The Lygon Arms
Why we like it: A historic inn on Broadway's high street, with a spa, indoor pool and play area. Ask about the children's pool hours before booking.
From €280
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Duration2 nights
From LondonAbout 2 h by car · 1 h 30 by train to Moreton
Best timeMay · June · September
Walking9.6 km on Saturday
BaseMoreton-in-Marsh
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for leaving London on Friday evening by car and sleeping two nights in Moreton-in-Marsh, in the middle of the area and with a station. Saturday is for walking the first stage of the Cotswold Way, the prettiest; Sunday, for three villages and a long lunch before heading back.
Friday
- 117:00Leave London and arrive in Moreton-in-Marsh
About two hours along the M40 and the A44. Leave the car at the hotel and have dinner on Moreton's high street.
Saturday
- 109:30Chipping Campden and its Market Hall
The stone High Street from the 14th to the 17th centuries and the 1627 Market Hall, where the Cotswold Way begins. Twenty minutes from Moreton by car.
- 210:00Cotswold Way to Broadway
9.6 km with 173 m of climbing past Dover's Hill and Broadway Tower, about three hours. Waymarked with an acorn on the posts.
- 313:15Fish and chips at Russell's
On Broadway's high street, at the end of the stage. No bookings: you turn up and wait. Afterwards, a taxi to Chipping Campden to pick up the car.
Sunday
- 109:30Stow-on-the-Wold
The wool market square, the sheep alleys and the church of the yew trees, before it fills up.
- 210:45Bourton-on-the-Water
The River Windrush and its low bridges, and the Model Village. Park early on Rissington Road.
- 312:30Sunday lunch at The Porch House
Back in Stow, the inn on Digbeth Street serves Sunday lunch from 12:00 to 17:00. Book.
- 415:00Bibury and back to London
Arlington Row in the afternoon light and, from Bibury, about two hours to London along the A40 and the M40.
The Cotswolds can be seen in a day from London, but only from the car and in a rush. With two nights the scale changes: a whole day to walk between two wool villages along a waymarked path, with the dry-stone walls and the sheep you cannot see from the road, and another for the villages, first thing, before the coaches arrive. Moreton-in-Marsh is the base: it is in the centre, has a direct train from Paddington and puts almost everything within half an hour.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cotswold Way, Chipping Campden–Broadway | Free | Broadway Tower, paid separately |
| Taxi from Broadway to Chipping Campden | Variable | Ask for a price when booking |
| Bourton Model Village | £4.95 | Card only |
| Arlington Row, in Bibury | Free | Street parking, few spaces |
| Meals | €20–60 pp | Fish and chips on Saturday, inn on Sunday |
Where to stay
In Moreton-in-Marsh, The Manor House Hotel is a five-minute walk from the station and has a garden; the Redesdale Arms, on the high street, has junior suites with a sofa bed if you are travelling with children. If the getaway is a celebration, sleep in Broadway, at The Lygon Arms, with a spa and indoor pool, right at the end of Saturday's stage. All three accept dogs in certain rooms, for a supplement.
Where to eat
On Saturday, Russell's Fish & Chips, in Broadway, Wednesday to Saturday from 12:00 to 19:30 or 20:00. On Sunday, The Porch House, in Stow, for a Sunday lunch in a stone inn. For something light on the way, Huffkins, in Burford, is open every day until 16:00.
Without a car
It works with one adjustment: train from Paddington to Moreton on Friday, a taxi from Moreton to Chipping Campden on Saturday morning and from Broadway to Moreton in the afternoon, and on Sunday the Pulhams 801 bus to Stow and Bourton, which runs every hour. Bibury is off the route: swap it for more time in Bourton.
With children
The Cotswold Way stage suits children from about eight who are used to walking. With younger children, swap Saturday for the Cotswold Farm Park, Adam Henson's farm near Guiting Power, half an hour from Moreton, or for the Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Cotswolds, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Cotswolds
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
The easiest way, driving on the left
With a car you can see the northern villages one day, Bibury and Burford another, and drive down to Castle Combe on the way to Bristol. Journeys take 20 to 40 minutes.
130–200 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingInns in Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow…
- Getting aroundPick up the car in…
- EatingVillage pubs, £20 to £35…
- FacilitiesPaid car parks in almost…
Sleeping
- Inns in Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow, in the middle of the map
- The Swan in Bibury, to see the village empty
Getting around
- Pick up the car in Bristol or Birmingham and avoid driving in London
- Narrow roads between walls: go slowly and use the passing places
Eating
- Village pubs, £20 to £35 per person
- Fish & chips in Broadway after walking
Facilities
- Paid car parks in almost every village
- Castle Combe and Bibury fill up before eleven
Possible, with a base in Moreton-in-Marsh
The train from Paddington gets you to Moreton in an hour and a half. From the station, the 801 bus reaches Stow and Bourton. Bibury and Castle Combe are out of reach: either a taxi, or you skip them.
