Landscape and architecture vie for attention on this Cotswold walk, which includes superlative examples of both. It starts with a long but mostly gentle climb over Burhill and Laverton Hill to the top of Shenberrow Hill (303m), which offers panoramic views.

Towards the end of the walk, a short but steep climb back on to Burhill gives even finer views.

Our prehistoric ancestors were impressed by the views too, though for different reasons, and built forts on both Burhill and Shenberrow.

Several villages are visited along the way, including Stanton, often acclaimed as the loveliest of all Cotswold villages.

It has dozens of exquisite houses and an enchanting church. Nearby Stanway is much smaller, but has an incomparable group of buildings in St Peter's Church and neighbouring Stanway House, with its magnificent Jacobean gateway and 14th Century tithe barn. Buckland and Laverton are not so well known, but are lovely villages nonetheless. The Old Rectory (c1480) at Buckland is particularly notable and the church is of outstanding interest.

The optional extension to the main walk includes Wood Stanway and Didbrook, both of which have several lovely houses. Didbrook is famous for its 14th Century, cruck-framed cottage, a rare survivor. Cruck beams are curved and come in pairs, each pair representing an oak trunk sliced in half.

Opposite the cottage is the start of a footpath which runs alongside the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway to Toddington Station. Some of the rolling stock is kept in the sidings here and you can see it from the footpath.

The station is also visible from the footpath but to gain access to it requires a slight detour when you reach the road. Toddington Station is beautifully restored and also has a collection of memorabilia, housed in a former railway parcels van, and a tea room. Trains (mostly steam, but also diesel) operate to Winchcombe and Cheltenham Racecourse on most days in August (details on www.gwsr.com or 01242 621405).

The only drawback with visiting Didbrook and Toddington Station is that to return to the main route you have either to walk for nearly three-quarters of a mile along the B4077 (there is a grass verge, but it's uneven and gullied) or retrace your steps through Didbrook and Wood Stanway.

1 Join the southbound Cotswold Way, which leaves Broadway on Church Street (the Snowshill road), by the green at the west end of High Street. It takes to the fields soon after passing the church and is easily followed up onto the escarpment.

2 Leave the Cotswold Way at the entrance to Shenberrow Farm. Continue straight on along a track instead, but only for a very short distance, soon joining a bridleway (blue arrow) on the right. The bridleway runs dead straight along field edges across the flat top of Shenberrow Hill.

3 Pass through a gate marked with a white arrow and the words 'road used as public path', then turn right on another bridleway. You will pass two branching footpaths but stay on the bridleway, which eventually turns right into Lidcombe Wood. Descend through the wood, keeping straight on at all junctions, to meet the B4077. Go straight on along a roadside footway.

4 Approaching Stanway, look for the Cotswold Way crossing the road - the junction is staggered and you'll come to the left-hand branch first, but the right-hand branch is visible ahead. For the shorter walk, turn right on the Cotswold Way and follow it through Stanway and then on to Stanton. For the longer walk, turn left on the Cotswold Way and follow it to a lane at Wood Stanway. Leave the Cotswold Way, and turn right along the lane. Turn left towards Didbrook at a junction, then turn right at another junction in Didbrook itself. Walk to the far end of the village, then take a footpath on the right (the cruck-framed cottage is opposite this path, with the cruck beams visible in the west wall). The path runs through fields, beside the railway, to the B4077. Turn right along the road to the Cotswold Way and then left to Stanway and Stanton.

5 Leave the Cotswold Way at the mediaeval cross in Stanton. Turn left past Cross Cottage to the church. Pass through the churchyard, leaving it in the rear right corner. Walk along a passageway and turn left at a junction, shortly passing through an iron gate into a field. Keep to the left-hand edge, soon crossing the first stile of the walk. Proceed along several field edges, before eventually turning left to find a stile a little to the left of a field corner. Then it's straight on again to meet a lane at Laverton. Turn right through the village, then go straight on to join a bridleway when you reach School House. Walk to Buckland and turn right through the village.

6 At the far end of the village, turn left past Buckland Court, then take a footpath by Hillside Cottage. Proceed to a junction and take the right-hand path, climbing steeply up Burhill. Follow waymarks across the hilltop, then left beside Broadway Coppice to rejoin the Cotswold Way for the descent to Broadway.

FACTFILE

Start: Broadway, grid ref SO 095375.

Length: 10 miles/16km, with optional extension of 3 miles/5km.

Maps: OS Explorer OL45, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Pasture and woodland. Mostly undemanding, but includes two steep (though short) ascents.

Paths: Excellent.

Stiles: 9.

Parking: Broadway.

Public transport: Train or bus to Evesham (daily) then Castleways 559 to Broadway (Mon-Sat); Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: Manor Farm on Laverton Hill, Flag and Whistle Tea Room at Toddington Station, Old Bakehouse at Stanway, Mount Inn at Stanton.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.