Cotswolds Region Villages
May 2nd, 2005, 02:01 PM
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We enjoyed Bourton-on-the-Water with it's river Windrush winding through it.
For our lunch we sat along side it and ate some yummy pastries from a bakery. I bought a pair of earrings and some perfume at the perfumery there.
I believe I also liked Burford, and it's St John the Baptist Church.
For our lunch we sat along side it and ate some yummy pastries from a bakery. I bought a pair of earrings and some perfume at the perfumery there.
I believe I also liked Burford, and it's St John the Baptist Church.
May 2nd, 2005, 05:08 PM
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I had trouble deciding on Chipping Campden and Bourton-on-the-Water when we visited this past summer. I chose the latter and was not sorry I did. We love water and the Windrush River running through the town is beautiful. There is a lot to do in this small town as well.
On our way to Wells from the Cotswolds we also traveled through Bibury and were so glad that we did. Such a picturesque village ( another small river coming through the town). The Bibury Court hotel and it's grounds are worth a stop.
Have fun!
On our way to Wells from the Cotswolds we also traveled through Bibury and were so glad that we did. Such a picturesque village ( another small river coming through the town). The Bibury Court hotel and it's grounds are worth a stop.
Have fun!
May 2nd, 2005, 07:02 PM
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Bourton-on-the-Water definately with Bibury, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold & Broadway close runners-up. If I ever come into alot of money I would surely buy a cottage somewhere in the Cotswolds.
May 2nd, 2005, 09:39 PM
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Don't plan to visit any one specific place.
Some of the smaller places suggested above, like Bourton and Broadway, can be delightful. But between 1100 and 1700, especially at weekends at especially in the summer, they're tourist-ridden hell holes, whose charm is almost stripped away by the sheer volume of daytrippers and their cars. The larger places - Stow, Chipping Campden and Burford - can handle all this a lot more easily (though finding anywhere to park can still be a real pain).
Any Great Circle route from Oxford to Bath will take you through lots of pretty villages, including lots that aren't quite bright for large groups of visitors: organise your journey so that if you're going through the tourist honey pots you do so before or after the other visitors.
Great Circle? The straight line Oxford-Bath route is pretty dull, and in parts of Swindon simply hideous, unless you've got a fetish for 21st century legoland post-industrial office buildings. Go North as far as Chipping Norton, then follow, with the odd detour, almost any of the roads heading south-west, running parallel with the Cotswold escarpment. The A429, originally built by the Romans, is the most historic, but the side roads running off it are more fun.
Don't worry too much about seeing places others have recommended. You have to try very hard indeed on side roads to avoid wall-to-wall Quaint.
Some of the smaller places suggested above, like Bourton and Broadway, can be delightful. But between 1100 and 1700, especially at weekends at especially in the summer, they're tourist-ridden hell holes, whose charm is almost stripped away by the sheer volume of daytrippers and their cars. The larger places - Stow, Chipping Campden and Burford - can handle all this a lot more easily (though finding anywhere to park can still be a real pain).
Any Great Circle route from Oxford to Bath will take you through lots of pretty villages, including lots that aren't quite bright for large groups of visitors: organise your journey so that if you're going through the tourist honey pots you do so before or after the other visitors.
Great Circle? The straight line Oxford-Bath route is pretty dull, and in parts of Swindon simply hideous, unless you've got a fetish for 21st century legoland post-industrial office buildings. Go North as far as Chipping Norton, then follow, with the odd detour, almost any of the roads heading south-west, running parallel with the Cotswold escarpment. The A429, originally built by the Romans, is the most historic, but the side roads running off it are more fun.
Don't worry too much about seeing places others have recommended. You have to try very hard indeed on side roads to avoid wall-to-wall Quaint.
May 3rd, 2005, 02:01 AM
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Can I suggest an approximate route from Bath as it seems you are heading north to Oxford?
Leave Bath on the A46, and follow this to Tetbury (passing through the village of Doughton where Highgrove, home of Prince Charles) is situated. From Tetbury you take the A433 and continue to Cirencester; after passing through (although it is an easy town to drive through), or travelling round the ring road, you take the A429 north for a short distance, and then fork off right on to the picturesque B4425 through Bibury - to Burford and thence Oxford. Or after you have visited Bibury you could double back through the lanes via several little villages to the A429 which takes you on to Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh, with Bourton on the Water a short diversion off to the right just before Stow. Also off the A429 to the left are the pretty villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter.
