5 Days Wild Camping and Thru-hiking on the Cotswold Way | Walking from Chipping Campden to Bath
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- Опубліковано 14 лип 2021
- Follow our 102-mile Cotswold Way National Trail thru-hike. We started in the charming market town of Chipping Campden and walked the well-marked trail to the beautiful Roman city of Bath.
This is the second of the 14 National Trails that we're on a mission to hike, despite a little July rain and some knee issues we loved it. The view changes around every corner; taking you over pastures and grassy hills, across ancient commons and burial barrows to patches of woodland and through country estates, whilst the Cotswold stone threads its way beautifully through each picturesque village and town. You'll enjoy fantastic views over Cheltenham and on the clear days views across to the River Severn.
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In 2020 we created our very own challenge called ‘Walk for Good’ but then Covid happened. A year later we’ve moved out of our house, into our self-built van and our Walk for Good is now back in business! Following 14 beautiful National Trails around the United Kingdom, we’re going to attempt to walk all 2422 miles and raise money for two charities: Reach (www.reach.org.uk) for upper limb difference and Mind for mental health. And we’d love to have you on the journey with us every step of the way.
The Cotswold Way is a well-marked trail but we used the Hiiker App to find resupply stops and towns along the way. Download here: hiiker.app/
Find out more about why we've chosen Reach & Mind and support our Walk for Good here: ittakesajourney.com/support-ou...
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Website: ittakesajourney.com/
That was a trip down memory lane for us, my wife and I did the Cotswold Way in stages over one summer, a few years ago when we were in our late Fifties, we started with a week of gentle walking staying at prebooked B+B's and covering 6 to 8 miles a day. Living close to Bath we were able to commute to and from the Way over a couple of months, by taking our car to the finish of a section and travelling to the start via public transport or getting our son Paul to drop us off. We also had similar weather to yourselves, I particularly remember taking shelter from a thunder storm in a small village church, and eating our sandwiches sat in the pews, listening to the rain hammering down on the roof. Happy days!! Really enjoyed your video, especially the drone footage, although it's almost impossible to show how hilly some of the sections were !! Cheers.
Great video, thank you both. Finished the Way 2 days ago having walked north to south during the heatwave. Started in the dark most mornings to get some cooler temperatures. Lovely walk.
Thank you, that was so enjoyable (By the end of the 14 National Trails I’d like a tutorial on how to deal with cows 😃)
Hahaha, Yes it will be interesting to know wouldn't it? 😜
From my friend's father, who farmed them, it seemed to be a matter of being grumpy with them in broad Yorkshire and having a stick that they could see (l never saw him hit them, the suggestion seemed to be enough)
So l guess making yourself big, confident and assertive "Ger off my path!"
Excellent video shooting and editing made this video a rewatch several times. Someone clearly knows how to make an entertaining video
Thank you for your very nice comment!
Just got back from the Cotswold Way. Completed in 5 days first week in April 2023. Loved every minute of it.
Nice video, I live in Wotton and often see walkers in the town taking advantage of our Parsons
I hope you can enjoy a Parsons yourself every so often!
Sweet souls exploring the Old England, Thank you so much for the insights :) Stay Safe, Stay Happy🙂
Thanks for your nice comment!
Thats nice. Stay Safe, Stay Happy🙂. to you too :P
Tom
I really enjoyed this little adventure.
Very good viewing.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, really enjoyed watching your videos 👍.
Your youthful energy is contagious, so nice to see a couple enjoying a shared love of the outdoors, keep it up!.
Currently doing the Munros here in Scotland,but having watched a few of your vids,these trails look so different and attractive for a change of scene.
Love the patter,great camera work and music choices.
Hi Dave Scotland is beautiful so enjoy your hikes there! My knee is a little dodgy right now but we'll be there hiking again soon. But I definitely would recommend the CW or the SDW, they don't have mountains but like you say they're great in all the other ways. Rolling hills and countryside everywhere! Happy trails! :)
Brilliant editing and music. So happy UA-cam recommended your channel - subbed
Hi guys, yet another brilliant video. Love the use of slow mo and sink to sound tracks and of course the views the drone supplies. Really appreciate all the work you guys put into your videos and walks so big thumbs up and thank you for sharing with us all. Beautiful scenery. The bark is a small deer, Mount Jack or something like that, keep you awake all night those things🤪. Them dang cows again. I woke once with a heard of the beasties right outside my tent. Want write how I felt but somewhat concerned is the polite version 🙄. Anyhoo thanks again for taking the time and effort of sharing. Atb Dave aka wackyswanderings 👍👍
Hey Wacky Wanderings!
