The CWA has contributed £1,500 towards the recently completed re-surfacing of 250m of the Cotswold Way between Chipping Campden and Dover’s Hill which was muddy and slippery due to heavy use. The work was carried out by Gloucestershire Highways and was also funded by Robert Welch the well known cutlery and tableware designer whose shop is in Chipping Campden. The new surface of crushed Cotswold stone looks very yellow at the moment but will weather nicely in the coming months and years.
For more than 25 years, Contours Holidays has specialised in providing unforgettable adventures in the Great British countryside. Whether you choose to walk, run, cycle or mountain bike, we can help you discover the UK landscapes at your own pace with our vast range of customisable, self-guided point-to-point holidays. Head out solo, with family, or even with your dog; we have fantastic tours to suit almost everyone. Let’s get out there!
Many thanks for your support in joining the CWA as a business member.
One of the CWA’s first projects was to install a 40m handrail on a slippery slope of the Cotswold Way near Weston, Bath. This has been so well used that walkers have eroded a gully which is getting washed out and slippery again. We are pleased to report that the CWA have funded re-surfacing on this section with the work being carried out by the Cotswold Wardens using EcoGrid and gravel.
We hope that this approach will be successful and that the approach can be used as an alternative to steps on other sections of our trails. Here is a detailed description of what was done – Note on surfacing of slippery paths
Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, The Cotswolds Distillery been lovingly crafting delicious, award-winning spirits since 2014. They have shops in both Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stourton where you can pop in and try their spirits! Find out more information HERE
Many thanks for your support in joining the CWA as a business member.
The CWA welcomes “Cotswold Trail Events” as a business member.
Cotswold Trail Events is the new home of the Cotswold Way Century and Broadway Marathon & Half Marathon. The Cotswold Way Century is a single-stage trail running event that takes place along public rights of way. From Chipping Campden to Bath Abbey. The Broadway Marathon / Half Marathon starts and finishes in scenic Broadway village, the route follows trails and roads among picturesque villages, woodlands, and, most importantly, hills. The majority of the course is trail or unpaved track
Kissing gates undoubtedly improve access on the Cotswold Way but their constant use often makes them wet and muddy so the CWA has embarked on a trial project to improve the surface around a few kissing gates. The first project has been completed on a gate where the trail crosses West End Lane, SW of Broadway using eco plastic grid, geo-textile and gravel. The location is point A as shown here.
The CWA has recently coordinated the construction of a bridge and gate over a particularly muddy section of the Diamond Way south of Daylesford (point A as shown here). The work was jointly funded by the North Cotswold Walkers, the North Cotswold Ramblers and the CWA, and was carried out by the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens. The Diamond Way is one of the named long distance trails which link with the Cotswold Way and is supported by the CWA. Other supported trails can be found on Other Trails
Cotswold Warden Jennifer Shaw on her August patrol met a couple of US tourists walking south from Birdlip. They talked at length about their difficulties crossing from Crickley Hill Park to the Air Balloon the previous day. The road was very busy – late afternoon on a Friday – and it took them over twenty minutes to get across. Some of this time was spent looking for an alternative crossing point but of course there isn’t one. The Cotswold Warden had heard similar stories before, so kicked ideas around with John her husband, wanting to try to find an easier crossing. Between them they devised a possible route involving crossing the A436 from Crickley Hill Park and then going through the wooded margin alongside the roundabout and the eastbound A417 to meet the Gloucestershire Way and use it to meet an unclassified road that passes under the A417 at Barrow Wake.
This would add around half a mile to the existing route, and would also increase safety for walkers using the Gloucestershire Way. The scheme has been shared with the Gloucestershire CC Rights Of Way Officer and the Area Highways Manager responsible for the A436. They have undertaken to discuss its viability with Highways England who are responsible for the A417. Much depends on who owns the land.
Following a request for funding, the CWA have contributed towards some welcomed improvements to access on a section of the Gloucestershire Way and Winchcombe Way at Little Farmcote. After climbing the escarpment out of Winchcombe and legs a little tired, a narrow stile on the path overlooking the Farmcote valley has been replaced with a kissing gate. Further along the trail a quirky set of sheep hurdles tied with baler twine has been replaced with a combination field gate, a gate within a gate to speed walkers on their way.
