The Cotswold Way begins at a carved marker stone beside the Market Hall in Chipping Campden. It’s a modest starting point for a 102-mile National Trail, but Chipping Campden is anything but modest. The golden-limestone high street, the medieval wool church of St James, the ancient almshouses and the independent shops and restaurants make it one of the most considered places to begin a long walk in England. You’re not just starting a route. You’re starting in one of the finest market towns the Cotswolds has to offer.
Where you stay the night before matters more than people usually plan for. The right base in Chipping Campden means a proper dinner, a good night’s sleep and the chance to get your kit sorted without rushing. Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, a Grade II listed Regency town house right on the high street, is about as well-placed for this as it’s possible to be.
What the Cotswold Way involves
The full route runs 102 miles south from Chipping Campden to the city of Bath, following the Cotswold escarpment and passing through countryside, villages and towns including Broadway, Winchcombe, Cheltenham and Painswick. Most walkers complete it in 8 to 12 days, covering roughly 10 to 15 miles each day, though experienced hikers do it faster and those who want to linger take longer.
May is one of the best months to walk it. The trail is well-signed with National Trail acorn markers throughout, wildflowers line the paths, and the light on the limestone villages is at its most flattering. The first section out of Chipping Campden takes you up onto Dover’s Hill, at 225 metres offering wide views across the Vale of Evesham, before dropping down to Broadway Tower and into the village of Broadway. It sets the tone for everything that follows.
Why the night before matters
Starting a long-distance walk after a poor night’s sleep in an average room is a predictable mistake. The logistics of the day ahead — kit, breakfast, when to leave, getting to the start point — are much easier to manage when you’ve eaten well, slept well and have somewhere comfortable to regroup in the morning.
Cotswold House is on the high street, less than a minute’s walk from the Cotswold Way marker stone. There’s no early taxi to the trailhead, no negotiating a strange town before you’ve had coffee. You walk out of the hotel door and you’re essentially already on the route.
A hotel that earns the night before
Cotswold House Hotel & Spa has 28 individually designed rooms, including Classic and Superior King rooms, Cottage Rooms, Junior Suites and, for something more memorable, Hot Tub Cottage and Hot tub Suites with their own private gardens and hot tubs, available year-round. The rooms overlook either the hotel’s two acres of gardens or the ancient high street itself. Free Wi-Fi and free on-site parking are available, which matters if you’re leaving a car in Chipping Campden while you walk.
The hotel is part of the Bespoke Hotels collection and has been recognised as one of the most admired boutique hotels in the Cotswolds. The style is contemporary within a Regency setting: considered, calm and noticeably not generic.
Dinner the evening before
A proper dinner the night before a long walk is a reasonable priority. The Hidcote Brasserie Restaurant & Grill is the hotel’s main dining space, a charming setting for a meal that reflects the local larder, with the kitchen sourcing from passionate producers in the area. For something more relaxed, the Chipping Campden Cocktail Bar offers an informal menu alongside an extensive gin and wine list. Both are in the hotel, so the transition from dinner to bed requires minimal effort.
Worth noting: if you’re planning to eat at the Hidcote Brasserie on a Sunday or Monday, the restaurant is closed for dinner on those evenings; instead Noel Arms is recommended for dining between 6-8.30pm
The spa for the night after, not before
The Spa at Cotswold House is tucked away at the top of the hotel’s gardens in a former coach house, open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm. It’s an adults-only space (18 and over) with a hydrotherapy pool, steam room, relaxation suite and five therapy rooms, using the exclusive La Sultane de Saba treatments — a family-owned Parisian brand whose rituals draw on natural ingredients and age-old Eastern remedies. Hotel residents are advised to book their spa slot in advance to avoid disappointment.
Our honest suggestion: save it for when you return. Many Cotswold Way walkers book at Cotswold House on both ends of the walk — a night before setting off, and a night at the end of a section when they’ve earned it. If you’re looking for a treatment to book on your return, the Lower Leg and Foot Ritual — a 30-minute treatment starting with a foot soak and followed by a lower leg and foot massage — is, as the spa team put it, strongly advised after a long walk around the Cotswolds. If you’re walking in stages rather than end-to-end, Chipping Campden makes a very natural base to return to.
Getting to Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden is most easily reached by car, with free parking available at the rear of Cotswold House. By train, the nearest station is Moreton-in-Marsh, from which there are connecting bus services into town; it’s also reachable from London Paddington via a taxi from Moreton-in-Marsh. Checking current bus timetables before you travel is advisable, as services are infrequent.
Plan your Cotswold Way start
Cotswold House Hotel & Spa is on The Square, Chipping Campden — moments from the official start of the Cotswold Way. If you’re planning your walk and want to know more about the rooms, the spa or booking options, the team is happy to help. Book direct for the best rates and receive complimentary use of the spa facilities.
