BEST DAYS OUT IN THE COTSWOLDS

The Cotswolds are a dramatic limestone escarpment stretching from Bath in the south up to Stratford upon Avon in the north a distance of some 110 miles. In the west, the area stretches from the River Severn to Oxford a total of nearly 60 miles. An area of AONB, 80% of the Cotswolds is farmland and covers 6 counties. The region “the most English of all our countrysides” is well known for its pretty villages, centuries-old churches, cute cottages, and dry stone walls that are made of oolitic limestone that glows in the sunshine: Roman Villas; intricate mosaics; thriving arts and crafts; silversmiths; glass making; historical towns and cities; idiosyncratic festivals such as cheese rolling and Olympic games; centuries-old wool industry; fresh locally produced organic food supplying farmers markets and restaurants; magical gardens; rural skills;

The Cotswolds is a large region with so much to see and do. It is impossible to see it all in one day. So please take a look at some suggestions of itineraries that mix some villages, some arts and crafts, some history, and some gardens in one day. Of course, making a 2 or 3-day visit you would be able to see so much more and understand more about Cotswold Life.

NORTH COTSWOLD

MY LOVE OF COTSWOLD COUNTRY PURSUITS

The first village on our itinerary is the Venice of the Cotswolds- Bourton on the Water. With its 5 bridges spanning the Windrush, there is much to see. From there we progress to the Slaughters and take a look at one of the Cotswold Icons Lower Slaughter Mill. We might proceed onto Snowshill, Broadway, Broadway Tower and Chipping Campden. In the afternoon we might visit one of the Cotswold Magical Gardens – Hidcote, Kiftsgate or we could visit one of the finest historic buildings in the Cotswolds -Sudeley Castle where Katherine Parr is buried. Finally, our trip might end at Bibury one of the most visited villages in the Cotswolds described by William Morris as the “most beautiful village in England”.

UNMISSABLE COTSWOLD VILLAGES AND GARDENS

Bourton on the Water
The Slaughters
Snowshill
Broadway and Broadway Tower
Stanton House and Fountain
Stanway
Chipping Campden
Burford and Minster Lovell
Kiftsgate Garden
Bourton House Garden
Sudeley Castle Garden

BATH AND SOUTH

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Starting our day in Cirencester, we would drive past Highgrove House, the home of Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and Badminton House, home of the Duke of Beaufort as we proceed to the picturesque village of Castle Combe where we might stop for lunch or tea at The Old Rectory Tearooms. The view across By Brook is one of the most photographed places in the Cotswolds and at the other end of the street is the 14thC market cross. From there we drive the short distance to the beautiful City of Bath designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. A free 2-hour walking tour is available every day around the sites of Bath. Alternatively, the day could start in Bath and we return to the Cotswolds.

UNMISSABLE COTSWOLD VILLAGES AND SITES

Cirencester
Tetbury
Castle Combe
Lacock
Bath: Abbey dating back to 1499, Pump Rooms, Roman Baths,( consisting of Sacred Spring, The Roman Temple, the Romans Bath House Jane Austen Centre, Royal Crescent, North and South Parades, The Circus, Queen Square, and Prior Park, Vaults Heritage Museum.

OXFORD AND BLENHEIM

TYPICAL COTSWOLD TOUR ITINERARY

In the morning we might explore the world behind Oxford’s closed doors. Go inside the University and explore the grounds of one of the famous colleges and enter the world famous Bodleian Library, used in the filming of Harry Potter. Also worth a visit is the University Museum of Natural History and the Pitts River Museum. View the dreaming spires of the colleges from the Carfax Tower. Visit the Bridge of Sighs and the Radcliffe Camera. Or take a punt on the river where you can drift from Magdalen Bridge or the Cherwell Boathouse.
In the afternoon we would visit the Magnificent Blenheim Palace, a few miles from Oxford. Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock and is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. It is an only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England’s largest houses, was built between 1705 and circa 1722. Blenheim Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

UNMISSABLE COTSWOLD VILLAGES AND SITES

Oxford:
Bodleian Library, Bridge of Sighs, Radcliffe Camera, Museum of Natural History, Pitt Rivers Museum, Carfax Tower, Ashmolean Museum, Blackwells Bookshop, Sheldonian Theatre, Magdalen College, Blenheim Palace & Gardens and Parkland.

