Distance: 21.5 miles or 34.6 km for those more metrically minded – with options to shorten – see suggestions below and walk instructions for ideas.
Difficulty: 11 out of 10 (8 out of 10 for the Shorter Circular Walk and taxi-assist options)
Train: Take the 8:52 AM Great Western train from London Paddington, arriving at Moreton-in-Marsh at 10:18 AM. Return trains from Moreton-in-Marsh are at 19:56; 20:54 and 22:01. Buy a day return to Moreton-in-Marsh. For those wishing a later start/shorter walk, you could take the 9:50 and catch a taxi to Longborough or Ford (see details below -- booking the taxi ahead of time is strongly recommended). The return trip will require a taxi from Broadway (roughly 6 pounds per person), I will make some arrangements for an 20:15 pick-up which should be sufficient for catching the 20:54 train.
Since a number of people will still have some of their Scottish fitness, I thought this long challenging walk would be a good option during the long days of the lavender season (there is a large lavender farm near Snowshill). The walk provides great value per step in terms of train ticket cost…..and begins gently crossing fields to Longborough where the tempo increases with the first gentle climbs and descents to reveal stunning views far and wide. After lunch, our adventure takes us out to the Cotswold escarpment with even more grand views and passes through three classically bucolic Cotswold villages – Stanway (with Stanway Manor), Stanton and Snowshill. More information and the walk instructions can be found here.
A great option for a shorter more relaxed outing, would be to take a taxi to Longborough (ask to be dropped at the pub and pick-up the instructions at point 13.a or ask to be dropped at the top of the hill past the pub and pick up at the “small triangular green” reference in the same instruction point). This would give a total walk of 18 miles/28.9 km and includes all of the highlights of the walk. Alternatively, you could take a taxi to the the Plough in Ford (the recommended lunch pub on the main walk) and start from there, making for an 11.5 mile walk -- however, although the Mount Inn is open, it does not appear to be serving food this weekend unfortunately -- so you would need to bring a picnic and enjoy a drink in its lovely setting!
For something even more relaxed, the Shorter Circular Walk via Longborough is 12.5 miles/20.11 km and is also very nice – but does miss the excitement of the escarpment. You should take a later train for this option (9:50 or 10:52 am).
The recommended lunch pub is the Plough Inn (01488 668 326) in Ford (10 miles/16.09 km into the walk), a 16th century inn serving traditional home-cooked food. I have made a booking for 13:45. For any doing the Shorter Circular Walk, you should plan to eat at the Coach and Horses in Longborough.
If arriving in Snowshill before 17:00 with enough energy for a 500-meter (there and back) diversion, tea can be had at the tea room at Snowshill Manor (entrance to the tea room requires either NT membership or the purchase of a garden ticket). If arriving at Snowshill at 18:00 – you could make a brief stop at the Snowshill Arms before continuing on your way. Do keep an eye on the clock as you will need to leave Snowshill by 18:30ish to catch the organized taxi in Broadway at 20:15!
Enjoy the walk!
12 comments:
I will add. If you are interested in Walker's suggestion starting from Ford from the 8:52 train -- you will most likely arrive in Broadway before the last bus back to Moreton-in-Marsh which leaves from the Lygon Arms at 18:10.
Two more interested in sharing a taxi to Ford.
Sorry, but in respect of my former comments about taking a taxi to Ford to do a shorter version of this walk, I admit defeat!!
I have failed to find a taxi. I am giving up and will do something else, somewhere else on Saturday. Sorry about this to “Gouldman”: I did my best…
My other idea of doing the afternoon of the walk backwards to Broadway is still possible for anyone who wants a 10-11 mile walk, possibly getting the 18.10 Broadway bus as Stargazer points out. But on reflection I don’t find this a compelling enough reason to go all the way to the Cotswolds and walk probably by myself. So I will do something closer to home.
I hope the long walkers enjoy their day. It is a grand route, particularly after lunch.
Great news! Taxi booked. London cab(only one in the area) can take four.
Total cost £35 Electric, so ecologically sound
Big thanks to lady owner Kim, who could not help, but put my request on local drivers whatsapp group, where Andy responded.
Peter, you are invited to share our cab. One other could also be accommodated.
Aaaargh! A pity I did not know this 20 minutes earlier, but I have now arranged to do something else on Saturday.
It was obviously meant to be for you and not for me, since I rang all the way round the town, and was twice told that the person I was speaking to couldn't do it but would message other drivers, which then produced no reply. I concluded that no taxi driver in Morton really wanted to do such a minor trip. They are probably all doing airport runs.
Enjoy the walk! It is a good one, and starting at Ford you will do the best of it. Might be worth stressing, since I have deleted my earlier comments to avoid confusion, that you plan to get the 8.52 train...
Hopefully you get people to fill the other two places.
Hi Gouldman, Stargazer,
I am interested in sharing a taxi. Suzie, 07973 233 333
Hi Gouldman, stargazer,
I have now booked a taxi from Moreton-in-Marsh train at 10:18 arrival from London Paddington 8;52 train. Taxi to go to Longborough or it could go to Ford.
Suzie 07973 233 333
Hi Gouldman, stargazer,
just found out my taxi can't go to Ford. So could I go in your taxi which is going all the way to Fiord please?
Suzie 07973 233 333
Hi Suzie,
Good to hear that you are interested in the walk. I am only organizing taxis from Broadway back to Moreton in Marsh -- which I have done for an estimated number. I am not involved in booking taxis in the morning for the shorter routes. However, it does sound like Gouldman has booked one which at last message has some space -- but I can't speak for them.
Morning taxi can take four. Two are confirmed, so two more can be taken. Suzie now added to list.
Gosh what a grand day! I must confess posting this variant of the walk is not stress free for the poster with the need to book taxis in advance -- but certainly well worth the effort when it all falls perfectly together as it did yesterday. Thanks everyone for an epic day out! Ten alighted from the specified train where 3 were met by their London taxi cab to be whisked off to Ford and were never seen again. The remaining 7 set off after a brief round of formalities in w=sunny-warm-breezy-perfect-long-walking-conditions. About three quarters of our way to Ford, we met walker n=11 who had started an hour earlier. We arrived at the lunch pub spot on at 1:45pm where 6 enjoyed a lovely lunch in the garden with one picnicker joining for a drink. After lunch things got exciting with the escarpment, fine views, charming villages, a quarry -- just so much to see and absorb on this cracker of a walk.... we caught up with our other picnicker in Stanton where much to our surprise we found the Mount Inn open for drinks.... All but one could not resist the lure of a sustaining drink on its terrace with a fab view before our next steep climb up the escarpment.... Given our earlier stop, we passed the Snowshill pub by and continued on our way along the escarpment towards Broadway enjoying the fine views and vibrant lavender fields coming into fine flower. We briefly enjoyed the view at Broadway tower before heading down to the village where we met our chariots at the appointed time of 8:15pm (the 3 who started at Ford did in fact catch the bus) and were whisked back to Moreton in time for a stop in the Coop for provisions and the 8:54pm train -- a fine day out....
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