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-   -   Cotswolds guided one-day bike tour (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/cotswolds-guided-one-day-bike-tour-1124095/)

sovamo Aug 8th, 2016 10:30 AM

Cotswolds guided one-day bike tour
 
Hello Everyone,

the only company I found that offer that is http://www.cotswoldsadventures.co.uk/ but their dates are on Saturdays, and that does not work for me. Are there any other companies that offer single day guided bike tours in Cotswolds? We're staying in London for 1 week (end of August) and would like to do a day trip there.
TIA!

janisj Aug 8th, 2016 10:41 AM

Probably not -- you may just need to travel by train to someplace like Moreton-in-Marsh and rent a bike locally on your own. But I wouldn't personally. The roads are quite narrow and few shoulders to get out of the way.

I'd look into something like the London Walks day out http://www.walks.com/Standalone/The_...r/default.aspx

PalenQ Aug 8th, 2016 12:08 PM

Try for a walking tour which Cotswold Hills are famous for and lots of neat footpaths - I have driven around the hills and like janis says not great roads for biking IME.

sovamo Aug 8th, 2016 12:14 PM

Thanks guys! Yes we'll probably look into renting bikes ourselves instead. Especially in case it is raining that day so we can just walk around. Would you also happen to know how to get to anywhere in Cotswolds area from Stratford-upon-Avon by bus? We'll spend a night there after watching a play, and would like to take an early morning bus to Cotswolds after.

janisj Aug 8th, 2016 12:28 PM

As I suggested - you probably really don't want to ride bikes in scenic bits of the Cotswolds.

Narrow roads, no shoulders, and most likely you are from someplace where they drive on the right, so all your survival instincts re cars will be off.

But if you insist - you can take a bus from Stratford to Chipping Campden. About 35 minutes. Once you are in CC though -- I would definitely consider walking locally and not hiring bikes.

sovamo Aug 8th, 2016 12:39 PM

I have to say, though, this bike tour description sounds so perfect! Not sure if we'd be able to figure out these quiet lanes by ourselves :)

****
The tour sticks to quiet traffic-free lanes and passes through some quiet off-the-beaten track villages. We aim to visit the following places on this tour. This is subject to change and may be shortened or lengthened depending on the fitness and ability of the group of riders.

Moreton-in-Marsh- a classic Cotswold town with heaps of history lying on the Roman Foss Way. Very quiet and relaxing with many nice shops and neo-tudor market.

Chipping Campden- a picturesque Cotswolds town with many historical buildings and a wonderful church. The oldest buildings date back to the 14th century and it was once home to the Guild of Handicrafts.

Broad Campden-tucked away in a small valley this delicious village with a host of interesting old homes, a small victorian chapel and a great cosy country pub is much quieter than its busier cousin up the road.

Ebrington- pretty little Cotswold village with many cotswolds stone cottages and amazing 17th century pub that we sometimes employ as a ‘rest stop’.

Paxford- another quiet village with great country pub that we love, The Churchill Arms!

Blockley- delightful village, unspoilt by tourism and in medieval times was owned by the Bishop of Worcester. At the height of its prosperity in the 18th century it had 6 mills producing high quality silk.

sovamo Aug 8th, 2016 12:43 PM

Lovely JanisJ, thanks for the suggestion for the bus from Stratford to CC. Sounds just like what we need.

hetismij2 Aug 8th, 2016 01:09 PM

Have a look at these;

http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org..../cycle-routes/

http://www.cotswolds.com/things-to-d...-the-cotswolds includes links to organised tours

https://www.bikemap.net/en/route/1243347-cotswolds/

http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/visitors/...to-do/cycling/

julies Aug 8th, 2016 08:23 PM

Are roads in the Cotswolds at all similar to what they are like in western or southwestern Ireland? We had wanted to do a bike tour (week long) there and were talked out of it by people on this forum who said the narrow, winding roads were too scary and dangerous for cycling. When we got there, we were so glad we'd listened because we wouldn't have wanted to risk our lives on bikes on those roads.

janisj Aug 8th, 2016 08:26 PM

>>we wouldn't have wanted to risk our lives on bikes on those roads.<<

that . . . :)


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