{"id":8629,"date":"2022-07-08T12:05:14","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T17:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justwing.it\/?page_id=8629"},"modified":"2024-04-30T20:23:27","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T01:23:27","slug":"cotswolds","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/justwing.it\/england\/cotswolds\/","title":{"rendered":"Cotswolds"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Cotswolds is the quintessential English country side, located NW of London. It is a vast region including five different counties and spanning nearly 800 square miles. It is full of small towns, rolling hills, and cute country houses. <\/p>\n
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The easiest way to get to the Cotswolds is by car. Depending on what part of the Cotswolds you plan to visit first, the drive time may vary, but on average you can plan for a 2-hour drive from London. If you are a frequent driver in the UK, the drive will not be an issue. However, if you are used to driving on the right side of the road, you may be in for more of a challenge. Throughout the Cotswolds, there are some narrow roads where two-way traffic seems impossible, but there will be pull-out points. Additionally, if you do choose to rent a car and are less familiar with the area, keep in mind locals and taxi drivers may be more aggressive on the roads. <\/p>\n
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Driving allows you to reach both the larger and smaller towns within the Cotswolds. Alternatively, you can take the train to one of the stations in the Cotswolds. Then either rent a car or plan to stay in the same area for your visit. The main train stations accessible in the Cotswolds are Banbury, Cheltenham, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Kingham. Other towns with stations near the Cotswolds include Oxford, Bath and Stroud.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
It is tough to visit multiple areas of the Cotswolds without a car. There are buses running between towns which can be used, but are not frequent and there are some taxis, but these often need to be booked in advance. Additionally, although many distances may look walkable, the roads are not made for walkers. Walking options are available through the countryside lands, but this requires dryer weather or good footwear! All in all, having a car provides the most flexibility and allows you to make your own schedule. Then, once in any of the towns, it is easy to explore on foot as most of the towns are very small.<\/p>\n
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A few tips if renting a car:<\/p>\n
1) Rent a car with the drivers seat on the opposite side (right side). This is normal, but sometimes cars can have the steering wheel on the left side still which makes the switch more confusing.<\/p>\n
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2) Plan to get an automatic car. Even if you know how to drive manual, it makes the transition to the left side of the road easier; trying to use the clutch with the opposite hand adds an unnecessary challenge.<\/p>\n
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3) Be sure to ask what type of fuel (petrol or diesel) the rental car takes.<\/p>\n
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If depending on taxis, be sure to look-up taxi companies in the area you are staying in advance. Reach out to the companies for bookings to lock-in a pick-up or drop-off. A few to start with are listed below:<\/p>\n
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Excelsior Taxis<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>– convenient for those staying around Chipping North, Kingham, Milton-under-Wychwood<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AG Private Hire<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong><\/a>– convenient for those staying around Bourton-on-the-Water<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Since there are countless towns spread across the Cotswolds, picking where to stay can be challenging. When visiting the Cotswolds, what better way to enjoy the British countryside than by staying in an inn at a quaint pub or your own little cottage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sand & Stone <\/strong><\/a>has a portfolio of cozy cottages in different areas across the Cotswolds. Check out their properties, and review the information below to get an idea on where to stay for your Cotswolds getaway.<\/p>\n For folks who do not want to drive to the Cotswolds, staying here is a good home base as there are trains from London to Moreton-in-Marsh which is at the heart of the Cotswolds. It gives visitors the real Cotswolds feel without a car<\/p>\n This town is a hidden gem. Like many of the towns, it is small, but has enough to be a good home base location. There are a few different pubs and restaurant options, numerous antique shops, small boutiques, and a bunch of cafes. It is also ideally located to visit some of the key spots in the Cotswolds and is home to the pub known for serving the best Cotswolds Sunday Roast.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A cute pub and inn found in the quaint town of Stow-on-the-Wold. The pub has rooms upstairs in the main building, as well additional rooms in coach houses a few minutes away from the main pub. This is where I stayed with a few friends on our first visit to the Cotswolds. The town of Stow-on-the-Wold is a great home base, with Daylesford Organic Farm just a 10-minute drive away along with a few other nice towns (Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, and Bourton-on-the-Water) closeby.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Click here<\/strong><\/a> to book your stay!<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Often referred to as the Venice of the Cotswolds, Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the bigger towns that still feels like a town. The town is in a prime location with other smaller quaint towns nearby. It offers more options for accommodations, dining, and shopping than some of the nearby villages, but it also is a more touristy feeling town and can get rather busy in the summer months and on nice weekend days.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Another moderately sized town in comparison to others in the Cotswolds, Broadway is a cute town not far from the Broadway Tower.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n The Slaughters consists of the Upper Slaughter and the Lower Slaughter. These tiny little towns are very picturesque, but also very quiet. If you are not concerned with having a town, this can be a good option. It is located close enough to Bourton-on-the-Water that you can easily drive for meals, just note there are very few options in the Slaughters themselves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Bee Cottage<\/strong><\/a> – one of the Sand and Stone<\/strong> quaint cottages, the Little Bee Cottage is found in the town of Milton-under-Wychwood. This town is especially small, but has a lovely pub called The Hare <\/strong>and a cute breakfast cafe called Rise & Flour Artisan Bakery and Cafe. <\/strong>It has a small grocery shop within a 5 minute walk, making it easy to stock up on snacks. The towns of Ascott-under-Wychwood and Shipton-under-Wychwood are both walkable with sidewalks available between the towns. It is better to have a car when staying here, enabling you to drive the short distances to other known spots including Daylesford Farm, the Wild Rabbit, among other lovely British pubs and Cotswolds towns.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nAccommodations<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Moreton-in-Marsh<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Stow-on-the-Wold<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Bell-Inn <\/a><\/h6>\n
Bourton-on-the-Water<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Broadway<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Slaughters<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Milton-under-Wychwood<\/h4>\n
Nether Westcote<\/h4>\n