Hiking Collection by
Conquer the longest inland trail in England — Monarch’s Way: Part 2
15 days
4-7 h/day
345km
4,160m
4,210m
From Stratford-upon-Avon, the Way takes you 214 miles (344 km) through the Cotswolds AONB, into the vibrant city of Bristol, through the Mendip Hills AONB, into the Dorset AONB and onto finish at Charmouth, in the heart of the Jurassic Coast.
Expect awe-inspiring countryside, abundant wildlife havens, countless historic sites, charming villages, gentle riverside trails, pubs with proper West County cider, and an epic finish on a beach that is hailed as one of the best places in the UK to find dinosaur fossils.
The Monarch’s Way traces the escape route taken by King Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the final battle of the civil war between the Royalists and Parliamentarians. At 615 miles (990 km) in total, it is the longest inland trail in England.
After Charles’ attempt to cross the River Severn and escape into Wales failed, his next plan was to flee to Charmouth, where Royalist allies had arranged a boat for him to sail to France. Unfortunately for Charles, though, Oliver Cromwell’s parliamentary army was hot on his heels — and his captain was locked at home by his wife. Thus, his escape continued.
The trail is waymarked throughout and follows well-maintained paths. The hiking is generally quite leisurely but there are some challenging sections, making it a good choice for all abilities.
In this Collection, we split the route into 15 stages, each averaging 14.3 miles (23 km). Of course, you can divide each stage into as many days as you are comfortable with. You can also walk any single stage, or couple of stages, in isolation. As stages 6, 11, and 14 are all around 17 miles (27.4 km), however, there is a suggestion on how to split the routes in the stage description.
Every stage finishes close to accommodation, even if there are only a few options nearby. However, places to stay are not always abundant so it is worth planning in advance and scheduling any rest days accordingly.
To get to the start of the trail, Stratford-upon-Avon has excellent public transport links. To get home, you would need to catch either the X51 or X53 bus service from Charmouth to Axminster, which has a train station with direct links to London and connecting services around the country.
For more information about the Monarch’s Way, visit: monarchsway.50megs.com.
For the X51 bus timetable, visit: bustimes.org/services/x51-dorchester-bridport-axminster.
For the X53 bus timetable, visit: bustimes.org/services/x53-weymouth-bridport-axminster.
For train timetables and tickets, visit: thetrainline.com.
Click the links below for more Collections on the Monarch’s Way.
Part 1: komoot.com/collection/911739/conquer-the-longest-inland-trail-in-england-monarchs-way-part-1.
Part 3: komoot.com/collection/918048/conquer-the-longest-inland-trail-in-england-monarchs-way-part-3,
Visibility:
Anyone
Do it yourself!
Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Monarch's Way
950km
11,920m
11,930m
Last updated: November 28, 2024
Do it yourself!
Premium
Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Activities
1. Stage 1: Stratford-upon-Avon to Chipping Campden — Monarch's Way
22.8km
05:59
220m
120m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
2. Stage 2: Chipping Campden to Stow-on-the-Wold — Monarch's Way
22.1km
06:05
400m
310m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Sign Up To Discover Places Like This
Get recommendations on the best single tracks, peaks, & plenty of other exciting outdoor places.
Sign up for free
3. Stage 3: Stow-on-the-Wold to Northleach — Monarch's Way
18.8km
05:03
200m
270m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
4. Stage 4: Northleach to Cirencester — Monarch's Way
25.1km
06:40
230m
280m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
5. Stage 5: Cirencester to Tetbury — Monarch's Way
24.0km
06:16
160m
170m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
6. Stage 6: Tetbury to Chipping Sodbury — Monarch's Way
27.6km
07:27
340m
360m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
7. Stage 7: Chipping Sodbury to Keynsham — Monarch's Way
26.0km
06:51
190m
280m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
8. Stage 8: Keynsham to Bristol — Monarch's Way
18.7km
04:54
160m
160m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
9. Stage 9: Bristol to Winford — Monarch's Way
17.9km
05:00
370m
290m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
10. Stage 10: Winford to Wookey Hole — Monarch's Way
24.2km
06:41
420m
460m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
11. Stage 11: Wookey Hole to Castle Cary — Monarch's Way
27.0km
07:19
380m
350m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
12. Stage 12: Castle Cary to Nether Compton — Monarch's Way
24.6km
06:41
340m
390m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
13. Stage 13: Nether Compton to Montacute — Monarch's Way
18.4km
04:46
100m
90m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
14. Stage 14: Montacute to Thorncombe — Monarch's Way
27.6km
07:27
380m
310m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
15. Stage 15: Thorncombe to Charmouth — Monarch's Way
19.7km
05:23
260m
390m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Collection Stats
Activities
15
Distance
345 km
Duration
92:31 h
Elevation
4,160 m
4,210 m
Create your own Collection
Learn more
Comments
Want to know more?
Sign up for a free komoot account to join the conversation.
Sign up for free