Visiting The Cotswolds in Gloucestershire is a picture book experience that will remain in your memory forever, the churches, pubs, B&Bs, walks, thatched roofs, all make up some of the prettiest villages on the planet.
We stayed in Chipping Campden which has one of the finest High streets you will find with its beautiful thatched roofed cottages and fascinating shops. Stow-On-the-Wold is another old world town nearby.
Our ideal way to see the Cotswolds was to hire a car and spend a few days driving around. Bourton on the Water and Broadway are two more beautiful picture book villages not to be missed.
The Cotswolds are unarguably beautiful, driving along country roads leading through peaceful river valleys, country towns and villages of honey-coloured stone, complete with manor houses, churches and traditional pubs is like gazing at a picture book. In an area rich in history and natural beauty like the Cotswolds, it is sometimes difficult for visitors, even those who have been before, to get to know the country roads and traditional villages.
This is certainly one of the most picturesque small towns in the Cotswolds bearing all the hallmarks of the 14th and 15th-centuries when it was an important wool town and the wealthy merchants brought their fleeces to do trade at the exquisite 14th-century Woolstaplers Hall.
William Grevel was a wool merchant who gave generously to the town and the church. His house can be found in the main street, opposite the Woolstaplers Hall. Take time to stroll a little further along the street and you will come to Chipping Campden's ancient Market Hall, built in the year 1627 where if you peer from beneath it's mellow stone arches you will glimpse a scene that has changed little since medieval times.
Along the village streets you see many mellow stone properties all melting gently together and looking very much as if time had passed them by. Some of these buildings are now shops and a wander inside reveals old beams, low ceilings
and ever creaking old oak floors.
This is a town you will always remember particularly if it is the first town you visit in the Cotswolds, we did and have a soft spot for Chipping Campden.
William Grevel was a wool merchant who gave generously to the town and the church. His house can be found in the main street, opposite the Woolstaplers Hall. Take time to stroll a little further along the street and you will come to Chipping Campden's ancient Market Hall, built in the year 1627 where if you peer from beneath it's mellow stone arches you will glimpse a scene that has changed little since medieval times.
Along the village streets you see many mellow stone properties all melting gently together and looking very much as if time had passed them by. Some of these buildings are now shops and a wander inside reveals old beams, low ceilings
and ever creaking old oak floors.
This is a town you will always remember particularly if it is the first town you visit in the Cotswolds, we did and have a soft spot for Chipping Campden.
One of the prettiest most tranquil places in England - Bourton on the Water, often referred to as 'The Venice of the Cotswolds'. Bourton is a favourite amongst tourists and is a beautiful place to visit all year round, especially in the summer and spring when the sunlight glistens off the shallow river that runs through the village. There is lots to see and do in Bourton on the Water, but even if there were nothing to do at all you would still be content to spend your time strolling around it's pretty streets that are lined with gorgeous old Cotswold stone buildings, and enjoying the pretty lawns and gardens where you can sit out and relax, soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. Every so often along the river there are small stone foot bridges, you will find cafe's, shops, and places of interest. All of Bourtons shops are well worth visiting, each one offering the visitor many interesting items in the way of local crafts and jewellery and other such goods. There are some lovely cafe's too, serving exceptionally tasty traditional foods. All in all Bourton on the Water is a must place to visit, and it is such a pretty and relaxing place that you will find it hard to leave.
With its wide main street and gracious houses, Broadway richly deserves the prestige of being the "show village of England".
All built of honey coloured Cotswold stone, houses and cottages are absolutely gorgeous. The centre of the village is dominated by the Lygon Arms Hotel. Much loved by visitors from all over the world and locals alike
Boadway is a pleasant place to visit at any time of year. The main street is littered with quaint craft and gift shops and well as art galleries and antique shops. There is also a very small shopping precinct in which you will find a lively deli which sells a wide range of delicious foodstuffs. Ice-cream is sold in the street by vendors dressed in Victorian costume.
We stayed at The Olive Branch B&B which was just awesome. There are a wealth of old country inns and pleasant cafes in which to enjoy a tasty meal or just while away a pleasant hour and whilst all of this adds to the natural charm of this so very English of English country villages it is easy to understand just why you could return here year after year. For not only is Broadway very atmospheric it is also a very addictive place indeed.