From Moreton the A44 leads you to Chipping Norton, and thence to Oxford via Woodstock (Blenheim Palace).
Leave Bath on the A46, and follow this to Tetbury (passing through the village of Doughton where Highgrove, home of Prince Charles) is situated. From Tetbury you take the A433 and continue to Cirencester; after passing through (although it is an easy town to drive through), or travelling round the ring road, you take the A429 north for a short distance, and then fork off right on to the picturesque B4425 through Bibury - to Burford and thence Oxford. Or after you have visited Bibury you could double back through the lanes via several little villages to the A429 which takes you on to Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh, with Bourton on the Water a short diversion off to the right just before Stow. Also off the A429 to the left are the pretty villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter.
From Moreton the A44 leads you to Chipping Norton, and thence to Oxford via Woodstock (Blenheim Palace).
May 3rd, 2005, 10:08 AM
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Correction to above - the A46 doesn't actually go to Tetbury, but at a junction called Dunkirk the road to Tetbury becomes the A433. The A46 continues to Cheltenham. Don't worry, it is all very well signed.
Although I have mentioned several main roads in this suggested route, you would pass through more than a few beautiful villages, and if you took the back lanes from Bibury to Fossebridge on the A429 (it's only 4 or 5 miles) there are about 4 villages full of glorious examples of cotswold architecture to drive through. These lanes are mostly only wide enough for one car, so go slow, but it will give you a feel of what it is really like to live in the depths of Gloucestershire! And this route would take you to and through most of the towns and villages mentioned in other posts.
PS Doughton is pronounced Duffton!
Have a wonderful days' journey.
Although I have mentioned several main roads in this suggested route, you would pass through more than a few beautiful villages, and if you took the back lanes from Bibury to Fossebridge on the A429 (it's only 4 or 5 miles) there are about 4 villages full of glorious examples of cotswold architecture to drive through. These lanes are mostly only wide enough for one car, so go slow, but it will give you a feel of what it is really like to live in the depths of Gloucestershire! And this route would take you to and through most of the towns and villages mentioned in other posts.
PS Doughton is pronounced Duffton!
Have a wonderful days' journey.
May 4th, 2005, 04:35 AM
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You should take a quick look at this web site: www.pbase.com
It is a photographers site with tons of travel pictures. With map in hand, do a search of the towns near your destination. Great pictures. Some new ones just showed up of Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Burton-on-the-Water etc. The area is beautiful and full of history. This sight has given us great insight into the surrounds of places we plan to visit on our upcoming trip to France. Have fun!
It is a photographers site with tons of travel pictures. With map in hand, do a search of the towns near your destination. Great pictures. Some new ones just showed up of Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Burton-on-the-Water etc. The area is beautiful and full of history. This sight has given us great insight into the surrounds of places we plan to visit on our upcoming trip to France. Have fun!
May 4th, 2005, 06:18 AM
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The Vale of the White Horse is in the area, and it is worth a look. Or at any rate, the White Horse, and Wayland's Smithy, is (I'm not over-excited about the unwooded hills you can get along the Ridgeway, but that's probably just me.)
But if you just took the straight line route from Oxford to Swindon you'd be going through the adminstrative district called the Vale of the White Horse, without actually coming into contact with the interesting stuff. You need to detour to Uffington to see the prehistoric sites. Otherwise, it can get dangerously close to being one linear Call Centre City.
But if you just took the straight line route from Oxford to Swindon you'd be going through the adminstrative district called the Vale of the White Horse, without actually coming into contact with the interesting stuff. You need to detour to Uffington to see the prehistoric sites. Otherwise, it can get dangerously close to being one linear Call Centre City.
May 5th, 2005, 05:17 PM
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My wife and I are going to London next week and plan to do a loop that hits Windsor, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Cotswolds and Bath. I really appreciate your posts, especially the routes that julia_t provided.
What are the best ways to find good B&B's in those regions. I am thinking we will be staying by Oxford one night and Stratford-upon-Avon another. Any suggestions for good B&B's in those areas or ideas of how to find a good one?
What are the best ways to find good B&B's in those regions. I am thinking we will be staying by Oxford one night and Stratford-upon-Avon another. Any suggestions for good B&B's in those areas or ideas of how to find a good one?
