Hiking the Trail That Most Americans DON’T Know About…

[@davidslingsby5520]

Foot paths are all over Britain and are right of way through most properties, so, not just the Cotswolds. Nice to see you enjoying your walks. 😊

[@travelfomopodcast]

Thanks for pointing that out, David! We LOVE it!

[@peterfhere9461]

@@travelfomopodcast As has been said, there are public rights of way/footpaths over the whole country - thousands of miles of them - all protected by law such that they cannot be closed off. In addition, many landowners give permission for people to cross their land without it becoming a right of way, such as the Crown Estate (the monarchy..), The Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Defence, various canal and river authorities, common land, and the National Trust to name but a few....

[@nicksykes4575]

@@travelfomopodcast Bourton-on-the-Water is pronounced Borton not Burton, there are more than 150,000miles of footpaths in the UK, and the landowners are responsible for the upkeep of the infrastructure, gates, stiles, bridges, fences, etc. glad to see you're enjoying that beautiful part of the UK.

[@dinerouk]

Bill Bryson, writer and ex American, had much in favour to say about it in his book 'Notes on a small island'.

[@eileenflannigan709]

@@dinerouk Apart from when he mentions having passed through 'Various Chippings and Slaughters and Tweeness-upon-the-Waters'!

[@colinsmith1288]

England is an old country,so those public rights of way or bridleways as sometimes they are called are often ancient. Some paths through the English countryside date back to neolithic times so you are walking in the path of our ancestors and yours too if you have some british heritage.

[@charliebryce3783]

I live on the Cotswold way and I'm amazed the number of people from all over the world come to walk this long distance path. Especially lots of people from the USA.

[@oldfashionedgal42]

Jamin’s comfort with the farm animals and Hilarie’s leeriness towards them is totally cracking me up. How sweet of the owners to be so welcoming to you both!

[@ethelmini]

I know, hardly anyone gets killed by cows in a typical year, especially outside of April.

[@QuakerJones268]

I love that you got out into the real England, away from the normal tourist places. Next time, take in The Peak District. Breathtaking.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Awesome! Thanks for the advice…There WILL be a next time! 🙌

[@stephentaylor1476]

Footpaths are all over Britain and they are a public right of way, just remember to respect them.

[@revbenf6870]

The footpaths are a legal entitlement, many have existed for 1000s of years and most County Councils employ people to help maintain them and farmers have certain legal duties to keep them open. As others have said they are marked on Ordnance Survey maps and usually fairly well signposted...

[@MsCheesemonster13]

I live in Cheshire with my husband and dog, and we walk regularly in our spare time. For anyone who wants to walk in our country, the Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for the UK, and they do an excellent series of books for walkers - we have all the ones for the counties near us. For the Cotswolds, there is “ORDNANCE SURVEY SHORT WALKS - COTSWOLDS”, or “Pathfinder Series: Outstanding Circular Walks”. They are useful because they have each of the walks plotted on a little OS map, the GPS coordinate at the different points, and information about the area you are walking through. You can find your way without them, though, as our Rights of Way are well signposted.

[@xhogun8578]

Love the yew trees by the doorway, makes it feel fairy tale like.

[@RonSeymour1]

With cows and cattle, the golden rule is that you make sure that you can get to the exit before they do. Seriously, if you have a dog, even on a lead, be very careful when there are young cattle about. They have been known to attack and trample dog walkers. It is rare but does happen as they are very protective.

[@joyfulzero853]

If they come running towards you, let go of the dog.

[@amyw6808]

Definitely not just the cotswolds. Britain is a complex spiderweb of interconnected footpaths. There’s a footpath that goes all around our coastline too.

[@Twirlyhead]

In England and Wales there are what is known as _public right of way_ paths which are specific, legally enforced paths that land owners are obliged to maintain and allow the general public to transit; some land owners do a better job of maintaining said paths than others however. In Scotland though there is a general right of _responsible_ access to open spaces and waters which effectively means that the public can wander almost anywhere and which land owners can only limit that access for a good reason such as a grouse shoot etc taking place which would make it too dangerous.

[@Twirlyhead]

Northern Ireland, incidentally, has greatly inferior public rights of way laws than the rest of the UK. Except for parks NI access is at the discretion of private landowners. Similar to such laws in Republic of Ireland.

[@colindebourg9012]

The trees outside the church door are Yew trees, these were thought to keep the Devil and evil spirits away years ago, these are common in English grave yards and churches.

[@timhannah4]

Also Made Excellent Bows for the English/Welsh Archers!

[@MaxwellMoore-d1u]

​@timhannah4 And are usually Older than the Church itself.

