Broadway Tower

Join a local driver/guide on a relaxing full-day tour of the Cotswolds National Landscape. Experience the very best of this quintessentially English region on this tour that stops at 6 different and unique locations with ample time built into the day for self-exploration, shopping, and lunch. Accept no substitutes - this activity is provided by a local company established for 10 years! The tour stops at: • Dover's Hill: the northern-most Cotswolds viewpoint offering panoramic views out towards Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham & Coventry • Chipping Campden: a historic wool town where you have 1 hour of free time to explore with our unique maps and local recommendations • A secret off-the-beaten-track Cotswolds village (join to find this one out!) • Stow-on-the-Wold: your designated lunch stop with a wide range of wonderful food options to choose from  • Bibury: often referred to as the prettiest village in England it's also the home of the iconic Arlington Row of cottages • Bourton-on-the-Water: famed for the crystal clear waters of the River Windrush and the pretty bridges that cross it Between the stops, your local driver-guide will tell you the story of the Cotswolds with a fun, fact-filled commentary as you travel the narrow back lanes only the locals know about.

The Cotswolds is classified as an area of outstanding beauty, famed for its traditional villages, rolling hills, cream teas, sheep, and Victorian follies. It is one of the UK’s most popular tourist spots so join us on our small group tour to get a more ‘off the beaten track’ experience of this charming area. Beautiful in all seasons we will visit some of the highlights of the Cotswolds, all within a day’s driving distance from London. A rural idyll that was once the heart of the wool industry in the medieval times, exporting textiles throughout Europe. During the Victorian Era the newly built railways passed this area by, meaning that its medieval charm has been preserved. It was rediscovered by the pioneers of Arts & Crafts Movement and the Pre-Raphaelites in the late Victorian era, who made it fashionable and created lots of small artisan workshops making goods such as furniture, jewelry and ceramics. First we will go to Burford, known as the Gateway to the Cotswolds, an old Market town on the River Windrush that winds around a medieval church with a fascinating history. Then we will visit a variety of villages including Bibury with its Trout Farm and the old Weavers Cottages of Arlington Row. After a meander through nearby villages including Bourton on the Water, we will visit the iconic Broadway Tower for some great views across the countryside.

Depart from London and explore the Cotswold's region, an area of outstanding beauty with vast countryside. Stop and explore the most beautiful Cotswold villages, including Broadway, Bibury and Bourton-On-The-Water. We include admission to Broadway Tower and Country Park. Climb the tower to see amazing views from the top of Beacon Hill - on a clear day you will see up to 60 miles away, a great way to see the beauty of The Cotswolds. You will travel by air-conditioned luxury 18 seat mini-coach, which allows you to explore some of the beautiful areas that larger groups cannot reach. This tour has a leisurely pace allowing you to enjoy time in the villages, and try some local treats.

Starting with a pick up in Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's Birthplace Coach Terminal, 9.00AM), or Moreton-in-Marsh train station (9.30AM), set off into the rolling countryside of the Cotswolds National Landscape. This original tour is provided by Go Cotswolds, a fun, friendly local guided tour company, established in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds for 10 years.  Begin with a short, countryside walk to the iconic Broadway Tower (1 mile/1.6km). Soak up the panoramic views and see if you can spot the resident herd of red deer. Walk back to the minibus (1 mile/1.6km) and drive to Broadway village, or descend into the village on foot by walking a short section of the famous Cotswold Way (1.5 miles/2.5km). Enjoy free time in the stunning village of Broadway to explore at your own leisure and grab some lunch. Travel through the scenic countryside before embarking on a beautiful figure-of-eight walk (2.75 miles/4.5 km) to discover quiet, quaint villages along the Windrush Valley. Here, you'll truly be off the beaten track, discovering hidden churches, surprising history, and gorgeous Cotswold villages without the crowds of tourist hot spots. Unwind after in the historic market town of Burford, where you can admire the historic buildings, shop for gifts or relax in a local pub or café. Listen to your guide’s fascinating commentary throughout the day about local life and history.

Explore the picturesque villages and scenery of the world-famous Cotswolds region on a private full day tour scheduled from 10am to 6pm. Get off the beaten track and avoid the coach crowds with the help of your local guide. Visit the destinations you want to see, where practical, and discover locations you may not have heard of too. As the tour is private, the itinerary and start time are flexible. Along the way, enjoy coffee, lunch, and cake stops to suit your schedule as well. Possible places to visit include Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Minster Lovell, North Leigh Roman Villa, Broadway Tower, Chastleton House, Kingham, and Kelmscott Manor. By booking this activity with me here, you are agreeing to book me as your guide for the day but this booking and payment does not include the significant costs of my arranging a taxi to drive us or alternatively you can choose to hire a car to drive us. I cannot be your driver as if I hire the car to deliver a commercial activity, the car insurance policy is invalidated. I do not own a vehicle of my own either.

Welcome to the picturesque and idyllic Cotswolds, a region of charming stone villages and captivating landscapes of lush green rolling hills, a part of old England untouched by the modern world which takes the visitor away from the hustle and bustle of modern life to a era when the pace of things seemed much slower and time seemed to stand still. We journey west of London to the limestone uplands of the Cotswolds, an area that flourished with the lucrative wool trade, entering a wonderful Golden Age, but was then bypassed by the Industrial Revolution and slept through the 18th and 19th centuries to emerge with all its old world beauty intact. We drive through Woodstock, past the edge of the great Blenheim Palace Estate, along to Chipping Norton and Moreton-in-Marsh with their collection of honey coloured cottages and onwards to Bourton-on-the-Hill with houses cascading down the valley and an ancient church perched on the top. We see delightful Blockley where the TV detective series Father Brown is filmed. Around the corner can be found breathtakingly beautiful Broad Campden with its stunning gardens, clipped hedgerows and thatched cottages then we move on to its larger neighbour, Chipping Campden, a classic Cotswold wool town with its old Market Hall built in 1627. Enjoy a guided walk here before we reach up to the highest point in the Cotswold Hills at Broadway Tower with its incredible views. This fine tower was built in 1799 for the 6th Earl of Coventry and on a clear day one is said to be able to see 13 counties, some of them in England and a few out in the distant mountains of Wales!! We now drive down to the charming village of Snowshill, which many of you may recognise from the Bridget Jones films. This cluster of cottages centred around an old church, and perched on the edge of a steep hill is our lunch stop. For the afternoon we visit the Cotswolds Lavender Farm, here you'll fall in love with the colour purple and the aroma of this alluring plant. Lavender is grown as a crop and used in perfumes, teas, syrups and other products. Stroll up and down the rows of lavender and treat your senses to the colours and fragrances and don't forget a visit to the gift shop. Later on our Cotswold tour continues through elegant Broadway with its plethora of thatched buildings, and the beautiful twin villages of Stanton and Stanway with ample time for photo stops before we drive via Stow-on-the-Wold and back to London.