BEST COTSWOLD GUIDE

Born in the village of Wyck Rissington, in the heart of the Cotswolds, I’ve spent all of my life farming in this unique area. Being the son of a farmer I grew up understanding a small family farming business.

For many years, I worked on my family’s farm, as well as two others on a contract basis, until I made the decision to retire early in 2016.

In 2000, I made the bold decision to convert the farms to Organic production, certified by the Soil Association. On my farms, I cultivated a range of crops: wheat for bread-making, barley for brewing, oats for biscuits and porridge, and pulses to provide much-needed protein for animals. I also maintained a 60-cow Angus herd, producing organic beef that was sold to local farms like Daylesford and even larger retailers like Marks and Spencer. Every season brought new challenges, but also great satisfaction, as I witnessed the benefits of organic farming practices unfold.

After retiring, I realized that my love for the countryside and my knowledge of the local area had only developed over the years. The Cotswolds is not just a place I live—it’s a part of who I am. I want to share with others this fascinating area with its picturesque villages, rolling hills, and rich history.

Whether you’re curious about the local flora and fauna, want to learn about traditional farming methods, or simply wish to explore the villages from the comfort of a luxurious tour, I’m here to help.

MY FAVOURITE COTSWOLD DESTINATIONS

I love to admire the beauty of the unique picturesque villages of the North Cotswolds, such as The Slaughters and Snowshill. I adore Lower Slaughter for its beauty and tranquillity. It really is a place to unwind.

Sudeley Castle, a wonderful place to visit, has something for everyone. The History, Gardens, a magnificent fortress, tranquillity, and beauty are all to be enjoyed.

Broadway Tower, with its far-reaching views over 12 counties is also a highlight.

Owlpen Manor is a very special place to visit. Steeped in history in a rural backwater near Uley, it remains one of my favourite visits. I can arrange private guided tours with the Owners if requested in advance.

THE GRANDLINGS

My wife and I have brought up 5 children and now have 5 grandchildren who all live locally.

CRICKET

Village Cricket, an essential part of a Cotswold summer, is played in most villages. When organised cricket first began in the 17th.century when matches were played between rival parishes or villages. With teams made up of residents, village cricket is a major part of Cotswold village life in the summer.

MY LOVE OF COTSWOLD COUNTRY PURSUITS

South Devon Cows peacefully grazing

Heythrop Hounds meet at a Local Cotswold Manor and Park.

Harvesting Oilseed Rape in July

Springer Spaniel eager to get on with the day.

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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BEST COTSWOLD TOURS

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Porters Farm, Wyck Rissington, Bourton on the Water Glos GL54 2PN

Best Cotswold Tours