The Cotswolds

Reasons to visit the Cotswolds

One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’.

Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone; take in splendid, lively market towns; visit some of the country’s greatest palaces, castles and country houses; marvel at the natural world and at some of the most famous arboretas in Britain; walk through breath-taking landscapes along historic trails; or maybe visit some of the towns and bigger villages.

There’s a vibrant buzz in places like Cheltenham, Cirencester, Tewkesbury, Stroud and Witney.  And an arty heartbeat too – which extends to the wealth of festivals that are testimony to the creative vibe of the region.

First and foremost though, the Cotswolds is a richly rural area: more than 3,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore; ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows; 4,000 miles of historic Cotswold stone walls dividing up the landscape.

Unsurprisingly this landscape provides a rich harvest of fine food with local cheeses, meats and drinks appearing prominently on the menus of the gastro pubs, old inns, colourful cafes and fine-dining restaurants scattered generously across the region.