Britain's second-longest signed walking trail, a lengthy, meandering route following the flight of Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, and including many sites of historic interest. From Worcester it first turns north to Boscobel, south via Stratford upon Avon, the Cotswolds, Bristol and the Mendips to Charmouth, then east along the South Downs to Shoreham where Charles finally escaped to France. For updates on any planned diversions to the path, check the Monarch's Way Association website below.

The Way was devised by Trevor Antill who first published a guide in 1994, and  since then signing has been coordinated by a team of volunteers. There are plans to extend it into France to cover the rest of the Charles' journey.

The Stratford Greenway is an 8km/5-mile multi-user path following the former Honeybourne railway line from Stratford-upon-Avon (starting 1.5km/1 mile outside the town centre, with easy walking access) to Long Marston. The Monarch's Way joins it where it crosses the river Avon south of Stratford and then follows it for almost the entire remaining length. Further information from Warwickshire council.

The Stratford Greenway is wheelchair accessible, with access by Radar key. More information from Warwickshire council.

Public Transport

Stations at Worcester, Droitwich Spa, Hagley, Stourbridge, Codsall, Norton Bridge, Bromsgrove, Stratford upon Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Keynsham, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Twyford, Rowlands Castle, Arundel, Brighton, Shoreham-by-Sea. Buses at many other points. There are several buses daily on Mon-Sat from Long Marston back to Stratford for walkers on the Stratford Greenway. Useful information about public transport in the Cotswolds is on the Cotswold Way and Macmillan Way pages.

For enquiry lines, see Public Transport for Walkers.

Publications

Local authorities
Bath & North East Somerset
Brighton & Hove
Bristol
Devon
Dorset
Dudley
East Sussex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire
North Somerset
Sandwell
Shropshire
Somerset
South Gloucestershire
Staffordshire
Walsall
Warwickshire
West Sussex
Wiltshire
Wolverhampton
Worcestershire

Connecting routes
Avon Valley Path
Birmingham and Aberystwyth Walk
Birmingham Canal Navigations
Centenary Way (Warwickshire)
Cotswold Way
Donnington Way
Downs Link (see South Downs Way)
Elan Valley Way
Forest of Mercia Way
From the Wye to the Thames (see Wye Valley Walk)
Frome Valley Walkway
Gloucestershire Way
Hardy Way
Heart of Arden Walk
Heart of England Way (E2)
Illey Way
Jubilee Trail (Dorset), Jubilee Way (South Gloucestershire)
Kennet and Avon Walk
King's Way
Leland Trail
Limestone Link Path
Macmillan Way
Malvern Link (see Worcestershire Way)
Mendip Way
Mid Sussex Link
North Cotswold Diamond Way
North Worcestershire Path
Oxfordshire Way (E2)
Pilgrim's Trail (see North Downs Way)
River Parrett Trail
Sabrina Way
Samaritans Way South West
Severn Way
Shropshire Union Canal
Silkin Way
Socratic Trail
South West Coast Path
South Downs Way (E9)
South Staffordshire Railway Walk
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Staffordshire Way
Staunton Way (E9)
Stratford upon Avon Canal
Sussex Border Path
Test Way
Thames Path
Two Rivers Way
Wardens' Way
Wayfarer's Walk
Wessex Ridgeway
Worcester and Birmingham Canal
Windrush Way
Wychavon Way

Parks and countryside
Cotswolds AONB
Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs AONB
Donington Pool LNR
Dorset AONB
Forest of Mercia
Lickey and Waseley Hills
Mendip Hills AONB
South Downs

Maps
Explorer OL45, 116, 117, 119, 120, 121, 122, 129, 130, 131, 132, 141, 142, 143, 155, 167, 168. 204, 205, 218, 219, 220, 221, 242
Landranger 127, 138, 139, 150, 151, 163, 172, 173, 182, 183, 184, 185, 193, 194, 196, 197, 198
Route is shown on maps.
More about maps

Visitor information
Amesbury
Andover
Arundel
Bewdley
Blandford Forum
Bourton on the Water
Bridport
Brighton
Bristol
Bromsgrove
Chichester
Chipping Campden
Cirencester
Droitwich Spa
Dudley
Glastonbury
Ironbridge
Lyme Regis
Mere
Moreton in Marsh
Redditch
Romsey
Salisbury
Sherborne
Southampton
Stow on the Wold
Stratford upon Avon
Telford
Tetbury
Wells
Wolverhampton
Worcester
Worthing
Yeovil

Accommodation
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Holiday operators
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