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Walking routes from your door

Four walks that start and end in the village

Step outside and start walking

One of the best things about staying in Bibury is that the countryside starts at your front door. No driving, no car parks, no hunting for trailheads. You simply step outside and go. Here are four of our favourite walks, all starting and finishing in the village.

The River Coln in summer with overhanging trees
Easy · a gentle loop

The River Coln Loop

The walk everyone does on their first morning. Follow the River Coln south from the village, cross the meadow, and loop back through Arlington Row. Flat, easy, and beautiful at any time of year. In spring, the meadow floods and the path becomes a boardwalk over shallow water. In summer, wild trout are visible in the clear water beneath the bridges. End at The Swan for a coffee or something stronger.

Starts: Any cottage · Ends: The Swan Inn · Terrain: Flat, gravel and grass · Dog friendly

Find the start on Google Maps →
Arlington Row from the bridge path
Easy · a short stretch

Arlington Row and the Rack Isle

The short one for when you just want to stretch your legs. Walk down to Arlington Row, the most photographed street in the Cotswolds, then cross to the Rack Isle, the water meadow where Cotswold wool was once hung to dry. Follow the path along the river and back through the churchyard of St Mary's. The light here changes by the hour, and it is never the same walk twice.

Starts: Any cottage · Ends: St Mary's Church · Terrain: Flat, paved and grass · Dog friendly

Find it on Google Maps →
Arlington Row from the river in summer
Moderate · a longer walk with lunch

Bibury to Coln St Aldwyns

For when you want to earn your lunch. Follow the river south out of Bibury towards Coln St Aldwyns, a village even quieter than this one. The path crosses open farmland with long views over the Coln Valley. Coln St Aldwyns has The New Inn, a proper country pub with a garden and decent food. Walk there, have lunch, walk back. The return route follows a higher path with views back down to the valley.

Starts: Riverside Cottage or Green Hideaway · Ends: The New Inn, Coln St Aldwyns (then return) · Terrain: Undulating, fields and stiles · Dog friendly on lead

See the route on Google Maps →
Wide view of Arlington Row on a sunny day
Moderate · a big day out

The Cotswold Villages Circuit

The big day out. Follow the footpath north from Bibury towards Ablington, then climb gently to the ridge above the valley. The views from here stretch across classic Cotswold countryside: stone walls, sheep, rolling hills, and not much else. Drop down to Winson, another tiny village, before following the Coln Valley back to Bibury. This is the walk that makes you understand why people move here.

Starts: Any cottage · Ends: The Catherine Wheel (you will need it) · Terrain: Hills, fields, some road · Dog friendly on lead

Find Ablington on Google Maps →

Before you set off

Footwear

Boots or sturdy shoes in winter. Trainers fine in summer for the shorter walks.

Maps

OS Explorer OL45 covers everything. Or download the OS Maps app before you arrive.

Dogs

All walks are dog friendly but livestock is common. Keep dogs on leads through fields.

Pubs

The Swan, The Catherine Wheel, and The New Inn (Coln St Aldwyns) are all walker-friendly.

Weather

The Cotswolds gets proper seasons. Bring layers. The river path can be muddy after rain.

Timing

Start early in summer to beat the visitors at Arlington Row. Winter walks are quieter and the light is extraordinary.

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