Thanks for the nice comment! It makes it worthwhile putting in the effort when you read nice things like this. So thanks. 😀
Ok, this is good to know about the deer bark! There are so many interesting things to learn regarding the local wildlife that lives on our doorstep.
Haha those beasties hey 😬 gotta keep your wits about you. I think you said it best with the 'somewhat concerned'. 😅
All our best!
Best CW video I have seen. Loved it!
Wow, thank you!
Very much enjoyed vicariously revisiting my treks on the cotswold way. Can also recommend Hadrian's wall and (closer to my back door) the Wicklow Way.
lol Gotta love a vicarious visit. Yes Hadrian's is on the list, but I hear mixed reviews.
The Wicklow Way however is defiantly on the list. Hoping to come a visit your beautiful country later this year. (fingers crossed)
Excellent editing and really well presented. It's definitely on my list of good routes to do. Cool to see your wild camping spots as that's what I plan to do too. Thanks
Thanks for you nice comment! Yes agreed its an excellent route to take on and wild camping is great fun!
Well done guys ..And as always another great video..👍👍
Thank you so much 👍
Thanks for your video guys, was worried about wild camping but you seem to have found enough suitable places. Keep hiking.
A little trickier on this trail an the SDW but. I think the key of the CW is the set up late leave early.
Ideally its nice to spend time in camp but cant always be done.
Happy Trails!
All the best,
Tom
Brilliant thank you lovely video
Really well made video - good work! And it looks like it was a nice walk too!
Thanks David! Appreciate the comment. The walk was fun too ;)
Well done guys - enjoyed that 😊
Thank you for the awesome video, currently watching it from New Zealand and planning to do the walk when we arrive in the Uk this summer, great inspiration for us. Just checked your channel to and good work on the van
Hey! Love NZ! Dreaming of hiking the TA one day. Thanks for the love, so pleased you enjoyed our video and enjoy your hike when you do come over! Thanks re the van too. Gloria is doing well, we've been living and travelling in it for a year now and she's still going strong :) Happy trails!
Loved the video! Well done 👍
I am planning on walking the national trails and would love to wild camp! I know it’s not encouraged but some people do it. In America we would call it stealth camping. And I agree with the Leave NoTrace! Looking forward to more videos😁👍
Thank you for your nice comment!
The real thing with Wild camping is to be brave as in reality there is very little that will go against you. (Given you find the right spot and follow LNT).
Saying that its a lot easier with two of us as we can support each other.
All can say is give it ago.
All the best,
Tom
Wow, amazing video and great hike. Loved it 👍🏻
Hey! Thanks for the comment glad you liked it. Just watched you Balas Nap Video. Very interesting stuff!
@@ItTakesaJourney thanks 😊
Great video. You did a great job making this video. Enjoyed it Very Much. Thank you Very Much. Looking foreward to more adventure s from your Channel. ATB SØREN
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello to you both. I have just found your channel and subbed. I really enjoyed this style of editing and the two of you are engaging. I’ll catch up on some of your other videos over the next few days. Cheers.
Nice one Paul!
What a really lovely video. You are both very engaging - loved it.:-)
Thank you so much!
Superb filmmaking. This must have taken you hours. Great job
Thank you Julian, Tom really enjoys it, so it's wonderful to hear when people have appreciated it. :)
Hi guys from Australia.. be doing this walk in May 22. I love the format , you enthusiasm and your love for each other. You videos are up there with the best.. efren Gonzales, Abbie Barnes, Homemade wanderlust. Craig ?? Well done
Awesome! Thank you Dianne for the lovely comment!
Good luck with your walk your going to love it!
Lovely video. Nice editing.
Thank you very much!
Tom
great video, love the use of the drone ,now intrigued by the food , you could do a video on cold soaking, and shops or amount of food places along the way,
Hi John, Thanks for the comment!
It's a great shout on those other videos. I will have to see what time we can put aside for these.
What I can say is we heard about going "stoveless" a few times in the past but always liked the idea of hot food and drink. That said cold soaking is great for travelling light and quick and does the job in terms of getting the food in, plus it really doesn't have much of a downside.
I have a lot more to say on the matter but I will go on so we'll have to make that video in it instead 😅.
Cheers, Tom
As usual, a fantastic video. Really enjoyed it and it inspires me to do something similar. (But a lot shorter 😩)
Hi Pete, Appreciate the comment! What are you going to go for then?
Hope your both good. Btw your pictures look amazing!