[@primalengland]

My great grandfather ran the post office and was Methodist preacher in Lower Slaughter. There is just one photograph of him. A real fire and brimstone looking guy.

[@travelfomopodcast]

That’s so cool!

[@clivelogsdon1492]

Bourton-on-the-water, must be the most beautiful of towns in the UK

[@philoza1000]

But way too many people there!

[@bushchat28d]

Its really not

[@davidfuters7152]

Not all landowners are so keen to let you cross their land , Stella McCartney tried to stop it happening not far from me , also Madonna pulled out of buying a Cotswold Mansion because it had public right of way across its land

[@travelfomopodcast]

That makes sense -- especially for celebrities wanting privacy. Thanks for sharing!

[@alastairwallace6153]

Lucky its not up to them, its a right of way.

[@joygibbons5482]

There are over 100,000 miles of public footpaths in England. Some have existed since pre history and predate the private ownership of property. In theory they can be created at any time if people need to travel across private land. The land owner can’t arbitrarily close them, but can apply to have the route changed if it is compromising their safety or privacy. An official map showing them all is kept by the local government e.g county council.

[@oldfashionedgal42]

“Those horses look pretty dicey.” BAHAHAHAHA. I love this part of your walk and chat. 🤣

[@travelfomopodcast]

😂😂😂

[@PhilipSchofield-ly9po]

Very glad you enjoyed your hike there is government legislation (The Right to Roam) allowing people to walk anywhere, as long as they do so responsibly - not state interference, but freedom as a Brit would see it. Dry stone walls, still carefully erected now as well as dry stone walling competitions, very stout and long lasting, those walls will be several hundred years old. Lastly, did you read the gravestones in the church cemeteries? Often much older than America!

[@travelfomopodcast]

@@PhilipSchofield-ly9po We absolutely loved our time there. And YES, the gravestones really reflect the long history of everyone who had lived there - much further back than the U.S. So powerful to see! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@joeking5310]

Great video. Places I've never seen, and I've seen most of Britain. I am in Dorset on the Jurassic coast, another great place to visit.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Awesome! We’ll have to add it to our list! Thanks for watching!

[@Tony2438]

It's not just the Cotswold paths are like that every where

[@travelfomopodcast]

@@Tony2438 That gives us a good excuse to go back and do more hikes! Anywhere else you’d recommend for us? We’re planning a trip for next year!

[@Tony2438]

@@travelfomopodcast Hadrian's Wall it's 95 miles cost to cost from the Irish sea to the north sea the Romans built it it the shortest part across Britain of causes peak District and Snowdonia this is so many places please check out see what if you like any?

[@kenrundle4225]

At a time when Britain had many more villages, settlements and hamlets than now the only way of getting around was by footpath as most folk did not have horses. Thanks to public pressure and by-laws these have been kept open in England . In Scotland there is a Responsible Right to Roam in the Norwegian style. While it is still illegal to walk through the land immediately around a home or workplace the rest is open as long as it is not through growing crops etc. And because so much of Scotland is like the Highlands and rough ground people like mountain guides can make a living on that land even if they don't own it. For example if I gather a group of folk around a small loch for a painting class I can charge for them but not pay the landowner.Tends to blow the minds of most Americans who don't even recognise the original inhabitants of the land they now control as they are doing in Australia and New Zealand.

[@mehitabel6564]

So lovely to see visitors getting out of the car and walking Y.ou get so much more of a feel of the countryside walking through it which we do every weekend and most days - the Cotswolds are my home. In May and June, the months after you were there, all the blossom comes out and the cow parsley decks the countryside for a bride. If you return, try a hike in the Withycombe area, to the very well preserved Roman villa of Chedworth. It's a little more off the beaten track/touristy areas of Bourton-on-the-Water, but you'll find plenty of gorgeous country pubs to make pit-stops. Currently in autumn/fall it is glowing.

[@travelfomopodcast]

I can’t imagine it even more beautiful than it was in April! We are adding Withycombe to the list for next time - and hopefully in the summer!

[@mehitabel6564]

@@travelfomopodcast Oops, it's WINCHCOMBE, not Withycombe. Sorry. For country walks and hiking, we use the Pathfinder walking guides. There is a guide for each scenic district in the UK, all walks are circular, ranging from 3 miles to 12 miles, with 28 walks per book. The great thing is they always point out pubs to stop at. The books are fairly small in size, easy to stick in a backpack.

[@alanthomas2064]

Etymology cotswold- Anglo-Saxon named Cod held high land Codswold!

