The Cotswolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England. Filled with green fields, honey-coloured cottages, and charming villages, giving you a true taste of the English countryside. This is my blog post on my favourite villages to visit along with some tips.
Table of Contents
Castle Combe
My favourite village in the Cotswolds! Although it is small, you instantly feel like you have stepped back in time when you start to wander around this sleepy village. Castle Combe is close to the M4 and about a 30-minute drive from the City of Bath. The village is known for being used as a backdrop for a few films over the years, such as Stardust, Warhorse, and the original Dr. Dolittle.
Things to do in Castle Combe
- Wander down the main street in the village and admire the beautiful fairy tale cottages.
- Find the iconic bridge that is located on water lane. This bridge is the most popular photo spot in the village and a lovely place to sit and relax.
- Explore the grounds of the Manor House Country Hotel and enjoy afternoon tea there. The Manor House Hotel is located towards the bottom of the main street in the village. We strolled around the grounds which is free to do, another picture-perfect area.
- See the medieval Market Cross in the centre of the village which marks where the weekly market would have been held. Just opposite this square is where you can find the St Andrews church, originally founded in the 13th Century.
Eating and Drinking
There are a couple of pubs and tearooms in the village where you can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat. The Manor House also offers food and afternoon tea. We stopped and had lunch in one of the pubs called the White Heart. Just opposite the main village square where the Market Cross is.
Parking: There is a free visitor car park at the top of the hill, just a short walk down to the village. The village itself has mostly yellow double lines which can make parking there difficult. The postcode for the car park is SN14 7HH.
Tip: I’d recommend getting there early, as the car park and village can get very busy during the day, especially if you want to take photos on an empty bridge.
Bibury
This is another small and quaint village in the Cotswolds, close to the larger town of Cirencester. This village is where you will find the famous row of Cotswold stone cottages known as ‘Arlington Row’ that overlooks a stream and a small meadow.
Things to do in Bibury
- Wander along the famous row of stone cottages on Arlington Row. These cottages were originally built in the 13th century and are now owned by the National Trust. Most of the cottages are permanently lived in, however, you can book to stay in number 9.
- Visit the Trout Farm. Although this isn’t something I would typically do it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Entry is £5 per adult, and you can buy feed for the trout and ducks. In the summer months you can catch your own trout at certain times of the day and they even have BBQ hire, along with a café.
- Sit and relax by the river Coln that runs through the village
Eating and Drinking
We popped into the Swan Inn and enjoyed a quick lunch in their garden. They offer a range of meals and afternoon tea.
Parking: There is free parking available on the ‘main street’ in the village, along the river, but this is limited. There is also a car park opposite the Trout Farm. The postcode for the village is GL7 5NP.
Tips: We visited in September time which meant it wasn’t too busy. If you want to take photos of Arlington Row with no one else there, I suggest getting there early.
Burton-on-the-Water
Burton-on-the-Water is a bustling little village with plenty to do. The river Windrush flows through the centre of the village, there are 5 cute footbridges that make it easy to cross to the other side. This is where the village gets the nickname ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ from.
Things to do in Burton-on-the-Water
- Visit the Model village – The model village is a replica of the village itself. The replica shows the village perfectly, with a huge amount of attention to detail. It has a high street with shops, gardens, windows with displays, and a miniature river flowing through. There is also a viewpoint where you can see the whole model village.
- Visit Bird Land – Birdland is a wildlife park and garden. The Park is filled with exotic birds, including penguins, parrots, and owls! We spent a couple of hours walking around the park admiring all the different species of birds.
- Visit the Cotswold motoring and toy museum. – We didn’t do this, as we felt we had spent enough money visiting the model village and Birdland but it does look interesting and worth the visit, which I’d do next time.
Parking: There are plenty of pay and display car parks in and around Burton-on-the-Water. There is a pay and display next to Birdland Park on Rissington Road. This is about a 5-minute walk from the centre of the village. Google maps: GL54 2BN.
Eating & Drinking
Visit the Bakery called ‘Bakery on the Water’. We ate in their small garden by the river. The bakery is on Sherborne St, which is close to the Motoring museum. It is delicious!
There is plenty of grassed areas and benches next to the river that flows through the village, which makes it a perfect place for a picnic on a sunny day. Plenty of people had the same idea and because the weather was so nice we spent most of the afternoon there watching the ducks.
Top Tip: Burton-on-the-water was very busy, even in September. I would recommend going mid-week and early. If you are staying in Burton-on-the-water, the afternoon/evening is the best time to miss the rush during the day.
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold is a charming little market town in Gloucestershire. Although there is not a huge number of things to do in the town itself, there are plenty of unique shops, cosy country pubs, and tearooms that have delicious food to indulge in. It is a great place to base yourself for a few days while exploring the Cotswolds. The town has so much character and a great atmosphere.
Things to do in Stow-on-the-Wold
- Visit St Edwards church, a 13th-century church just off from the main market square. This is where you will come across the magical-looking doorway that has become a well-known photo spot in the Cotswolds. What really makes this doorway so magical are the two yew trees that have been planted on either side. This door is on the North porch of the Church and can’t be missed if you walk around the church.
- Wander around the numerous antique shops and galleries in the town.
- Enjoy a walk in the countryside to burn off some calories after enjoying one too many scones!
Eating and Drinking
- Lucy’s Tearoom – another popular photo spot in Stow-on-the-Wold is Lucy’s tea room, which can be found on the main square. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a delicious scone with clotted cream and jam.
- If you are planning on exploring for the day and want to grab something to go I would recommend visiting Cotswolds baguettes. This was one of the nicest baguettes I have eaten with a great menu.
- A very popular spot in Stow-on-the-Wold is the Porch House. This is one of the oldest inns in England and looks so beautiful. Be sure to book because they get busy!
- The Sheep on sheep street. This is a restaurant, bar, and hotel that is modern with a great atmosphere.
Parking: The main square offers limited free parking for up to 2 hours or there is a pay and display car park on Maugesbury Road. There is also a free long-stay car park next to the Tesco’s on the Fosseway. This is a short walk to the village.
Lower Slaughter
Don’t be fooled by the strange name because this village is beautiful. Although there is not much to do, it is absolutely worth the visit for a wander around. it has fairy-tale cottages and footbridges that go over the small stream that runs through the village. You feel like you have stepped back in time as you walk around. Lower Slaughter is around 4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold so can easily be added to your itinerary.
Things to do in Lower Slaughter
- Enjoy a drink and some lunch at the Slaughters Country Inn after having a wander around the village.
- Visit the Old Mill Museum at Lower Slaughter and see the pretty St Andrews church.
- Take a stroll from Lower Slaughter to Upper Slaughter another small village. You can walk along Warren’s Way which is about a mile from Lower Slaughter so should take you roughly 25 mins each way.
Parking: is limited in the village, but it is free. There are spaces to park close to the Manor House or if you drive through the village there is room to park along the road in a couple of laybys.
Click here for accommodation in the Cotswolds.
Thanks for reading, Megan x