I don't know which of you is the editor but that is a superbly put together video. 👍
Thanks!🤗
Will be doing this in March 22. Already done Offa's Dyke so looking forward to it.
Oh yeah Offa's Dyke that sounds amazing if not tough. Its on the cards for sure!
Great journey, wonderfully documented! This would take me a week at 15 miles a day; 20 miles is just too much for me these days, except as a one off. This looks like a trail where it is easy to hammock camp, but can anyone who has done it advise?
This has just hit my to-do list.
Damn that's a cool intro.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Really enjoyed your video, thank you. I walked the Worcestershire Way, North Worcestershire Path, Winchcombe Way and the Diamond Way last year (all with solo wild camping) This is my goal for this year. I’ve not done more than 1 night out so it’ll be a real test as I’ve not really slept. Have you both got used to sleeping well on the first night or does that come a couple of days later 🙂
Hi Rachel,
That sounds like a good effort las year. You managed loads of trails!
For me I don't tend to get the best sleep while camping if the first or last night of a trip, but I can tell you that what made the difference for me was a blow up pillow. If you have got one yet I full recommend one.
Thanks for you comment! Good luck on your next adventure!
Tom
Love this! I live on the Cotswold Way near Dursley and run the trails regularly so it was lovely to see the slo motion shots and you taking your time. I'm running the whole length of it this September and want to film it. Hopefully not as warm as you had it! How did you charge your camera and drone? Great footage. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for all the great information and beautiful scenery! Any chance you recorded the GPS coordinates for your campsites? It does seem wild camping can be a challenge on this route, so having a better sense in advance of where I might stop along the way when I do this trek in September would be so helpful. Thanks again! What a great video!
Hi Tom I am sorry to say we didn't! But I wish you happy trails and I hope you find some good spots. To be honest though the more comfortable we get with wild camping the more spots open up to us, so you may find more than we did. I wish you a great hike and please don't hesitate to message with any other questions, we will help if we can! So glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks! :)
If you look on the OS maps and take into account what they say you should be able to find the camping spots :0
The barking sound is a deer (male). Greetings from Sweden!
Greetings Paul, Very interesting. I though it might have been a fox. I didn't consider a deer. Ill have to look it up now. Cheers, Tom
@@ItTakesaJourney I came upon a deer during my SDW hike; originally I thought the noise I was hearing was a dog barking, albeit with a very husky bark, but eventually a deer came into view. It was quite weird.... Also we have a fox family behind our house, the noise they make when they play/fight/something else is borderline nightmarish (a weird cackle/bark/meow mix).
That does sound like a nightmarish mix, particularly the meowing part.
Thanks for the update on the barking! We'll know for next time 👍. So strange to think that a deer makes that noise. That said I don't know what other sounds a deer makes tbh.
Thanks for the great content, I live in Stratford upon Avon and have only just started hiking and wild camping, so definitely doing this one
I'm from Warwick doing the same, good luck to you!
Good luck to you, I’m planning on mine in June
Yes do it. Its such a lovely trail!
I love your filming style.. so enjoyable to watch. Oh those cows.. I am scared of them too. That sound at night..was it real or did you edit it in? :) so creepy.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for your nice comment!
Oh those cows, I think we are getting a little braver but only a little.
That sound is 100% real. There are other comment suggesting that its some kind of male deer. I originally though fox but I know reckon deer is the one... Who knew that deer barked.
Cheers, Max and Tom
Great video guys! I’m hoping to do the same with my partner next year. Very boring question, what size backpacks did you take?
Hi Scott, we both currently use 55L packs, same ones we used on the Appalachian Trail. They're certainly looking well-used now though, covered in duct tape! haha!
Hi guys, firstly please let me say what a fantastic and Inspirational couple you are, very talented making theas video hiking blogs.
I do have a question... what trainers are you wearing , brand and a brief review would be much appreciated 👍
Keep up the good work 👏 🙌
I didn't see Toms but Max is wearing Altra Lone Peak. You can look up lots of reviews, they are maybe the most common brand in the thru hike community.
Hi Michael, thank you for your message and kind words, we're so pleased to hear that people have enjoyed our videos. We love sharing our adventures and hopefully inspiring people to get out and start hiking :)
I was wearing the Altra Lone Peak with a zero drop but I've actually gone back to my Salomon X Ultra's as I've been suffering from tendonitis in my knee and don't want to mix things up too much, so I've gone back to what I'm used to. Tom however is still with his Altra's and loves them. :)
Beautiful video! ❤❤
Please make a video on how you make your hair with your hands.
