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- Broadway Tower — A proper Cotswold icon: a hilltop folly with wide, 360° views over rolling honey-coloured countryside. It’s one of those dramatic high points where the patchwork fields, distant hills and big skies make the whole walk feel cinematic; great for a sunset stop and cheap picnic theatrics.
- Cleeve Hill — The highest point on the Way and my personal favorite — open limestone grassland, blown-about heather and butterfly-rich meadows that feel almost alpine in their exposure. The scale here is rare for southern England: long lines of horizon, big weather, and real sense of space that you don’t get on more wooded trails.
- Sudeley Castle & Gardens (Winchcombe) — A compact burst of history: Tudor rooms, manicured gardens and stories tied to Katherine Parr. It’s a lovely cultural detour
- Broadway Tower — A proper Cotswold icon: a hilltop folly with wide, 360° views over rolling honey-coloured countryside. It’s one of those dramatic high points where the patchwork fields, distant hills and big skies make the whole walk feel cinematic; great for a sunset stop and cheap picnic theatrics.
- Cleeve Hill — The highest point on the Way and my personal favorite — open limestone grassland, blown-about heather and butterfly-rich meadows that feel almost alpine in their exposure. The scale here is rare for southern England: long lines of horizon, big weather, and real sense of space that you don’t get on more wooded trails.
- Sudeley Castle & Gardens (Winchcombe) — A compact burst of history: Tudor rooms, manicured gardens and stories tied to Katherine Parr. It’s a lovely cultural detour mid-hike — good for a warm cuppa, shelter if the weather turns, and a reminder the route threads together living history as well as landscapes.
- Painswick Beacon & Rococo Garden — Limestone ridges and quirky garden theatrics in one stop. The Beacon gives a dramatic “knife-edge” ridge walk with panoramic views; the nearby Rococo Garden and Painswick’s clipped yew churchyard add eccentric, very-British cultural charm you won’t find on more wilderness-focused trails.
- Bath (the finish) — The payoff: Roman Baths, honey-stone crescents and a skyline walk that drops you into Georgian grandeur. The contrast from rural trail to elegant city is part of the fun — architecture, museums and pubs make for a proper celebration after days on the path.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.