strong introduction to the variety of landscape here — from dramatic escarpment edges to hidden valleys, ancient monuments to picture-postcard villages. Lace up your boots and get out there.