It will be helpful for my sister. Her left hand and fingers were deformed in an accident
Hi Rakshith, thank you for your message and I have actually shared a short Reel on Instagram of how I do my hair into a bun. You can see it here: instagram.com/reel/CNM2H8hhto4/?
I hope that might be helpful for your sister! I would like to do more videos in the future about how I do daily things.
Thank you again! Kindest, Max
Great video! What time of year was this?
Hello I’ve just stumbled across your Great video, really enjoyable to watch and well done for wild camping - your so brave! We are planning our first backpacking trip this summer and I’m putting together our kit. Could I ask, what did you sleep on - did you have a foam Mat under your thermarests? Or just thermarest straight on the ground? Also what temp rating are your sleeping bags? We are looking at 5deg ones but I’m worried I’ll be cold brrrrrr!!! Thank you 🎉 x
Get a hammock its way more comfy than a foam mat
Fantastic video, might have to make this my second National Trail (likely next year)... What gear did you use for filming??
Hey, Cotswolds way is a gooden for sure! For filming we use a Gro Pro 8 with (5 batteries) and DJI Mini 2 drone with 3 batteries. We keep it simple and as light in weight as possible, plus you can charge them both off USBs which means for longer hikes when we will need to charge the gear all you need is a USB. We did have a brilliant little Sony RX100 but its taken some damage so that stays at home.
@@ItTakesaJourney thank you!
Really enjoyed that, bit weird at the end a toilet that does burgers, not sure toilet burgers would be my thing. Great video, how do you feel this compared to the south downs, i noticed you said not as much water but seemed less busy too and maybe more forest and greenery and less farm fields?
Haha Toilet Burgers, not sure they are our thing either. Tbh after that day, we were pooped and not making 100% sense at that point. 😋
They are both different and have different good points and I think we enjoyed SDW more as camping and water was easier to obtain plus there are fewer towns and villages about so it felts wilder (if you can call farmland wild 😁). However, having more woodland is very nice and that change is very welcome! In short, both are great!
Love your Channel Page header image btw. Where is that?
@@ItTakesaJourney thanks, I thought we’re going to say the cotswold way was better does look awfully hilly on a map though, I might give it a go but I can see water being an issue, the image on my profile I took in Glencoe in Scotland. I,ll be keeping an eye out for toilet burgers from now on, you started a trend I think.
Some of the questions on here are really dumb
How do you do your hair???
Where can i get water???
Where can i camp???
Great Video, I've Walked Winchcombe a few times up a very steep hill to Belas Knap and drank the water from St Kenelm's Holy Well, What was the grey box in your Bag Pack was it a Chess Set?
Thanks for the nice comment!
Yeah right the hill to Belas Knap is a beast!
A chess set is a great idea but alas its just the drone.
Cheers, Tom
How many miles per day?...must be. 200?...well done!
what is that music at 35 mins? Love it, and at 41
I'm planning to do the cotswold way like you wild camping the only thing that actually putting me off is finding enough water along the way if you have any suggestions please let me know i only plan to do 5- 10 miles a day as i have health issues Thank you Great vid 😀😀
Hi Lyn, there are plenty of, cafes, pubs and residence houses that you can ask to fill up your water bottle. From memory there was only one tap on the trail for people using the trail. We stopped of and asked a couple of houses and they where more than happy to help. I always think, what would I do if someone knocked on my door asking for me to refill their bottle. I would refill it no problem of course. lol. Good luck and enjoy your the trail. Im sure you will love it! Tom
Where did you camp up any tips as im planing on doing the CW
Also - Cows!
Yeah right Cows! 😂😅
Do you have a list of all the places you camped?
Unfortunately not. We did put the place names in the video but they are a little vague if you are trying to pin point them on a map. Sorry
I’m trying to decide between the Cotswolds Way and the Thames Path if I don’t get accepted as a volunteer for the Commonwealth Games
We haven't hiked the Thames Path yet but the CW is beautiful, although depending on what you're plan is, not that many campsites, so worth considering. However, the Commonwealth Games sound like fun, fingers crossed you get accepted for that!! And happy trails when you do get out there! Let us know which you choose if you do plan a hike!
how do you see water points on the hiiker app?
You can filter the option the appear on the app.
REFORESTATION OLD SON
Ay? 😅
Also, dont be scared of cows they only really get angry if there are dogs going mad around their babies.
This is nice to hear.
@@ItTakesaJourney remember you are walking on their dinner as well which why they chase you off.
God I hate cows !! They've spoilt so many of my walks !!
lol. Yeah right they can make things interesting
I NEVER comment on anything. But, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Great couple, great production, great music choice. Inspired.