All of the walks in this book include written directions, an extract of the OS map for the area and some background on the history and natural environment you may see. Most of the walks avoid busy roads, and are designed to help you make the most of a holiday or day trips. There are notes on parking, pubs and things to see on the route. They also include GPS waypoints so you can confirm your location using a handheld GPS.

Key places covered by these walking include the Windrush valley, roman ruins, the village of Syde (where Laurie Lee of Cider with Rosie grew up) and Coombe hill. The combination of idyllic stone villages and small towns in gentle, rolling countryside make the Cotswolds quintessentially 'English'. Cotswold stone varies in colour, depending on the area, ranging from light grey through to pale cream, honey and light brown.

The natural variation in the limestone is what helps towns and villages such as Castle Combe, Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford, Arlington, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Snowshill and Stanton, all featured in walks in this guide, blend so attractively into the natural surroundings.