SOUTH COTSWOLDS

TYPICAL COTSWOLD TOUR ITINERARY

We might start the day from the Quintessential 16thC converted woollen store that is known as Arlington Row (Bibury), or from the Roman Town of Cirencester (Corinium). We would proceed through the dramatic rolling hills of the area around Stroud. Across Minchinhampton Common, 580 acres of National Trust grassland, and descend the winding lane into one of the Cotswolds’ hidden gems – Nailsworth. Our next stop is the Tudor Owlpen Manor, described as “the most beautiful place in England”. Onwards from there, we could marvel at the stunning views over the River Severn and towards Wales from Coaley Point. We then spend the afternoon exploring the beauty of Slad Valley and onto the stunning village of Painswick with its absolute must visit Churchyard with its 99 yew trees. Half a mile away the final visit of the day would have to be the flamboyant Rococo Gardens.

Quote from Mark Thompson writing in Metrosource Travel Magazine:

“Coddled in the Cotswolds: Given the rolling hills and narrow roads of the five-county expanse of the Cotswolds, one of the best means of enjoying the region is from the comfort of a luxury Mercedes Viano with a private driver and guide from Best Cotswold Tours without the anxiety of driving on the wrong side of the road. Each tour is personally tailored to a client’s requests”.

PRICES

Usually single-day tours, but 2 -3-day tours are available upon request.
Full-day Tour from as little as £425 depending upon the time of year. All tours are fully inclusive but do not include lunch tea or admission to attractions or sites.
Payment by card on the day of the tour.

WHAT DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE?

Advising and discussing your personal tour

Arranging your personal tour and provision of itinerary description.

Collection and return to your Cotswold Train Hotel or B&B.

Bottled water carried at all times in the vehicle.

WHAT DOES THE PRICE NOT INCLUDE?

Cost of any meals, pub lunches, teas or refreshments

Cost of entry tickets into any sites or attractions

Stephanie U

12 July 2024

A Tour of the Villages in Cotswold Such an amazing area with beautiful villages along the way. Mark was so knowledgable and customized the trip to meet our needs with what we wanted to see.

Kelly

10 July 2024

Beautiful Cotswolds with a great tour guide! Highly recommended! Looking for someone to bring you around Cotswolds and enjoy the beauty of it at your own pace? Mark is definitely the person you’re looking for! Highly recommended! We’re so glad that we found Mark to bring us around Cotswolds! He was very friendly, helpful and informative. Mark was also very accommodative to our requests and gave good suggestions, and the 2-day itinerary was very well planned! He brought us to many beautiful places but we didn’t feel rushed at all and took our time to enjoy the beauty of Cotswolds. Mark also brought us to places we’ve never thought we would visit in the Cotswolds - the visit to a farm to see the Hereford cows was a nice surprise! :) We absolutely loved and enjoyed our time in Cotswolds! It’s very beautiful indeed, and we had a really great time with Mark too! Thanks again for everything, Mark! We’ll definitely be back again! :)

Dale L

8 July 2024

Cotswold Circuit We spent the better part of a weather-sampler kind of day with Mark and had nothing short of a wonderful time. Our previous plan of a mid morning hike as part of the journey had to be scrubbed due to a sudden pounding rainstorm, but Mark's excellent knowledge of the area allowed him to move to a plan B and then plan C as the weather alternated from windy, cloudy, cold, warm, rainy, dry (and back again). But that didn't stop of from seeing a wide range of wonderful sites, and we finished the day with an understanding and appreciation of this beautiful historic area, and a desire to come back some time and stay a while longer.... Thanks so much Mark for being so flexible and giving us an excellent tour.

