7 places in the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire
I recently went on a road trip to Cornwall and visited some of the places where the G7 Summit is currently taking place. I combined this road trip with a visit to the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire is a county located in South West England. The county town and the only city in Gloucestershire is Gloucester, whereas Cheltenham is the second-largest town of the county. Both have a population of just over 100,000 (each). The Cotswolds is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that lies across the boundaries of several English counties: mainly Gloucestershire, but also Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.
The beautiful landscape is not the only reason to visit the Cotswolds. The villages, considered amongst the most scenic in the UK, are renowned for the stone-built, honey-coloured houses, built with locally quarried Cotswold stone.
If you have never been to this part of England and you’re looking for ideas and tips for UK-based holidays, here are 7 places in the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire worth visiting:
-
Bibury
19th-century poet and artist William Morris described Bibury as “the most beautiful village in England”. The River Coln, a Thames tributary, runs through the village and supplies the Bibury Trout farm, one of the oldest in the country. Bibury is 10 kilometres northeast of Cirencester and 30 km southeast of Cheltenham.
2. Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is another charming village in the Cotswolds worth visiting, and my personal favourite. The River Windrush runs through the village that has been nicknamed “Venice of the Cotswolds”. Bourton-on-the-Water is 25 km northeast of Cirencester and 25 km east of Cheltenham.
3. Cheltenham
As mentioned, Cheltenham is the second-largest town in Gloucestershire, and also where I stayed. It is located on the edge of the Cotswolds, and is therefore a convenient place to stay if you want to drive around and explore the area. The town is renowned for its Regency architecture, as well as the many festivals it hosts throughout the year. Amongst those is the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, one of the UK’s leading jazz festivals, held in the spring. Cheltenham is 25 km northwest of Cirencester.
4. Cirencester
Once upon a time, Cirencester was second only to London in size. Nowadays, it may be the largest town in the Cotswolds, but it is much smaller than Cheltenham or Gloucester. Nonetheless, it is much more charming than either of these larger towns (and also my favorourite).
5. Gloucester
As mentioned, Gloucester is the county town and the only city in Gloucestershire. Lying on the River Severn, it is the furthest inland port in Britain. A visit to Gloucester would not be complete without a walk around the Cathedral and then to the Docks. The former warehouses are now occupied by water-side restaurants and bars. Gloucester is 13 km west of Cheltenham and 27 km northwest of Cirencester.
6. Painswick
Painswick is another village in the Cotswolds. Although not as popular or busy as Bibury or Bourton-on-the-Water, it is worth being part of your itinerary. Painswick is 16 km south of Cheltenham, 26 km west of Cirencester and 10 km south of Gloucester.
7. Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold is a small town, home to many tea houses located around the market square. This is where the last important battle of the English Civil War ended (back in 1646). Stow-on-the-Wold is 6 km north of Bourton-on-the-Water.
How to get there
To drive from London to Cheltenham, Cirencester or Gloucester takes about 2 hours (approx. 150 km). Bibury can be combined with Cirencester, whereas Painswick can be combined with Gloucester. Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water can be combined together.
When and how long to visit
The weather in the UK is predictably unpredictable and there are no guarantees it will be on your side (even in the summer). Having said that, May and June are possibly the best months, mostly due to the days being the longest.
Three days would allow you to visit all the places mentioned above (weather permitting, of course).
Accommodation
Rather than staying in a village, I decided to stay in Cheltenham. DoubleTree by Hilton is located in the outskirts of the town, on the edge of the Cotswolds, and is therefore a convenient place to stay if you want to drive around and explore the area. If you’re not so keen on driving around Cotswolds, I would recommend staying either in Cirencester or Bourton-on-the-Water.
Further reading
If you’re looking for ideas and tips for UK-based holidays, check out my following posts:
The G7 summit and 7 places in Cornwall
Leeds: 9 tips by a (former) local
Explore the Isle of Man in 3 days
Alex
(the soon-to-be-Traveling-again-Psychiatrist)