[@walkietalkietraveller2932]

I travel the world, but then find it takes two north americans to show me parts of the uk i have never considered visiting ! thanks for sharing your journey. happy travels.

[@travelfomopodcast]

I’m glad we brought something new to the table. Now, we need follow YOUR adventures!

[@edwardwilcox6606]

I`ve had many cups of tea from my flask sitting on that same bench in Upper Slaughter over the years. There really are so many terrific walks to be had in the Cotswolds & I heartily recommend them to people coming over from N. America. Pick-up an Ordnance Survey ( OS ) Cotswold Walks Pathfinder Guide & pick the walks that suite you for distance & time taken & also for pubs on route! Nice vid guys, thanks!!

[@travelfomopodcast]

Great tip! We hope to come back!

[@johnnybeer3770]

Bourton on the water ----beautiful . Pronounced Borton not Burton .🇬🇧

[@BeckyPoleninja]

Footpaths and rights of way are all over the UK

[@penname5766]

That ancient church doorway with the yew trees growing around it apparently inspired JRR Tolkien’s Gate of Mordor in Lord of the Rings.

[@travelfomopodcast]

That’s so cool!

[@adventussaxonum448]

Hollin gate to Moria, wasn't it?

[@revbenf6870]

Beat me to it!! Tolkien loved that part of England and there are several potential connections with LOTR.

[@alicepretty7785]

What out for the throat-ripping squirrels. x

[@tonycasey3183]

FOMO guys explaining how cold it is and suggesting winter coat, gloves and boots. Meanwhile, British kids in the background, wearing shorts and T-shirts and paddling barefoot in the river.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Haha! I know!!!

[@valeriedavidson2785]

A shame you did not choose to visit in the summer. The Cotswolds are so beautiful.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Next time!!! 🙌

[@kenharte6553]

I liked this nice couple. Good camera work interesting also

[@travelfomopodcast]

Thanks for watching!

[@nvgirl1807]

Lol the idea that people in the Cotswolds leave footpaths in their property is hilarious. There are footpaths throughout all parts of the UK. They are protected as ancient rights of way

[@jonathangoll2918]

You gave us a brief view of the Church in Upper Slaughter. Did you realize that the arches we saw - judging by their style - dated from the 1100s?

[@travelfomopodcast]

What?! That’s crazy! And no, we didn’t realize that! Thank you for sharing!

[@TheWrightLifeTravelChannel]

The horses were friend! That looked like a fun hike!

[@gmdhargreaves]

Very pretty, that church you couldn’t get in would have been open- all churches are open to anyone everyday of the year door was probably very stiff or heavy

[@johntaplin3126]

You are right to be cautious of cattle, especially if you have dogs with you. People get trampled to death by the cattle every year.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Wow. I didn't realize that. 😳

[@jacketrussell]

You always need to rake a cow whacking stick with you when walking in the English countryside.

[@fabshop6359]

The clothing you advertise, just like TOG24, Karrimor, Craghopper, Regatta and Berghaus. Really brilliant outdoor clothing, you should try some.

[@nicothechihuahua3167]

Hi Great video. You should try the Peak District if you like stunning scenery and great walks.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Thanks so much!

[@chipsthedog1]

Cows kill more people than bears, wolves or sharks and over three quarters of these attacks are thought to be deliberate, the risk increases dramatically if you have a dog or dogs with you.

[@travelfomopodcast]

😳😳😳

[@chipsthedog1]

@@travelfomopodcast it's not quite as bad as it sounds when you take into account that cows are everywhere and we mix with them so much. Or to put it another way I'd rather walk through a field of cows than a field of bears

[@travelfomopodcast]

@@chipsthedog1 You got that right! 😆👍🏻

[@davidmorgan6896]

Cows are bad, but bullocks are much worse. They are young and curious and they really don't seem to like dogs. This is a problem for me as I always have dogs with me when out for a walk.

[@angelabushby1891]

Norman Church,English churches have tall spires

[@crowbar9566]

I like your Aussie narrator😆

[@travelfomopodcast]

Thanks! Everyone watching this particular video thinks he’s English! 😆 You got it! 🙌

[@leematthews6812]

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my country, where we welcome you into such enticingly-named places as Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, Gravesend....

[@travelfomopodcast]

Haha! 😂

[@eileenflannigan709]

Interestingly, the name 'Slaughter' here comes from the old English word for a 'wet land' ('slothre' = muddy place in OE).

[@frankparsons1629]

The church at Upper Slaughter has a remarkable survivor, an archway richly decorated with "dog tooth" decoration, Norman style and quite late in the period so I'd say circa 1170 and on the verge of transition towards Early English style. However it may have been rebuilt as its style and width/height don't quite fit and of course I can't view the whole and its exact setting. There is told of restorations in the Victorian period.

