Cotswolds Guided Tours
Full day Cotswold tours
Explore the beautiful Cotswolds. Enjoy a 6 hour driver guided tour of the Cotswolds, whether your interest is architecture, churches,history or the countryside you’ll have a fun and informative day. I am able to amend the itineraries of the tours if there is something you especially wish to see. Alternatively I can design a bespoke tour for you – a perfect Cotswolds guided tour.
If you are staying in London then the most time and cost efficient way of getting to the Cotswolds is by train and then take a Cotswold Guided Tour.
For the North Cotswolds Guided tour take a train from Paddington to Moreton in Marsh , for the Southern Guided tours catch the train from Paddington to Kemble. I will collect you from the appropriate railway station and return you there at the end of the tour.
If you are staying in the Cotswolds already then I will pick you up /drop you off at your accommodation.
Suggested North Cotswolds Tour
If this is the first time to the Cotswolds then this is probably the Cotswold tour to go for as the villages are the most well known. There is a nice mix of things to see – I would take you to two of my favourite villages – Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter;both these villages are delightful. We would then visit the bustling market town of Stow on The Wold – lots of Civil War history and links to the Sheep Trade.We would then visit Broadway Tower which is the second highest point in the Cotswolds and has magnificent views!This is a good spot for some lunch. Snowshill is our next stop – a very pretty village; it was used as a backdrop to the film ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’. Broadway would be our next stop; this is an old Coaching town with some great shops. Then I would show you Chipping Campden;it ouses charm and history and is one of the most important Wool trade villages with a classic Woolchurch. In the summer between June and August there is the option to visit the stunning Cotswold Lavender Farm.
Chipping Campden – main Highstreet.
Cirencester – Bathurst Park & Estate
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Suggested South Cotswolds Tour
I would take you to the lovely village of Lacock; the village lends itself to period drama filming – including Downton Abbey. The second stop would be the charming village of Castle Combe – it is a delightful village with a magnificant Manor House .Our third stop is a Tetbury – with Prince Charles’s country residence Highgrove close by.This is a good place for a spot of lunch. After lunch we visit Cirencester – with its strong links to Roman occupation and the Wool trade; the pretty Market area is a delight and the Bathurst Estate Park is impressive.The jewel in the crown of this tour is undoubtable Bibury ( Arlington Row). Bibury has so much history – it dates back to 1380 when the first wool store was built. Indeed it is this same building which now features on many photos taken by visitors.
Arlington Row at Bibury
Bespoke Cotswolds Guided Tours
Stanton main street
I can design a tailor – made tour according to your interests and preferences. You could pick a mixture of the villages listed on the suggested tours and mix them up with Gardens or film settings etc.
Georgeous Gardens – pick from these Hidecote , Kiftsgate, Highgrove ( Prince Charles’s garden), Painswick Rocco, Rodmartin, Sezincote, Stanway, Snowshill Manor. ( and there are more…)
Film/ TV Settings – pick from these Bampton – for Downton Abbey, Castle Combe – for the Warhorse, Snowshill – for Bridget Jones’s Diary, Blockley – for Father Brown, Gloucester Cathedral – Harry Potter, Chavenage House – Poldark, Stanway House – for Wolf Hall.
Historical Sites – Malmesbury Abbey, Sudeley Castle, Woodchester Mansion, Owlpen Manor, Pump rooms Cheltenham.