Mark B

27 June 2024

A trip down memory lane from early childhood in the last 1960s early 1970s Enjoyed reviving a few old memories. Mark was very knowledgeable and also adapted the tour to visit old home. Broadway recommended as a base as it is a bit quieter than some other locations in the area and also easily accessible via Evesham if travelling by train. Enjoyed Bourton on the Water again, a must visit village when in the area and not so crowded when first stop in the morning, Chedworth Roman Villa recommended

julie z

31 May 2024

Fabulous tour! Highly recommend! Our family of four (including our 22 and 15-year-old sons) very much enjoyed our half day tour of the Cotswolds! Mark is extremely knowledgeable, thoughtful and kind. He picked us up and dropped us off at our air bnb in Stow, and tailored the day to our preferences. We saw many different types of architecture, villages and scenery. The four hours flew by! He also graciously had bottles of water and umbrellas available during the tour. We saw so much more with Mark than we would have ever seen had we adventured out on our own. He also had wonderful recommendations for the rest of our stay, including beautiful walking paths. We highly recommend Mark! My husband inadvertently left his glasses in Mark’s vehicle, and Mark kindly drove them to our location in the evening—-above and beyond!

Robert W

8 May 2024

A journey thru the Cotswolds Wow. We had a marvelous visit thru the Cotswolds with Mark. He made the Cotswolds come alive with his engaging personality and knowledge of the area’s history. You can tell that Mark truly has a love of the Cotswolds and enjoys sharing the area with others. We were also blessed with a gorgeous spring day!!

Richard D

6 May 2024

Fantastic personalized tour of the north Cotswolds. If you want to see the Cotswolds, you must see them with Mark! We were staying in Oxford and wanted to visit the Cotswolds for a day. Our own research showed there was a lot to see, so instead of driving around ourselves, we decided to use Mark and take advantage of his local, insider knowledge. This proved to be an excellent decision on our part! Mark was able to tailor a full-day tour for us that highlighted our interests (history, gardens), checked off most of the 'must-see' north Cotswold spots and took us to some special places we never would have found on our own. He is a wealth of knowledge about the area and an entertaining conversationalist. The Cotswolds could not ask for a better 'ambassador'. We highly recommend that you park your own car, relax and let Mark take you on a wonderful tour of the Cotswolds.

Roy F

6 May 2024

Great tour of the Cotswolds Mark was a great tour guide who obviously knows the area. He provided a lovely overview of the Cotswolds. We had scheduled an all day tour. One of our party didn’t feel well. Mark graciously made adjustments to our tour so we could still do it. I would recommend Mark to anyone who wants a guide who will personalize the tour to meet your individual needs.

Susan M

5 May 2024

The Best Tour Guide! This being our first visit to England, we had no idea what to expect. Best Cotswolds Tours could not have been more perfect for us. Mark Ransom picked us up and had an itinerary in hand. We had decided to let Mark just do what he does. But as he learned more about us, he used our own interests to customize our tour for us. Of course we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Cotswolds. Mark has lived his whole life in one of these tiny treasured villages, and really knows everything there is to know. We sat back in his very comfortable vehicle and took it all in! When he learned of my husband’s interest in architecture, he knew just what villages would be right for him. My husband and I are interested in visiting “off the beaten track” places, as we don’t enjoy crowded areas. Mark made sure to take us to see places of importance, as well as quiet little villages, which may have a tearoom as the only business. We were enraptured by it all. When he learned of my interest in textiles and weaving, he made sure there was time to visit the Cotswolds Woolen Weavers museum (and shop!). This review asked us to rate Best Cotswolds Tours using a 1 to 5 star scale, we give Mark Ransom 10 Stars! He couldn’t have been more perfect as a tour guide. I only wish it could’ve gone on for a longer period of time than we had! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Dana A

29 April 2024

Super fun, stress-free day with kids. Our day with Mark couldn't have been better. Five adults and three kids (ages six to four) ... he did a fabulous job scheduling the day for our group. We saw the best bakeries and playgrounds and had a (play) sword-fight on a hill-top with a view surrounded by sheep and ancient castles. But, for the grown-ups we also came away with a real appreciation for the sights and history of the Cotswolds. Not only was Mark a friendly and entertaining guide, he also make the logistics a breeze with pick ups and drop-offs at different train stations and hotels for different members of our group. And even though the weather was a bit grey and cold, thanks to Mark, this was a fanatics day.

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