[@frglee]

Years back I had delightful several holidays walking in the Cotswolds and staying in Youth Hostels along the way. No more than a dozen miles a day on foot; I stopped a lot to look at stuff like the churches and houses or even to pop into the pubs. Sometimes I even took the bus a bit. I was never lonely; you'd meet people along the way or in the villages and pass the time of day with them. Not so much following a long distance trail as just heading in a general direction and following country lanes, tracks and footpaths from village to village using the excellent 1:25000 and 1:50000 Ordnance Survey Maps which I recommend to visitors. I recall once walking along a public footpath across a ploughed field in Oxfordshire, I noticed there were cobbles underfoot in places. Looking at the map, I discovered I was walking on a 2000 year old Roman road!

[@travelfomopodcast]

LOVE this!!!

[@laurensteenkamp7693]

Please if you are planning on walking anywhere in the British countryside (not just the Cotswolds) look out for signs saying public footpath, now they are often quite spread out but if you haven't seen one in around a mile or so you may be trespassing on 'fully' private land. The only 'exception' to what I've just said is during October/ November if you come to a closed farm gate, the gate is closed because the farmer is trying to breed livestock so just go back to the last footpath sign you passed and go a different way. It's always good to be cautious of any kind of livestock when your walking in the British countryside, also (and this is advice for any Brits reading this post) if you have a dog with you it's best to keep it on a lead if its' not used to seeing stock day to day. Farmers lose hundreds if not thousands of stock a year to untrained* dogs scaring (worrying) it. There is one thing that if you'll notice Upper Slaughter Churchyard doesn't have that most English Churchyards have, if you visit? *= to work with stock

[@travelfomopodcast]

Excellent insight. Thanks so much for sharing this with us -- and everyone! So helpful.

[@travelfomopodcast]

What is Upper Slaughter Churchyard missing? We're curious!

[@laurensteenkamp7693]

@@travelfomopodcast most English Churchyards have either a stone cross or a tablet near the front door with the names of all those who died during the world wars, Upper Slaughter does not have either of these because it is a Thankful village. Indeed it is one of a handful of doubly Tvs, this select club of villages didn't lose a single soul who went to war (or did very dangerous war work) during either the conflict of 1914-18 or that of 1939-45

[@travelfomopodcast]

@@laurensteenkamp7693 wow! That’s amazing - yet another way that these communities survived the wars (not just their buildings, but also their people). ❤️

[@nick7076]

The footpaths and rights of way were there hundreds or even thousands of years before the farms or property.

[@travelfomopodcast]

That's really fascinating to think about. We love the deep, rich history of England. ❤

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

Most of the paths date to the middle stone age and even further in the southern reaches of what became the British Isles. :)

[@rerenaissance7487]

Cows. Walk calmy through the field. They will quite possibly follow you. If you run, THEY will run. Rarely aggressive, but they steer like, well, a cow, and accidents can happen. If ypu're brave / serene, lying down on your back near to cows is fun. They will come and stand around you in a circle and sniff you. Could be their maternal instincts, that we exploit so much in dairy production. Be warned, they drip a LOT of snot. Get up slowly when you're ready, walk calmy to the field's exit.

[@charliebryce3783]

Shame you didn't walk through some bluebell woods, bluebells are flowering in mid April.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Bluebells! ❤️ Sounds like we need to plan a return visit!

[@archiebald4717]

The footpaths are ancient. They are kept in place, with free access, by law. The landowner has a legal duty to maintain them. It's Borton, not Burton. Why does he have an Australian accent?

[@phillipwatson9906]

Just think those footpaths are older than America

[@travelfomopodcast]

Right?!!!

[@spanishpeaches2930]

There is another reason the Cotswolds are so cool...

[@jeanniewarken5822]

There are public rights of way even through farmers fields.. farmers are obluged by law to maintain these rights of way through theur fields also providing access via gates or styes.

[@arnoldarnold4944]

Come back soon!

[@kevinralph5305]

In 1884 was when James Bryce MP introduced the first Parliamentary bill for a right to roam.

[@terencecarroll1812]

It's an ancient by-law that enables people freedom to roam allowing access by land owners to their land and views

[@maxmoore9955]

4 Miles in the Cotwolds is a Walk .not an Hike .!

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

`Legal Time` began in England - I think - after the death of King Henry II in the year 1189. Time before that date is regarded as `time immemorial` (so long ago as not to be remembered ). Any public footpath existing before that year would now still be a right of way. But more recent public footpaths may arise due to nothing more than common use. If a path has been trodden for so long whilst no complaint has been made as to its private property, then it becomes by its own existence in shere weight of years a public footpath. I often wonder in my sojourns along such paths what hell has been raised in their defence against landlords that would have it otherwise.

