I recently had a very enjoyable stay in the Lygon Arms Hotel in Broadway. The hotel had the benefit of adequate parking and from there we walked out each day. We googled circular walks from Broadway and found more than enough to keep us active for 4 days.
Broadway was busy ish but nowhere near as hectic as we expected. Of course booking eateries is important now but popping in for afternoon tea wasn’t a problem.
Broadway Tower has an amazing view and the walk to the Tower was quite exhilarating.
Driving through Burford was a challenge with numerous badly parked Land Rovers and the like narrowing the road. However, it didn’t take more than 10 mins to get through.
Many thanks for a fantastic responses , the only problem is I think that we will need 2 visits to fit it all in:wink: we have roughed out an itinerary based on staying at the Old Manse Hotel for the first 3 nights (Green King £189 breakfast inc. 4 poster bed price matched with Trivago and a 20% off coupon for food), as for the second half we are weighing up prebooking the Reedsdale hotel or waiting until we are there to pick somewhere, or even extend our stay at the Old Manse, 2 months to decide so mucho pondering to be done. Ps I wasn’t kidding about a second visit, possibly next year . Again thank you and ttfn. Dave and Gerty.
A few more tips from a “Cotswoldian” if I may;
The Gloucestershire - Warwickshire Steam Railway is worth a visit. Park at Toddington Station where there’s plenty of free parking and take a trip one way to Cheltenham Spa station and the other way to Broadway.
As previous posters say the model railway at Bourton on the Water is also worth a look - as is the car museum there. By November the current hoardes of visitors should be gone. Broadway Tower offers fantastic views. If you plan on eating in the cafe there, they will refund the cost of your parking. There are also great walks from there - including into Broadway if you have time. Broadway Delicatessen serves some of the best food I’ve ever tasted.
There is a lovely walk from Coln St Aldwyns to Bibury along the River Coln to Bibury. There’s also a basic cafe in the village store in Coln.
There’s also a great but muddy walk between the two Slaughters near Bourton.
Stow on the Wold is usually a few degress colder than the surrounding areas for some reason and an be very windy.
If you’re coming from the North, a visit to the British Heritage Motor Musuem at Gaydon is also recommended.
My other recommendatios include a drive to Southrop & Eastleach which are off the beaten track but very pretty. the Cotswold Woolen Weavers in Filkins, Burford (large, free car park and cafe in the churchyard), Lechlade (where I live) for a wander along the Thames and a browse in the antiques shops.
I could go on but just yell if you have any questions…
Enjoy your trip
Darryl
I live in the area and think most places have been covered, short hop from Moreton into Stratford Upon Avon maybe ?
For a spot of lunch recommend The Mount in Stanton few miles from Broadway and the Coach and Horses in Longborough few miles from Moreton, two of our favourites on a drive.
Personally I wouldn’t hotel stop in Stow, Chipping Campden is a lot nicer or Broadway area.
I know loads of great drives as have lived close by all my life and worked all round the area for 44 years and still enjoy driving around there.
Darryl, Stewart,Mal, Rich and Stevie, first thanks for your input and apologies for the late response and indeed to all for the invaluable information, we are cobbling everything together now to generate some sort of itinerary that im sure will morph and evolve as the trip evolves and i will post an update on our return, again many thanks.
Kind regards, Dave and Gertie.
Hi there, thanks again for all the great advice regarding visiting the Cotswolds. We were due to go on our road trip at the beginning of November last year but lockdown scuppered it, we have dusted down the plans and are due to start on Monday 1st of November this year, so, exactly 1 year later. We are stringing together a lot of the recommendations from you and keeping everything crossed for some reasonable weather ! thanks again Dave and G.
See if the Wellington Museum at Moreton in Marsh is open if you are there on a Sunday with an hour to spare. It’s small but interesting. Sadly Gerry who established and ran it passed away some time ago but I believe the family have kept it going.
Thanks John that’s a great heads up, unfortunately we won’t be there on a Sunday this time but we think the Cotswolds will become a regular holiday destination so will visit it on a future date, ww2 museums are very much our thing so it’s firmly pencilled in for the future, again many thanks. Dave.
. Again thank you and ttfn. Dave and Gerty.
thank you will give that a go!
thanks again Dave and G.