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 sunny warm breezy perfect long walking conditions . About three quarters of our way to Ford, we met walker 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....

Missed the 8:50 and caught the 9:50 train :(...

Hope to catch up with any fellow walkers around lunchtime.

- John N

In short, a full fab day out in good company on a picture perfect late spring day . Kudos to all participants for completing the full marathon!

In more detail, 4 alighted from the designated train in bright sunshine which stayed with us for the day...In fact, all 4 ended up in shorts by the end of the day! The going went swiftly in the morning and we arrived at the lovely (and very efficient) pub in Ford at 1:30pm where 3 spent a leisurely hour in the garden enjoying a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and various local asparagus inspired dishes....Eventually, we set off for the spectacular afternoon section of this walk with fabulous views from the escarpment punctuated with charming Cotswold villages. Although the Mount Inn in Stanton has an afternoon closure, we took a break at one of their outdoor garden tables before re-ascending the escarpment. On top, we caught-up with the picnicker having lunch number 2 and all carried on to Snowshill, arriving just before the pub opened at 6pm.... 3 opted to stop and were first in line for a refreshing beverage when the bar opened.....As we were leaving the pub, we bumped into a late starter from the 9:50am train who had done the whole route, including a brief lunch stop at the pub in Ford, making for 5 in total. This foursome finished up the walk in the soft evening light....negotiating a VERY inquisitive herd of young bulls...We arrived back in the Marsh about 9:20pm in the fading light with just enough time to gather some hot take-outs and beverages before meeting on the platform with our earlier companion for the 9:54pm back to London. Really a great time of year for this walk with loads of rapeseed at their brightest yellow; pockets of bluebells still looking fresh; good stretches of wild garlic and even a few lingering wood anemones! Also spotted were purple orchids and a few butterflies (1 orange tip, a few brimstones and various others).

Intend taking the 9.22 with a taxi to Ford, followed by lunch at the Mount Inn in Stanton and then another taxi from Broadway back to the station.

Jane is hoping to do a slightly less challenging Cotswolds walk to Broadway. This will involve a later start ie 10 05train from Ealing broadway to Slough then pick up Moreton train.

In addition it will be necessary to take a bus at the beginning and the end.

If anyione fancies an easier option they are welcome to accompany me.

jfk

I'm planning on getting the 9.22 followed by a taxi to Longborough.

7 emerged from the specified train to meet 1 special guest on the platform and 3 more arrived on the later train, making for a total of 11 on this epic journey on a warm largely sunny with some clouds late summer day . Of the original 8, one took at taxi to Ford with plans for lunch at the Mount Inn (in Stanton) and of the later group, 2 took a taxi to Longborough, arriving about 10 minutes before the 7 earlier starters (the whole group came together about a mile further along) with the third continuing in the taxi to Ford to also eat at the Mount Inn. After lunch at the Plough Inn in Ford, 1 of the main group decided to do the full circular walk back to Moreton and set off at a pace; while the remaining 8 continued in a more leisurely fashion to Broadway, enjoying the picturesque villages of Stanway, Stanton and Snowshill along the way. To our surprise we found the Snowshills Arms open (apparently it stays open all day on weekends during the school holidays) where we enjoyed restorative bevies of choice before the final push along the escarpment to Broadway -- timing was perfect to enjoy a setting sun against some western hills on our descent from Broadway Tower. In Broadway, we reconnected with the 2 Ford starters and were all whisked back to Moreton in our pre-arranged chariots with time to gather provisions for the delayed 20:48 back to London....A long and rewarding day out in good company and with all enjoying the particular routes chosen....

I am definitely interested in a shorter option using a taxi. The simplest of these seems to be Moreton to Snowshill (17.5 miles), booking a taxi from there at 7pm (eg) to give time for tea, though I could be persuaded to Longborough to Blockley (19 miles: the walk creator says this includes the best of the route) if someone is keen (this needs a taxi at both ends, but a fairly short one in each case).

If interested, please post a comment below.

IF doing the shorter option, does it make sense to get a later train, and then make a judgement during the afternoon about where to get a taxi back from, planning to get the last train back?

The suggestion of taking the 9:19 train and having a taxi bring you to Longborough is a good one -- as Longborogh is 6km/3.5 miles into the walk -- so you should arrive there at a similar time as those walking from the earlier train. However, I would not wait too late to book a taxi from Blockley (around 20:30) if you think that you may want to stop there.

Courtesy of Thomas G -- there is now a GPX file available for the route. Thanks, Thomas.

Is anyone planning to do the full 26 mile version of this walk?

Yes -- I will be...

I know of at least two others who say they will do the full walk.

For my part, I have booked a taxi at 7pm from Snowshill, 17.5 miles into the walk. Anyone is welcome to join me - subject to space, of course. If you want to make a firm commitment to secure your place, post a comment.

