Famous for its honey-coloured stone and picture postcard villages, the Cotswolds is classic weekend break territory. It conjures up dreamy images of escaping the city on Friday afternoon for a few well-spent days in a chic country house hotel and pootling along winding lanes in a soft top vintage sports car.
At a vast 800 square miles, spanning five counties along England's central south west, the Cotswolds is the Britain's largest area of outstanding natural beauty. That means there’s plenty of room to lose yourself among all the country pubs, smart boutiques and well-stocked farm shops.
Fancy a few days in this glorious corner of England? Here’s our guide to what to do and where to stay in the Cotswolds.
The Cotswolds Way
Following the western edge of the Cotswold Hills, the Cotswolds Way is a 102 mile ramble taking you almost the Cotswolds' entire length, from the dainty market town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, down to the city of Bath at the area's southern most point.
It would take about a week to walk the entire thing, so alternatively why not just choose the section nearest to you, or indeed the one which has the best pub along the way, and go for a gentle afternoon stroll, ending in a nice cold pint of cider.
Along the route you’ll pass through pretty villages and beech woods, past Neolithic tombs and the sites of Civil War battles. Clamber to the top of the Cotswolds escarpment for horizon scanning western views over the River Severn and the Malvern Hills.
Castle Combe - Wiltshire
You can take your pick of beautiful Cotswolds villages - Snowshill, Upper Slaughter, Asthall. But Castle Combe, with its golden coloured cottages and idyllic Wiltshire views, is regularly named the prettiest village in England. Higgledy-piggledy cottages which look as if pixies probably live in them, a fifteenth century market cross and the River Bybrook meandering through, spanned by a beautiful and much-photographed bridge.
Incredibly, nothing new has been built here since 1600, making it just like stepping back in time - apart from all the tourists, film crews (it's been used as a location for Downton Abbey) and people getting the perfect shot for their Instagram.
Take a stroll through the village to the famous bridge, then back up to the market place, where you’ll find two classic pubs, the Castle Inn and the White Hart and an ancient church with tombs of Medieval knights within. One knight is depicted with his legs crossed, which apparently means he took part in the Crusades.
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling - Gloucestershire
This wonderfully bizarre and dangerous event takes place every year on the spring bank holiday at Cooper’s Hill near Brockworth, Gloucestershire.
The rules are simple: a 9 pound Double Gloucester round cheese is launched from the top of the very steep hill and the competitors go tumbling after it. Whoever catches the cheese, or crosses the finish line first is the winner, although with the cheese reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, the chances of catching the thing are pretty slim. For safety reasons the Double Gloucester was replaced by a foam cheese a few years ago, however hospitalisation is not unheard of, with St John's Ambulance staff waiting at the bottom of the hill.
England's Oldest Pub - Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire
The Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire is confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records as England’s oldest pub. Parts of this rambling old inn have been carbon-dated to 947 AD, when the building was believed to have been founded by the Saxon Duke of Cornwall, Athelmar, as a hospice for travellers and pilgrims.
It’s filled with a pleasing quantity of low timber beams, winding staircases and wonky door frames. You can even see witch marks, symbols intended to ward off evil spirits, carved into the 16th century fireplace in the dining room.
Westonbirt Arboretum - Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire
If you love trees - and who doesn't? - then you're in for a treat. Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, is a magical tree garden, one of the best in the world.
The story of Westonbirt began with Robert Holford, a wealth Victorian with a passion for plant collecting. He brought in exotic and beautiful trees from around the world and you can still see many of them at Westonbirt today.
There are 2500 species including some rare and endangered trees like the Bristol Whitebeam, which grows wild in the Avon Gorge and nowhere else, and Giant Sequoias over 40 metres tall.
Westonbirt is particularly famous for its vibrant autumn display as the thousands of trees change colour, making for a spectacular natural event and one of the best places in the UK to see the autumn leaves.
Cheltenham - Gloucestershire
Cheltenham in Gloucestershire is a real gem, a handsome 18th century spa town with Regency charm round every corner. Mineral rich spring water was discovered in 1716 and after a visit from the ailing King George III, Cheltenham suddenly found itself transformed into a fashionable spa boom-town.
Nowadays it's a smart, lively place, named by the Sunday Times as 'the best place to live in the South West'. For a small town it punches well above its weight, filled with boutiques, coffee shops, gastro pubs, a Michelin starred restaurant, plus a calendar-full of events, and of course a long and noble association with the sport of kings.
The town is world famous for horse racing, so why not buy a big hat and treat yourself to a day of champagne and a few flutters at Cheltenham Racecourse, home to The Cheltenham Festival, the most prestigious jump racing event of the year and its grand finale, the legendary Gold Cup.
There's also plenty of arts and culture to be had, with literature, jazz and music festivals happening annually. In fact 30 festivals take place here every year - including a film festival and a balloon festival - so whenever you visit you'll be sure to find something interesting going on.
Britain's Most Romantic Street - Lower Slaughter, Glocs
Copsehill Road was voted Britain's Most Romantic Street in a Google poll and whether or not you set much store in these sort of accolades, it certainly is a picturesque piece of pavement.
Located in the somewhat spookily named village of Lower Slaughter (the name comes from the Old English for 'wet land' apparently), Copsehill Road is a collection of charming sandstone cottages, flower-filled gardens and greenery set along on the banks of the River Eye as it winds through the village.
Have a nosey round the gorgeous village and check out the Old Mill Museum - built in the 18th century the mill is one of the village's newest buildings. Be sure to try the cafe's famously delicious gelato. Then amble the 20 minutes across the fields to Upper Slaughter.
The Cotswolds Lavender Farm - Snowshill, Worcestershire
If you visit the Cotswolds in June and July and you'll get to see the famous lavender fields of Hill Barn Farm. Seventy glorious acres of purple flowers swathe the hills as you drive from the village of Snowshill towards the farm.
Come the end of July to early August this magical carpet of mauve disappears when the crop is harvested, the sweet scented lavender oil distilled in the on-site distillery and turned into food, drink, bath and beauty products
You’re free to explore the 20 acres or so of lavender fields which are open to the public. Bring a picnic, wander the fragrant, bee-filled meadows and buy yourself a lavender flavoured ice-cream.
Where to stay in the Cotswolds
Find the perfect base for exploring this quintessential part of England with our pick of the best places to stay - from luxurious family-size houses to romantic cottages for two.
