Looking for Broadway Tower walks?
Broadway Tower walks, huh? We don’t blame you! Standing high on Beacon Hill, the second highest point in the Cotswolds, Broadway Tower is a local icon – and a fine place to take walks.
Read our blog post to check out some recommended Broadway Tower walks. While you’re here, have a read about our ‘Cotswolds Walks & Villages‘ guided walking tour.
What is Broadway Tower?
It might look like an ancient castle, but Broadway Tower is in fact a relatively modern 18th Century folly. That means it serves no real purpose at all!
Lady Coventry, wife of the 6th Earl of Coventry, wanted to know if a burning beacon could be seen on the hill 22 miles away from her estate in Worcester. The famous landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was employed to find out – thus, he commissioned architect James Wyatt to construct the folly in 1798. (And yes, a beacon could be see quite clearly!)
The Tower and surrounding grounds are now privately owned, but it’s open to the public for an entry fee, and there is free right of access on foot via The Cotswold Way footpath, which passes right through the grounds.
Broadway Tower walks #1
Disclaimer: The directions for these self-guided walks are provided in good faith, to be followed entirely at your own risk, and are not intended to replace use of a good map or common sense. Please take care and dress appropriately with appropriate footwear. Depending on the weather, time of year and other factors beyond our control, you may encounter puddles, mud, slip and trip hazards, thorns/nettles/overgrown vegetation, and traffic. Go Cotswolds shall not be held liable under any circumstances for any matter arising out of your participation in this walk. We accept no responsibility or liability for loss or injury (other than for matters for which we are not legally able to exclude or limit liability).
Distance: Approx. 0.75 miles (1.2 km)
Time required: 20 minutes
Terrain: Footpaths, fields
Refreshments: The Tower Barn at Broadway Tower
The first of our Broadway Tower walks is the one signposted and recommended by Broadway Tower Country Park itself. This short, 20 minute circuit orientates you as to the layout of the country park and takes you right past the Tower itself. If you have arrived by car, park in the pay-and-display car park and begin the walk from the cafe.
The route is well signposted and the terrain is mixed (so expect some mud and slipperiness in wet weather), but it’s easy going.
Route map for Broadway Tower Walks #1 by Lisa Benjamin on plotaroute.com
Broadway Tower walks #2
Distance: Approx. 4.3 miles (7 km)
Time required: Allow 3 hours
Terrain: Footpaths, fields, some steep uphill sections
Refreshments: The Tower Barn at Broadway Tower; The Swan, Broadway
This circular route starts and ends in the village of Broadway, takes in part of The Cotswold Way national trail. There is a fairly steep uphill climb to the Tower, but the views from the top are well worth it! You can find detailed route notes on the National Trail website here, but the map I’ve plotted below starts and ends in the car park in the centre of Broadway.
Route map for Broadway Tower Walks #2 by Lisa Benjamin on plotaroute.com
See more of the Cotswolds on foot, with friendly local experts
#1 too easy and #2 too hard? Then try our ‘Cotswolds Walks & Villages‘ tour. On this tour, you’ll enjoy Broadway Tower walks with a difficulty level somewhere in between the two we’ve described here.
Our Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour
First, we’ll pick you up from Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh. Then, your guide will park the minibus approximately 1 mile away from Broadway Tower. Next, they’ll lead you along part of The Cotswold Way, so you’ll arrive at Broadway Tower on foot. You’ll be rewarded with wonderful countryside views of native woodland, rolling hills dotted with sheep, and a fantastic perspective on the Tower.
You can then continue the walk, following part of The Cotswold Way national trail, down to the village of Broadway. Or, rest your feet a little by taking the shorter route back to the minibus and drive to Broadway with your guide.
After free time for a lunch break in Broadway, we’ll get back in the minibus. Then, it’s off to Asthall, a quiet pretty village in the Cotswolds, which is the start of our beautiful Windrush Valley walk. If you’ve had enough walking for one day, we’ll drop you off in Burford instead – a fantastic town to enjoy a relaxing couple of hours.
We highly recommend the 3-mile-long figure-of-eight Windrush Valley walk. On this walk, we’ll visit the quiet, peaceful Cotswold villages of Asthall, Swinbrook and Widford. These villages, with some surprising history, are missed by most visitors to the Cotswolds, but are so worth it!
Why take a guided tour?
We know, guided tours aren’t everyone’s ‘thing’. But, there are two BIG advantages of joining a guided walking tour.
1. We know stuff!
Our guides are all experienced, qualified tour guides. We’re friendly, knowledgeable – and what’s more, we’re all local! We’ve travelled the world ourselves, so we know you get the best experience when you’re with friends. Therefore, we set up Go Cotswolds to deliver the kind of tours we’d want to go on ourselves!
Our promise: we don’t hold an umbrella in the air and expect you to follow us like lemmings. We don’t give you a headset and make you listen to some boring pre-recorded commentary. Our aim is to enhance your day by helping you to experience the Cotswolds like a local, with a local. We love where we live, and we want you to love it too!
2. You don’t have to drive!
This is a big selling point for the international visitors who take our tours. After all, if you’re used to wide American freeways and driving on the ‘other’ side of the road, then it’s a big plus to let someone else take the wheel!
But if you’re a UK visitor, then there are big advantages of leaving the driving to someone else too. Perhaps you don’t have your own car, or want to reduce your carbon footprint. Maybe you’re not used to driving in the countryside, or don’t want the stress of finding a parking space. Perhaps you’d like to indulge in a glass of wine or a beer at lunch time without risking your licence!
Convinced? Book your Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour here!
Want less walking? Try our ‘Cotswolds in a Day tour’ instead.
Prefer a private tour or need group transport? Then, check out our private tours and minibus hire options.
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