Short description
Our cycling holiday in the Cotswolds takes you on a weekend tour of this beautiful region - great for a weekend away for couples, but can also be taken as a midweek break, too. The castles, country houses, cricket pitches, pub beer gardens and imposing churches of the Cotswolds sometimes leave the impression that you’re pedaling through a magical storybook.
The Cotswolds is only 25 miles by 90, but is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it’s easy to see why.
The picturesque villages, with delightful names like Aston Magna and Stretton on Fosse, somehow seem to merge perfectly with the landscape of gently rolling hills, big skies, open fields and tree-lined brooks. There is a reason why the area is so picturesque - economics. The wool trade brought prosperity to the area in the Middle Ages and it’s been affluent ever since. This is reflected in the architecture, the way the land is maintained and, of course, in the fine pubs and restaurants.
Following country lanes, alongside golden stone walls, through ancient beech woodlands and around charming village greens – cycling through the Cotswolds is a quintessential, and utterly delightful, English experience.
The itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in the Cotswolds
Arrive in the Cotswolds. Enjoy a bite to eat and a local brew in a delightful Cotswold village Inn and catch a good night’s sleep. Your short break in the Cotswolds starts tomorrow morning.
Day 2: Bledington to Chipping Campden – approx 20 miles
After a delicious full breakfast we cycle directly from Bledington and head towards the village of Kingham, past the renowned Daylesford farm shop and through the village of Adlestrop. From here, ride on to Moreton-in-Marsh, a delightfully traditional Cotswold town. Much of the town is built using the much loved golden Cotswold stone.
Turning left at the top of the High Street in Moreton-in-Marsh, you are immediately back into deep countryside. Through Aston Magna, across Knee Brook and over Ebrington Hill, you come to Hidcote Manor, famed for its magnificent ‘Arts and Crafts’ style gardens and one of several fine National Trust properties on the route. Your day ends in the remarkably well-preserved, medieval market town of Chipping Campden.
Day 3: Chipping Campden to Bledington
Cycle to Bledington along a route which allows you to visit other villages, including another stop in Moreton-in-Marsh, giving you a chance to stock up on any goodies seen in the shops yesterday. The day starts with a climb out of Chipping Campden, up onto the Cotswold escarpment with its wonderful views. You travel through the village of Blockley before descending into Moreton-in-Marsh for refreshments in the local inn or to pick up some picnic supplies for later.
Out of Moreton-in-Marsh, you pass through Evenlode, a parish in the district on Stow-in-the-Wold, and onto Broadwell. You will find this area lesser known than other areas of the Cotswolds. The villages are dotted with Cotswold stone cottages and inns. A stop at the hospitable Fox Inn is a must, in the next village of Oddington. Lunch or a local brew is recommended here before pedaling onwards to Bledington.
Key information
- Highlights
- Numerous Cotswold villages built with golden Cotswold stone
- The gardens at Hidcote Manor
- A pint of locally brewed beer, supped in a pub garden
- The street market in Moreton-in-Marsh (on Tuesdays)
- The descent into Aston Magna
