Diamond Way (North Cotswold) Walk - Why Go?
Completing this long distance walking route takes anywhere between 3 and 7 days, making it the perfect ramble for a great British walking holiday. As such companies exist to guide you along the way, some even ferrying your bags from point to point. This walking route through the Cotswold Hills gives ample opportunity to visit some of the most popular towns and villages in the North Cotswolds like Chipping Campden, Bourton-on-the-Water and Moreton-in-Marsh as well as lesser-known hidden gems.
Diamond Way (North Cotswold) Walk - What to Expect?
Expect quintessential Cotswold charm. The walking takes you along quiet footpaths through picturesque villages offering the best of gentle English countryside. The circular walk sits mainly in the North of the Cotswolds, avoiding the steep escarpment in the west and therefore the walking, although at times undulating is never particularly challenging aside from the sheer distance. It can be a little changeable underfoot, so we'd advise you wear a pair of sturdy walking boots.
Diamond Way (North Cotswold) Walk - The Route, Part 1
105km / 3-4 days
Moreton-in-Marsh is the sensible starting point for the Diamond Way walk. From here you follow the route anti-clockwise (heading north initially) to Ebrington and then on to the bustling market town of Chipping Campden where there is ample opportunity to rest and refuel at charming cafes and warming inns. The route then takes you south through Broad Campden and on to Blockley by which point you will have completed just over 11 miles of the walking route. You then pick your way through open countryside, woods and valleys and along streams on your way to the small villages of Ford and Guiting Power in the upper reaches of the Windrush Valley where you'll find pleasant views and a pub in each.
Diamond Way (North Cotswold) Walk - The Route, Part 2
Continue heading south towards Naunton and then a climb up the hill past Naunton Downs Golf Club and on to Notgrove and Turkdean. The charming village of Northleach is a hidden gem at the southern extent of the route with its half-timbered buildings and merchants’ houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries built in traditional Cotswold Stone.
From here you head north through Farmington and on to the delightful cluster of towns and villages surrounding the popular tourist spot of Bourton-on-the-Water. If you're looking for picture postcard rural Gloucestershire, this is the place you will find it. Beyond this the path continues north through Oddington and Adlestrop, finally terminating back in Moreton-in-Marsh.
For more walking ideas, check out our full rundown of the best walks in the Cotswolds.