All built of honey coloured Cotswold stone, houses and cottages are absolutely gorgeous. The centre of the village is dominated by the Lygon Arms Hotel. Much loved by visitors from all over the world and locals alike
Boadway is a pleasant place to visit at any time of year. The main street is littered with quaint craft and gift shops and well as art galleries and antique shops. There is also a very small shopping precinct in which you will find a lively deli which sells a wide range of delicious foodstuffs. Ice-cream is sold in the street by vendors dressed in Victorian costume.
We stayed at The Olive Branch B&B which was just awesome. There are a wealth of old country inns and pleasant cafes in which to enjoy a tasty meal or just while away a pleasant hour and whilst all of this adds to the natural charm of this so very English of English country villages it is easy to understand just why you could return here year after year. For not only is Broadway very atmospheric it is also a very addictive place indeed.
Welcome to "Stow on the Wold, where the wind blows cold" - an old saying because of Stow being situated at the high point of the Cotswolds, 800 feet above sea level. Stow is a beautiful town, and probably the busiest of all the Cotswold towns. In fact if you judge it by the size of its market square, this shows that it has always been a busy part of the Cotswolds. Many years ago when the Cotswold wool industry was at it's height, Stow was famous for it's huge annual fairs where as many as 20,000 sheep were sold at a time at the busy market square. The square is now mainly used for parking, as Stow is a favourite destination for many a visitor to the Cotswolds.
With its beautiful streets and buildings, and interesting shops, Stow is a great place to base yourself if you plan on visiting the area and exploring the Cotswolds further, as it has eight roads intersecting and is often referred to as the very heart of the Cotswolds. With its wonderful church, rich history and beautiful town, Stow on the Wold is one of the perfect English towns that remains a must visit in most tourist guides of England.
With its beautiful streets and buildings, and interesting shops, Stow is a great place to base yourself if you plan on visiting the area and exploring the Cotswolds further, as it has eight roads intersecting and is often referred to as the very heart of the Cotswolds. With its wonderful church, rich history and beautiful town, Stow on the Wold is one of the perfect English towns that remains a must visit in most tourist guides of England.
The delightful market town of Moreton-in-Marsh has welcomed visitors for many centuries. In it's prominent position on the Fosse Way it was an important staging post for travellers requiring to rest and change horses. The broad High Street has many elegant inns and houses that are characteristic of a town that developed in the great 'wool' trading days. In the narrow lanes interesting houses and cottages huddle together in a mix-match of styles, unified by being built of glowing, honey coloured stone that belongs only to the Cotswolds.
Of the town's historic buildings, the oldest is the 16th-century Curfew tower on the High Street, whose bell was rung to warn the towns-folk of the risk of fire. The splendid Redesdale Market Hall is a noteworthy building of the 18th-century.
The town has excellent shopping facilities including several specialist antique shops. There is a lively market held each Tuesday which attracts visitors from all over the county but we could not find a park on the day we were here. There is a host of inns and restaurants both in the town and in the surrounding picturesque countryside.
Of the town's historic buildings, the oldest is the 16th-century Curfew tower on the High Street, whose bell was rung to warn the towns-folk of the risk of fire. The splendid Redesdale Market Hall is a noteworthy building of the 18th-century.
The town has excellent shopping facilities including several specialist antique shops. There is a lively market held each Tuesday which attracts visitors from all over the county but we could not find a park on the day we were here. There is a host of inns and restaurants both in the town and in the surrounding picturesque countryside.
Visiting The Slaughters is a sheer delight, there is nothing to do but soak up the calm atmosphere of these villages.
Upper Slaughter's attractive medieval manor house is now a comfortable country house hotel with a lovely ambience where you can enjoy refreshment in luxurious surroundings.
Lower Slaughter is one of the Cotswold's most idyllic villages where you should roam around on foot. It perfectly epitomises the very best of tranquil English villages, having the notable attributes of peaceful flowing waters, a lovely old mill, gorgeous stone cottages.
Althorp has been the stately home of the Spencer family for 500 years and is the resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana’s memorials on an island in the Oval Lake within the estate, which covers a total of 14,000 acres.