The Cotswolds

"The quintessential English countryside"

Tour Highlights: Burford, Bourton on the Water, The Slaughters, Stow-on-the-Wold, the stunning Cotswold landscape, a host of charming hamlets, thatched cottages and ancient manor houses, a truly "off the beaten path experience"

Centred on the gentle slopes of the Cotswold Hills, the greater part of the Cotswolds lies in Gloucestershire but it also reaches into Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. This beautiful area is famous for its tranquil and dignified villages, which derive much of their charm from the use of the warm, honey coloured limestone which was quarried locally and used alike for churches, mansions and humble cottages.

In an area once given over almost entirely to sheep farming, many of the fine manor houses and churches owe their existence to the generosity of wealthy 14th and 15th century yeoman farmers and wool merchants. Water is never far from sight in the Cotswolds, where numerous sparkling streams and rivers wind through the valleys and alongside village streets.

Our suggested route, refined through many years of exploring this beautiful landscape, in our opinion offers the very best the Cotswolds has to offer and without doubt will leave you with a host of unforgettable memories.

We start at the "Gateway of the Cotswolds", Burford, an ancient, medieval wool town full of gabled cottages and cobbled streets. We then take a slow meandering tour through some of the most beautiful landscape and whimsical hamlets this country has to offer, through such charming villages as Bourton-on-the-Water and the mysterious Slaughters before making our way to Stow-on-the-Wold.

For lunch, a traditional country inn is the favourite and then of course there is normally time to relax and enjoy the eclectic mix of boutiques and shops on offer or even purchase a rare antique to take home with you.

As with all our tours, if our most popular tour schedules do not suit your specific requirements, please allow us to create a customised itinerary especially for you. We always remember the day is yours to cherish.