Long distance walks

Long distance walkers are well catered for in Gloucestershire with parts of at least twelve linear routes passing through the county.

Cotswold Way
100 miles – A long distance route following the scarp edge of the Cotswold Hills between Chipping Campden and Bath. The way passes prehistoric sites & picturesque villages and offers breathtaking views.

Gloucestershire Way
100 miles - The walk is a memorable journey through the diverse areas of the Forest of Dean, the Severn Vale and Cotswold. The route is well signposted and waymarked and based on a theme of "Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill" from a poem by F.W.Harvey.

Heart of England Way
96 miles - A long distance footpath linking the Cotswold Way with the Staffordshire Way. The waymarked path travels from Milford via Lichfield, Henley-in-Arden, Alcester & Chipping Campden to Bourton-on-the-Water where it joins the Oxfordshire Way.

Macmillan Way
290 miles - A long distance walk through rolling English countryside from Boston in Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury in Dorset, crossing the Cotswolds via Adlestrop, Lower Slaughter, Cold Aston, Turkdean, Chedworth, Sapperton, Tarlton, Cherington, Avening & Westonbirt.

Monarch's Way
610 miles - A long distance walk following the escape route of King Charles II after his defeat at the battle of Worcester in 1651, across the Cotswolds to the south coast.

Offa's Dyke Path
177 miles – A long distance walk following the line of the great earthwork built by Offa, King of Mercia 757-96 from Chepstow to Prestatyn to mark the boundary of his kingdom.

Oxfordshire Way
65 miles - A medium distance path which runs from Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, across rural Oxfordshire to Henley-on-Thames.

Severn Way
210 miles - A long distance path tracing the route of Britain's longest river along the entire Severn Valley from it's source to the sea. The way passes through meadows and orchards, past wetlands & marshes and runs near to Gloucester Docks.

Thames Path
180 miles – A long distance path meandering alongside the River Thames from its source near Kemble, through peaceful watermeadows, past historic towns and villages, into the City of London, and ending at the Thames Barrier at Greenwich.

Wychavon Way
41 miles - A medium distance route which leads from the Cotswold Way at Winchcombe, over Bredon Hill and on through Worcestershire.

Wye Valley Walk
107 miles - Long distance footpath following the meandering route of the River Wye through steep stone gorges, dense woodland and open countryside between Chepstow and Rhayader.

Wysis Way
55 miles - A medium distance route linking the Rivers Wye, Severn & Thames and the national trails of Offa's Dyke Path & the Thames Path. It travels from the Wye Valley via the Forest of Dean, May Hill, Leadon Valley, Robinswood Hill, Bisley & the Frome Valley to Thameshead.

There are also a number of longer waymarked circular walks with a specialist interest.

Cheltenham Circular Footpath
26 miles - A waymarked, circular walk which completely encircles Cheltenham. The walk was devised by Cheltenham Borough Council, the Ramblers' Association & the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens.

Daffodil Way
10 miles - A circular walk from Dymock through the wild daffodil country within the Windcross parishes in north-west Gloucestershire. Offers a wealth of woods & orchards, ponds & streams, meadows & fields.

Glevum Way
27 miles - Circular walk around the outskirts of the city of Gloucester, originally devised by Mike Loach. The walk was completed and waymarked by the Gloucester Ramblers' Association as part of the RA's 60th anniversary celebrations in 1995.

North Cotswold Diamond Way
60 miles - A circular walk through the beautiful North Cotswolds devised by members of the North Cotswold Group of the Ramblers' Association to celebrate 60 years of working for walkers, 1935 - 1995.

Poets' Path
8 miles - A circular walk from Dymock, taking in places of interest associated with the Dymock poets; Abercrombie, Brooke, Drinkwater, Gibson, Thomas & Frost.

Wardens Way/ Windrush Way
13 miles each - Two linear routes which link Bourton-on-the-Water and Winchcombe. Together they form a circular route passing through the Slaughters, Guitings, Hawling & Aylworth.