6:21am from Paddingdon, you got to be joking! You are on your own mate!

Certainly very good value fares to the Cotswolds for those who can get up that early.

i hope to be one of them jfk

Update: bus passes (e.g. the London freedom pass) are definitely accepted on the route 2 (Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Camden) and the W2 (Winchcombe to Cheltenham)

Cheapest GWR fare I can find to M-in-M is about £36! Where is the £6 offer please?

The train companies make limited numbers of Advance tickets available (at different prices) and these have all gone for Saturday. The earlier you book, the cheaper they are. For example, you can still get a £6 ticket for the 06:21 on Sat 3 June but you'd have to pay £14 for Sat 13 May.

unfortunately all £6.00 tickets to Moreton in Marsh were snaffled about 5 weeks ago.

think an ordinary day return weith rail card is about 22 pounds . anyone interested in doing this 19 mile walk starting off later eg tqking 9 21 train from Paddington? jfk

I should just point out that the last bus from Winchcombe to Cheltenham leaves at 6.56. If you take the 9.21 train, you'll get to Chipping Camden at 12.15, assuming you take the bus rather than commandeer a taxi. That leaves you about 6½ hours to do 19 miles. You'd have to be pretty fit to manage that distance with all the ups and downs on the way. For anyone who feels inspired to get the early train, there is a Budgens at Moreton-in-Marsh, that opens at 7 a.m., so breakfast can be bought while waiting for the 8.47 bus to Chipping Camden. there is a pub close to the bus stop in Winchcomb that early starters will have time to stop at before catching the bus to Cheltenham.

Given the very early start (6.21 from Paddington), it wasn't surprising that only 1 person turned up. The weather was cloudy with sunny intervals . Apologies are due to jfk, who showed an interest in the walk. I allowed the maximum time available, thinking it would take a minimum of 7½ hours. In fact, I got to Winchcombe at 3.15, and this was despite taking a wrong turning at Manor Farm (at the top of the climb out of Broadway on the stretch to Wood Stanway), adding an extra kilometer at least. So, if anyone wants to attempt the full walk, which I would recommend, because it offers fantastic views of the Vale of Evesham from Dover's Hill and Broadway Tower, it would be fine to set off two hours later (8.21) and start the walk from Chipping Camden at 11.15.

The walk itself was excellent underfoot. There are three climbs up to the escarpment at the beginning of each stretch (I used the official Aurum Press guide, written by Anthony Burton)and three descents at the end. The Cotswold Way is well-signposted. There were plenty of walkers in both directions... not surprising on a bank holiday Saturday with good weather. Although it is a long journey from London, with a 50-minute wait at Moreton-in-Marsh for the connecting bus, everything about the Cotswolds makes it a memorable day out. The very cheap £6 single fare out has to be booked about five weeks in advance, and is a gamble well worth taking.

Well i set off to do this walk taking the 9.21 train. I found a bus which was taking me to the beginning of the Cotswolds way at the railway station. It left at 11.27 .

fortunately or unfortunately I overshot Chipping Campden and ended up in Broadway one of my very favourite Cotswolds villages and outside the Lygon Arms Hotel one of my favourite eating places After having a lovely lunch there I decided the walk could wait and had a wonderful afternoon shopping. I hope to return soon to do the first stage of the Cotswolds Way as far as Winchcombe . Jane from Kew

I think that last comment should have been posted under the 'Shopping Reports' tag, but it sounds like a perfect day out. What could be better than taking a train three hours later than specified and catching a bus to a splendid eaterie for an agreeable lunch, followed by an afternoon's shopping? Those misguided souls who enjoy climbing Welsh mountains in a steady drizzle seem to be far too well catered for, so surely one of the walk posters could be persuaded to post a few more 'walks' like this.