Cotswolds Way Day 1
After finishing the Limestone Way, I took a few days off to celebrate my birthday and spend time with extended family. It was a lovely reset — a chance to put my feet up, enjoy some slower days in the Cotswolds, and take a 6-mile wander with Janine, Sophie, and George before starting my next big walk. We made the most of our time together in the charming village of Chipping Campden, just soaking up its old-world beauty.
But this morning, the time came to part ways. I said goodbye to my backup crew as they headed off to Princes Risborough, where they'll be spending time with more family — and dog-sitting a puppy for a friend. Sophie, ever the animal lover, is hoping this will help convince us to add a dog to the family. This week might just tip the balance.
For me, there was a different kind of anticipation. A little sadness watching them go, yes — but also a building sense of excitement. This is the final leg of my sabbatical journey: ten more days, one more National Trail, and a chance to really sink into everything the Cotswolds have to offer.
Day One: Chipping Campden to Broadway – 6 miles
The official start of the Cotswold Way is just outside the old market hall in Chipping Campden, a stunning medieval structure that feels like it should be the opening scene of a period drama. Before heading there, I took a photo of St. James’ Church, which stood right beside our rental. The bells were ringing across the weekend, and a wedding added a joyful soundtrack to our last full day as a family. (Interesting fact: St. James’ is one of the finest "wool churches" in the Cotswolds — built with wealth from the booming medieval wool trade.)
The skies this morning were threatening rain, with a few drops already falling as I left the village. I stopped at a bench on the outskirts to gear up in full waterproofs — a small price to pay for peace of mind and dry socks. It also felt like a tactical move: maybe suiting up early would ward off the worst of it.
As I climbed the first gentle rise out of Chipping Campden, the familiar rhythm of walking settled in, and the final day of the Ashes played quietly in my ear for the first 45 minutes. The ground turned to soft grass — perfect walking terrain — and before long the clouds began to lift, offering a lovely westward panorama that I captured in a photo.
Near a trig point (and a nearby geo-cache), the path opened into freshly cut wheat fields and quiet roads. That’s when I caught my first glimpse of Broadway Tower, standing proud on the horizon. Built in the late 1700s by Capability Brown and architect James Wyatt, it was commissioned as a sort of 18th-century visibility experiment — to see if a signal beacon could be seen from the tower 22 miles away. Wealthy eccentricity at its finest.
Soon enough, I was strolling into Broadway, another chocolate-box village. I dropped off my rucksack at the Crown and Trumpet, my accommodation for the night, after which I took full advantage of the sunshine, which had now burst through the clouds in defiance of my earlier waterproof paranoia. A hearty serving of fish and chips, eaten outside in the golden light, was the perfect finish to day one.
Tomorrow, the legs will get more of a workout and hopefully the sun will stick around. The Cotswold Way is officially underway.