You can’t get much more quintessentially English than the Cotswolds. Rolling hills, picturesque villages, cosy tearooms and village pubs make up this spectacular area of the country. If you are planning a visit out here yourself, this guide is for you. Here are just a few of the must-see sights and must-do experiences that you can enjoy during your travels here.
Explore Blenheim Palace
One of the grandest and most famous country houses in the whole of the country, Blenheim Palace is a magnificent structure that also has more than 2000 acres of gardens to stroll around. As the birthplace of Winston Churchill, it is also one of the most important historical sites in Britain.
Picnic by the River at Bourton-on-the-Water
With its tiny river running through the centre and small bridges criss-crossing over the top, Bourton-on-the-Water is without a doubt one of the Cotswolds’ most famous and pretty villages. One of the best ways to enjoy it on a sunny day is to pack a picnic and watch the villagers and visitors enjoying the relaxed pace of life. One of the top attractions is a model village which perfectly replicates the life-sized one.
Get Up to the Highest Point
The highest town in the Cotswolds is Stow-on-the-Wold, and it is a pleasant place to enjoy the views of the surrounding area. There are plenty of cafes and pubs where you can relax and soak up the atmosphere. It is another place where history happened as right here is where the final skirmish of the English Civil War took place.
See the Slaughters
Lower and Upper Slaughter bear two of the most unusual place names in the whole of the country, and they are both within easy walking distance of each other. Make sure you are wearing your wellies if the weather is a little wet as you will need to walk across a ford to get between the two.
Walk Along the Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Way runs 102 miles from the northern town of Chipping Campden down to the city of Bath. You could start at a hotel in hotel in Evesham before heading over to the trail. Along the way, you will take in some of the most beautiful countryside the area has to offer. On at least one morning, you should make sure that you get up early enough to see the sun rise over the Cotswold Way.
Though it is a little bit outside of the Cotswolds, it is worth taking the trip over to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Shakespeare’s birthplace. Inside, you can take a guided tour and find out everything currently known about the world’s most famous playwright. While you are here, make sure to visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the house of Shakespeare’s wife, and also have a drink in The Dirty Duck nearby to the Swan Theatre which is where many of the Bard’s plays were performed.