I intend to take the specified train in the morning, however, and start with the main group. As far as I can see this gives a 10 mile morning (with an earlier start than usual for SWC walks, so we should get to lunch in time) and then a 7.5 mile walk after lunch, hopefully arriving at 6pm in time for the pub opening.

I intend to get the 9.17 train and take a taxi to

Longborough. Is anyone else planning to do the

same?

Before we get the report from the LDWs here is the "wimps" report of their day. I set off on the 9.20 train with the aim of doing the short circular walk via Longborough but using the gpx route for SWC 115. There was only 1 other SWC regular at MinM station clutching what I first thought was an early draft of her unpublished novel but in fact turned out to be the entire 20+ pages of the walk notes and directions. She was happy to accompany me so we set off reaching Longborough just before noon and stopping for a drink at the pub. Sadly we were too early for the village fete so we continued on along trails and rarely walked narrow paths through lovely woodland and open undulating countryside with terrific views sidestepping some difficult cattle churn/mud in a couple of fields. We ate our sandwiches on a wooded hilltop but with the weather strating to freshen and some threatening clouds we soon continued on to Blockley. here we were in time to have a huge pot oF excellent tea and a mmassive slab of walnut and coffee cake which I am sad to report did not meet SWC quality thresholds: its topping was some beige, glutinous concoction which was not very pleasant. We continued on the last leg up the hill and down into MinM in glorious late afternoon light and across fields filled with buttercups and other wild flowers. A leisurley drink in the 3 Bells (an eminently quaffable Malbec) and the journey back on the 18.44. A brilliant Cotswolds day out.)

This walk goes through some lovely remote countryside but suffers from a slight shortcoming in that the pub comes too early in the walk and the early closure of the tea stop. Its only been posted once I think but its worth another summer outing.

Finally I only briefly looked at the pdf walk file but as someone who knows how much time and effort it takes to research, write and walk check a simple 12m walk this effort by Stargazer is truly a Labour of Love. Epic stuff which pushes even further the boundaries of SWC adventures.

I am not a LDW either, but was with the main group on the 8.18 train. I counted 12 but others said 11. We set off at an extraordinary pace - even an experienced LDW later confided to me that she found it shockingly fast. I soon got separated from the pack, as did a few others. In fact maybe there was no pack and everyone went at their own speed: I don't know.

The terrain on this "boring bit" (the author's own words) was pleasing enough. The weather was cloudy and windy but experienced LDW-ers said this was better than blazing heat. Towards lunch, 10 miles in, there was a short cut which I took, adding a further shortcut of my own, so I actually got to lunch first. On the way I encountered two more SWC walkers who had taken the 7.17 - yes, 7.17 - from Paddington and who had already lunched. These two plus the 11 on the specified train plus the two who did the short walk (see separate report) makes 15 total on the walk by my count.

The section after lunch was the scenic highlight - the gobsmacking Cotswold escarpment with a magnificent view towards Wales. We had some sun here too and the walk descended to the very pretty stone villages of Stanton and ....err....the other one, so life seemed very nice. A visitor to our group saved us from serious injury by expertly wrangling several enormous horses out of the way (you put your hand on their noses and push backwards gently, it seems, but don't try this at home, kids.)

If I had any gripe in such lovely scenery it was that it would have been nice to stop and look at it. Or sit down for a rest. In Stanton, 15 miles in, I did the latter and that was my big mistake. When I stood up again most of my leg muscles had gone AWOL and I also realised my water had run out. I had to do a huge and steep escarpment climb in sticky heat and then descend the other side and cross a valley to Snowshill. How I did this 2.5 miles, Lord knows.

I arrived as the pub was opening, however, and with another walker who had decided to stop there indulged in an orgy of sugary drinks and calorific foods. It was by now raining and we took our pre-booked taxi into Moreton (£18 if anyone is curious). The other walker and one of the 7.17 starters took the 7.43 train. I went to the surprisingly empty Indian restaurant (it has always been packed before) and had a vast veggie curry. All the other 26 milers arrived just in time for the 8.43, having had no tea stop whatsoever, and having hurriedly shopped for food for the train. We then all had a convivial and cheerful ride home.

Another time I would take a taxi to the lunch pub, 10 miles in, and do the rest of the walk. There is lunch in Stanton, tea in Blockley and this is the best of the scenery. If a group booked a people-mover taxi the shared cost might not be expensive. But if you are one of the superhumans* who can do these distances, it is a great day out

* Talking of superhumans, on the Cotswold Way were runners doing a 53 mile race along it: someone is always tougher than you!!!

I am exhausted just reading the report! Glad you all enjoyed the midsummer madness.