Few areas of the countryside are as blessed for the walker as the heart of the rural Cotswolds. Gentle footpaths and quiet lanes lead you through the rolling hills and secret valleys, past honey-yellow cottages and green water meadows.

A glance at the map instantly reveals the great potential to create delightful walks for any taste and stamina.

Two waymarked long distance paths run through the area, from Bourton-on-the-Water to Winchcombe:
The Warden's Way weaves a charming route from Bourton through the picturesque villages of the Slaughters, Naunton and Guiting Power, while The Windrush Way follows avoids habitation and finds a more remote route through the quieter valleys and hills.

From Guiting Power, the most popular short walks are through the woodlands paths and secret bye-ways of Guiting Wood. Or, from the phone box on the corner of the village green, head down Well Lane and across the fields to the hamlet of Barton, then along the road to Kineton, turning left along Critchford Lane towards the lower end of Guiting Wood, and thence back along the Winchcombe Road to Guiting village(3.5 miles).

From Naunton, a delightful walk climbs the bank overlooking the Dovecote, skirts the edge of the golf course across the top of the hill, and drops into a tributory valley beyond; here cross a simple stone bridge and follow the Windrush Way down the valley to the farmstead of Lower Harford, from where a lane follows the Windrush valley back into Naunton (3 miles).
For a longer variation, pass through Naunton churchyard to its top corner to emerge on the lane; climb a stile opposite and ascend a steep bank with a hidden exit onto the main road above; turn right along the main road for 100 yards until a gateway on the left; from here a footpath crosses the golf course, passing to the right of a barn, across a dip and then curves gently rightward to join a lane; follow this leftward down to Aylworth hamlet, and turn left along The Windrush Way down the valley to Harford.

A very pleasant 5-mile circular walk from Naunton to Guiting is described in www.countrywalkers.co.uk. Stout shoes are advised for this walk, which follows a combintion of foot-paths, lanes and tracks to make an excellent outing. Good walker allow 3 hours.

A longer circular walk from Naunton to Bourton-on-the-Water is sometimes described as the "Black Horse Walk". The route follows The Warden's Way through the delightful villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter to Bourton, and returns by The Windrush Way along the Windrush valley (8.5 miles). This is also described, starting at Bourton, in www.walkingbritain.co.uk.