[@garymitchell5899]

I feel you could add more clickbait for Americans? If you tell them how our butlers bring iced tea every half an hour?

[@billydonaldson6483]

When the cattle have calves they become very protective of them, this is when they can become dangerous and you should give them a wide birth in open countryside. The calves might look cute but mum thinks of you as a predator. Footpaths are ancient rights-of-way but you should stick to them and not wander around the private property that they pass through. These tracks were in use long before the land was enclosed for private use.

[@8atheist476]

The footpaths are old as hell.. some are thousands of years old and predate the properties

[@TheHillingdon2]

I love to go walking in the countryside but why do horses always hang about at the stiles?

[@duncancallum]

Carrotts is the reason Delaine.

[@BeckyPoleninja]

Bourton is pronounce bore-ton not burtun :)

[@patsyconsole9065]

They can't help it ,septic tanks are to thick to talk of spell properly

[@BeckyPoleninja]

@@patsyconsole9065 that's a disgusting reply

[@helenc1693]

@@patsyconsole9065 at least learn to spell before insulting someone

[@geoffwragg5460]

Most paths are ancient

[@Channel-os4uk]

Don't tell them, we don't want too many septics over here..

[@petejones7878]

she was talkiing about a gate when stepping over a stile .......

[@williambell8282]

It's just a bloody kagool...

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

I'm not at all sure you "harvest" wool.

[@paulbromley6687]

This is not a criticism,I find so many Americans on channels sound like they are auditioning for a job as presenters for a daytime tv station.

[@travelfomopodcast]

Haha! Thank you for watching! We loved our time there!

[@bushchat28d]

So depressing to hear everything continually being addressed as 'cute' or 'charming'. Also, the UK public footpath system in everywhere, not just the Cotswolds.

[@karenbrough6449]

It is pronounced Borton not Burton

[@MaxwellMoore-d1u]

Madonna when she owned an Estate Tride to Close a Footpath That crossed her Land at the High Court. ( She must have thought her Fame and Money meant something ) The Judges at the High Court said No .its an Aincient Right of way for the People. I doubt the Judge even heard her Music

[@travelfomopodcast]

@@MaxwellMoore-d1u Madonna?! That’s wild!

[@robharris8844U]

The cows have killed people not appropriate respecting them or having dogs with them they have not controlled as the cattle can react badly to dogs as they take them as a threat - especially if they have calves with them to protect. They will stampede you or brush hard against you which can cause injuries or worse. So being scared is probably a good idea. But as long as you keep distance from them in the field, you will be fine.

[@Matt-d5z]

Nobodg 'lets you' walk through their yard - in most of Europe theew is a LEGAL right of way for people to be able to walk across land.

[@grahamtruckel]

Funny how to Americans it's "hiking the trail", whereas for Brits it's "going for a walk".

[@travelfomopodcast]

Lol! True!

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

Got to be careful with cows. On average they kill about 100 a year in the world; compared with sharks with a mere. . .5.

[@richarddavies4322]

Shame about the Northface..... that's Bourton Birds for you

[@petejones7878]

its not a gate ,it is a stile

[@ebbonfly]

A gate is a gate a stile is something you step over.

[@ianprince1698]

cows will follow behind you quite unnerving if you are not used to it

[@Twirlyhead]

Cows can actually be dangerous. I fish a lot on waters that pass through cow fields and the farmers are very clear about the risk they present when they have young. Rarely, people in Britain have even been killed by cows.

[@patsyconsole9065]

Cows are female so they are just nosie

[@ianprince1698]

@@patsyconsole9065 no they have been known to trample people if they feel cornered

[@MaxwellMoore-d1u]

Most Americans don't know there is a World outside America. C.mon you have a Sport that only Americans Play in Called the World Series 🌎. Thats a World. Not planet America. American Football the Super Bowl 🏈 Fans were interviewed they said Biggest Sporting event in the World 🌎 again thats a world .Not Planet America. The World Cup ,( Soccer) Had a World Audience of 1.6 Billion.

[@anthonyheyes7517]

Very enjoyable but please don't call fields 'cute'. Only toddlers are cute.

[@travelfomopodcast]

No offense meant by it. We loved The Cotswolds. ❤️

[@adamhathaway5939]

Please stop with trying to do it English accent you sound Australian