The combination of idyllic stone villages and small towns in gentle, rolling countryside make the Cotswolds quintessentially 'English'. Cotswold stone varies in colour, depending on the area, ranging from light grey through to pale cream, honey and light brown, and this natural variation in the limestone is what helps towns and villages such as Castle Combe, Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford, Arlington, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Snowshill and Stanton, all featured in walks in this guide, blend so attractively into the natural surroundings.