St. Clare's students were surprised at the end of 13-15km walks by the lack of ‘hills' in the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds is an area of England about the size of greater Tokyo. Popular with both the English themselves and visitors from all over the world, the Cotswolds are well known for gentle hillsides (‘wolds'), sleepy villages and for being so ‘typically English'.
The Activities Department at St. Clare's introduced Hill Walking as a CAS activity over four years ago. The monthly excursions see on average of 16 international students trekking across the distinctive landscape of local honey-coloured limestone with dry stone walls everywhere in the fields. Many were built in the 18th and 19th centuries; a matter of considerable skill as there is no cement to hold the walls together.
The success of the activity is twofold:

1. Many of our international students get an opportunity to move outside the confines of North Oxford and explore the English countryside. They enjoy the surroundings, see the flowers, hear the birds and have time to talk with fellow students.
2. The group is divided into teams. Each team with the aid of a map is charged with leading the group through the stages of a circular walk. The map provides clear instructions and notes places of interest to look out for on the way

From Broadway Village in the north, the St. Clare's Hill Walking group has explored Moreton-in-Marsh village, Stow-on-the-Wold, Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, Naunton, Northleach, Little Barrington, Sherborne and Burford.