May 6th, 2005, 12:46 AM
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Hi Cougarblue
Glad you approve of the routes! I hadn't mentioned Stratford, but it is an easy few miles on from Moreton-in-Marsh.
As for B&B's, local Tourist Information Centres are a very good source, try www.information-britain.co.uk, and click on the county you want or www.shakespeare-country.co.uk takes you directly to the Stratford TIC with good links for accommodation of all kinds, including B&B in private house, farms and guest houses - plenty of choice, and the Oxford TIC via the first website would have similar options.
The weather is good here at the moment, and the countryside is looking beautiful, all different shades of green, lots of blossom in the hedgerows, a lovely time to visit. Have a great time.
Glad you approve of the routes! I hadn't mentioned Stratford, but it is an easy few miles on from Moreton-in-Marsh.
As for B&B's, local Tourist Information Centres are a very good source, try www.information-britain.co.uk, and click on the county you want or www.shakespeare-country.co.uk takes you directly to the Stratford TIC with good links for accommodation of all kinds, including B&B in private house, farms and guest houses - plenty of choice, and the Oxford TIC via the first website would have similar options.
The weather is good here at the moment, and the countryside is looking beautiful, all different shades of green, lots of blossom in the hedgerows, a lovely time to visit. Have a great time.
May 8th, 2005, 10:20 AM
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One village worth a short detour is Shilton, a couple of miles south of Burford. Village green, duck pond, a ford to splash your car through, then turn around and do it again. In fact you could leave Bibury and take the minor roads to Coln St Aldwyns,Hatherop, pop into the Cotswold Woollen Weavers centre at Filkins, head up to Shilton and regain the A40 Oxford road at Burford.
Jun 10th, 2005, 09:29 AM
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Hello.
We just returned last night from three weeks in England & Paris. We spent only four days (sniff-sniff) in Chipping Campden, at the Eight Bells. The town, and the Eight Bells were both absolutely wonderful. Chipping Campden, in our opinion, was the prettiest Cotswold town we saw, which also offered a great selection of restaurants, pubs, tea houses (two), shops, etc. Second would have been Upper & Lower Slaughter, although there's not a lot there in terms of restaurants, shops, etc. that we saw. Still, *very* pretty. Also, don't miss the "Model Village" in Bourton-on-the-Water! So charming! I could go on forever about the beauty and charm of the Cotswolds. We're already talking about going again, but this time, spending much more time in the Cotswolds. Possibly even, the Eight Bells again. Very nice, clean, great restaurant & pub, and the owners, Neil & Julie, couldn't be nicer or more accommodating.
Sigh....
We just returned last night from three weeks in England & Paris. We spent only four days (sniff-sniff) in Chipping Campden, at the Eight Bells. The town, and the Eight Bells were both absolutely wonderful. Chipping Campden, in our opinion, was the prettiest Cotswold town we saw, which also offered a great selection of restaurants, pubs, tea houses (two), shops, etc. Second would have been Upper & Lower Slaughter, although there's not a lot there in terms of restaurants, shops, etc. that we saw. Still, *very* pretty. Also, don't miss the "Model Village" in Bourton-on-the-Water! So charming! I could go on forever about the beauty and charm of the Cotswolds. We're already talking about going again, but this time, spending much more time in the Cotswolds. Possibly even, the Eight Bells again. Very nice, clean, great restaurant & pub, and the owners, Neil & Julie, couldn't be nicer or more accommodating.
Sigh....
Jun 10th, 2005, 06:41 PM
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yeadonite: Not flanner - but, do you mean which Cotswolds villages are best to visit by train? (Is this for Dad/Art or for you - anyway . . . .)
Unfortunately rail connections in the Cotswolds are few and far between. Villages w/ stations are Shipton-under-Wychwood, Kingham (which is about 4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold), Moreton-in-Marsh, and Evesham.
If you are traveling by train you'd really have to take local buses or taxis to any of the scenic villages mentioned in the posts above . . . . .
Unfortunately rail connections in the Cotswolds are few and far between. Villages w/ stations are Shipton-under-Wychwood, Kingham (which is about 4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold), Moreton-in-Marsh, and Evesham.
If you are traveling by train you'd really have to take local buses or taxis to any of the scenic villages mentioned in the posts above . . . . .
