England | England: The Cotswolds
Revel in the beauty and quintessential charm of Southwest England.
Trip Highlights:
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Take in the amazing views of a bucolic landscape replete with historic sights.
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Visit Stonehenge, one of the world's most well-known prehistoric monuments.
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Wander through honey-colored villages en route to the region's coziest pubs and B&Bs.
Welcome to the Cotswolds, an area of south-western England which is famous for its gently sloping green hills and ancient, picture-postcard towns and villages. The term originates from Cod, meaning 12th Century Anglo Saxon chieftain/landowner, and Wold, meaning High Land, hence Cod-Wold, or Cotswolds, as it became known. It is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the largest in the country, and its quintessentially English charm predominantly spans the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, while also reaching into parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.
The Cotswolds is famous for its honey-colored limestone, which was used to construct the villages and lively market towns. The warm, serene color of the aforementioned limestone blends wonderfully with the surrounding greenery of the English countryside – a significant contributing factor to the distinctive beauty of the Cotswolds.
The Cotswolds was initially built as a centre for the wool trade in the 13th and 14th Century – it has transcended time beautifully and exists today as one of the most treasured destinations in the UK and indeed the world. Nowhere else can one find such unique and heart-warming preservation on such an extensive scale.
Our tour begins in the elegant northern Cotswold town of Broadway, a wonderful first view of what to expect on this tour. The town couldn’t work any better as a wonderful first viewing of what to expect – charming, honeycomb-colored buildings make up a town seemingly unchanged in centuries, while little boutiques and cafés serving cream teas abound in this delightful town. We end in Bath with with Roman baths and beautiful Royal Crescent being the highlight.
Over the course of the tour, we’ll visit centuries-old castles, quaint English gardens, stately country estates, and historic cities and spa towns brimming with culture. We’ll hike through the rolling green countryside, savor cream teas in tucked-away cafés, explore Neolithic burial mounds and ancient hilltop fortifications, dine in cozy pubs (a true cornerstone of British culture), and stroll cobbled lanes in villages that feel lifted from a Laurie Lee novel or a Wordsworth poem. And, of course, we’ll venture off the tourist trail to discover hidden corners only a local guide could reveal.
Trip Itinerary
Travel independently to Broadway. Check into our lovely, classic English hotel. Meet your guides and group at 7:00 pm for an orientation, cocktails and dinner.
Enjoy the first of our lovely ‘Cotswold Circular Walks’, the Stanton, Snowshill and The Edge loop walk. This six-mile loop walk leads us between two of the most picturesque villages in the Cotswolds. We can also visit Snowshill Manor, a lovely National Trust manor house with gardens, if time permits. Return to our Broadway hotel.
Distance: 6 miles.
Today begins from the charming village of Winchcombe, tracing both classic and lesser-known stretches of the Cotswold Way. The path climbs gently to Belas Knap, an ancient Neolithic long barrow perched high on the ridge, offering a fascinating glimpse into the region’s mysterious past. From here, we descend through a scenic valley to Sudeley Castle, home to exquisite gardens and the final resting place of Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife. Our journey continues south to the elegant village of Painswick, affectionately known as the “Queen of the Cotswolds. Tonight is the first of three in our gorgeous boutique hotel in town.
Distance: 4 miles.
We begin today at one of the finest markets in the country—the lively Stroud Farmers’ Market—before setting out on our second circular walk, the Cranham Coopers & Beechwoods Loop. This lovely four-mile route winds through some of England’s most cherished beech woodlands, including the serene, bluebell-filled Buckholt Wood in spring. The trail circles Cooper’s Hill, home of the legendary Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling competition, where for over 200 years the daring have tumbled downhill in pursuit of cheese and glory. Along the way, we stop at the atmospheric Great Witcombe Roman Villa before returning to The Painswick for the evening.
Distance: 4 miles.
Enjoy a mix of scenic drives and gentle strolls as we explore the rural retreats once favored by British royalty. The day begins at the magnificent Westonbirt Arboretum, the National Arboretum and one of the country’s most spectacular tree collections. Pause for a classic Sunday lunch at the historic Ragged Cot near Minchinhampton Common—an inn with a storied (and slightly haunted) past. Along the way, expect to share the roads with donkeys, cows, and sheep grazing freely across the commons—it’s not unusual to stop as a herd casually crosses your path. End with a well-earned treat from Winstone’s Cotswold Ice Cream before returning to The Painswick.
Distance: 3 miles
Our day begins with a visit to Highgrove, the elegant home of King Charles III, where we’ll stroll through its exquisitely designed gardens.
From there, we drive to the southern edge of the Cotswolds to take in inspiring views of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath from Beechen Cliff. The day concludes with an unforgettable evening at Stonehenge, where we’ll enjoy the exclusive Stone Circle Access tour, wandering among the ancient stones as the light fades. We overnight in an elegant, centrally located hotel in Bath.
Distance: 2 miles.
We spend our final day exploring Bath’s namesake, the Roman Baths, one of the most complete and extensive Roman spa ruins on Earth. Follow this with a free walking tour of the city of Bath, paid for by the city council and guided by the rather astonishingly knowledgeable guides. After lunch, spend the afternoon walking our final Cotswold walk, Journey’s End: The Walk into Bath. This 5-mile linear walk offers a true sense of pilgrimage as the trail slides from open hilltop and around farmland into the heart of Bath with its crescendo at the majestic splendor of Bath Abbey (where Edgar, the first ‘King of the English’ was crowned in 973AD) and the southern end of the Cotswolds Way. Return to our hotel in Bath.
Distance: 5 miles.
