I will be staying 4 miles west of Wotten-under-Edge. I plan on spending an entire Thursday and half a Sunday with a rental car in the Costwolds. I will have already toured Bath. I understand the following towns are very nice to visit:
Bourton-on-the-Water
Upper and Lower Slaughter
Broadway
Chipping Campden
Cheltenham
Cirencester

How should I plan this day and a half so I can see the best of these towns? Feel free to add or subtract a town. Thank you.

Wonderful part of England. However, it has been 26 yrs since last to this area. We enjoyed the Cotswalds immensely. We met a friend, Roger Moore (not THE R.M.) who showed us around and took us to a little out of the way pub where we learned to play 'Pooh' sticks (think A.A. Milne). Sorry, no real particulars, but we will go back someday as it left such a wonderful impression. Best of luck and let us know how your adventure turns out.

Also visited Roger's elderly parents in the tiny village of Winchcombe and had tea in their 400 yr old apartment. Terrific farm country, green pastures, babbling brooks, stone walls, sheep, etc.

You are staying sort of far southwest for a base to see mostly central/northern Cotswold villages/towns

From your starting point through Cirencester, Bourton, the Slaughters, Chipping Campden and Broadway would take more than 2 hours w/o any stops. So basically about 8 hours including exploring the various places. That is a fairly linear route so not much you couldcut or group w/ other places. And it skipsneat places like Burford, etc. (I personally would include Burford over Broadway)

Then its about 90 minutes back from Broadway. So a very long day.

On your half day you could concentrate on Cheltenham and villages around there. Or you could head west into the Forest of Dean and/or South Wales.

Your subject line is amusing as their are few places in the world that are gentler than the Cotswolds -- to be savored rather than attacked.

I would add the Coln Valley near Cirencester and I would join janisj in preferring Burford to Broadway. I would also take the tiny road along the River Windrush to Minster Lovell. Are you a Mitford fan? This is Mitford country, and they are all buried along the route in Swinbrook.

Mitford?

The Mitfords -- if you don't know them then not to worry . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitford_family

We had a lovely time skeet shooting in Evesham at a converted manor house/country inn.

Since you will be staying at the southern end of the Cotwolds, it may be best to miss the more touristy places like Broadway and Bourton on the Water and visit some of the more southerly places which have been pimped less, and have fewer shops selling pot pourri and fudge.

I am thinking of Tetbury, Painswick, Mincinhmapton and perhaps Wootton itself. You could also visit Castle Combe.

If you are the person staying at Tortworth Court, you may like to spend time walking in the extensive grounds. They have an arboretum with many specimen trees, and the reception desk will sell you a guide book. The hotel is unusual in being next to a low security prison, and it would not surprise me if some of the hotel staff were not prisoners on day release for work experience. Don't let that put you off, as it is a good hotel much used for business meetings and events like weddings.

chartley has it right. As noted in my post, you are staying a long way from the areas you want to visit. If the northern Cotswolds is what you want to see -- then you are probably staying in the wrong place.

From your base it would be much easier/nicer to tour the southern bits chartley lists.

"If the northern Cotswolds is what you want to see -- then you are probably staying in the wrong place"

Well, yes. But I wouldn't get that worried.

First, Wotton under Edge is about as good as anywhere for seeing Cirencester. To look at, little more than your average Cotswold town. But one of the best Roman era museums in Britain, and I really recommend it.

It's about an hour from Wotton to Broadway etc (turn off the M5 at Tewkesbury, making sure you stop and see Tewkesbury Abbey, one of England's great dozen "would be a cathedral if we could afford another bishop" churches. It really isn't that tricky to see the North Cotswold towns in a day from a Wotton base, if it's too late to change now.

I agree -- I laid out a possible route through the towns/villages Uk2011 mentioned. It is just that there are lovely places a LOT closer to where he is staying.