120–170 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingThe Manor House, five minutes…
- Getting aroundGreat Western Railway train from…
- EatingPubs and tea rooms in…
- FacilitiesMoreton-in-Marsh and Kingham stations, on…
Sleeping
- The Manor House, five minutes from the station
- Redesdale Arms, on the high street
Getting around
- Great Western Railway train from London Paddington
- 801 bus: Moreton, Stow, Bourton and Cheltenham, also on Sundays
- Hire bikes in Bourton for the minor roads
Eating
- Pubs and tea rooms in Moreton and Stow, all within walking distance
- The Wild Rabbit, a short taxi ride from Kingham station
Facilities
- Moreton-in-Marsh and Kingham stations, on the same line
- There are few taxis: book ahead
Manor houses and seasonal cooking
The Cotswolds have some of the best-kept country house hotels in England. Choose one with a restaurant: in the evening, in the small villages there is not much else.
280–450 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingThe Lygon Arms, in Broadway…
- Getting aroundYour own car or one…
- EatingThe Wild Rabbit in Kingham…
- FacilitiesSpa at The Lygon Arms
Sleeping
- The Lygon Arms, in Broadway, with a spa and indoor pool
- Lords of the Manor, in Upper Slaughter, with a tasting menu
Getting around
- Your own car or one with a driver from London
- The Cotswold Way, on foot, from the door in Broadway
Eating
- The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, for a special dinner
- Daylesford Farm for a luxury picnic
Facilities
- Spa at The Lygon Arms
- Book a table days ahead at weekends
Club campsites, without overnighting in the villages
The villages have narrow streets and small car parks. The practical thing is to leave the motorhome at a campsite and get around from there.
40–60 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingMoreton-in-Marsh Club Campsite, a walk…
- Getting aroundAvoid driving into Bibury and…
- EatingSupermarket in Bourton-on-the-Water
- FacilitiesMotorhome service point at Cotswold…
Sleeping
- Moreton-in-Marsh Club Campsite, a walk from the station
- Cotswold Farm Park Campsite, with farm entry
Getting around
- Avoid driving into Bibury and Castle Combe in a large vehicle
- From Moreton, take the train and bus instead of driving
Eating
- Supermarket in Bourton-on-the-Water
- Daylesford Farm for local produce
Facilities
- Motorhome service point at Cotswold Farm Park
- Dunns Lane car park in Castle Combe, which fills up early
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carin stylein a campervan
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Lords of the Manor
Why we like it: A former rectory with a garden in one of the quietest villages, ten minutes from Bourton. For a couple who want to dine well without getting in the car.
From €390
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The Swan Hotel
Why we like it: Sleeping in Bibury is the only way to see Arlington Row with nobody around: before nine and after six.
The Manor House Hotel
Why we like it: You step off the train with your suitcase and five minutes later you are inside. The 801 bus leaves the station for Stow and Bourton.
Redesdale Arms
Why we like it: A high-street inn with a restaurant and free parking behind. The junior suites with a sofa bed work for a family of four.
Moreton-in-Marsh Club Campsite
Why we like it: From the Caravan and Motorhome Club. You leave the motorhome parked and take the train to Oxford or the bus to the villages.
Cotswold Farm Park Campsite
Why we like it: Pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents, plus pods and safari tents. Sleeping here includes entry to the farm on every day of your stay.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Cotswolds
Huffkins Burford
What to order: scones with cream and jam, or an afternoon tea.
Bakery and tea room at 96-98 High Street · open every day during the day, until 16:00 · has a children's menu
The Porch House
What to order: a seasonal dish from the British menu and a pint of draught beer.
Book for dinner · has rooms
The Wild Rabbit
What to order: the dining room's seasonal menu.
Book · ten minutes by taxi from Kingham station
Takeaway and markets
Russell's Fish & Chips, Broadway
Daylesford Farm, Daylesford, near Kingham
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Arrange Saturday's return before setting off: the stage is one-way and in Broadway there is not always a taxi free straight away. Carry the number of a local one.
We'd skip it
Going into Bibury or Castle Combe at midday on a summer Saturday: there are few spaces and they fill up before eleven.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many nights do you need for the Cotswolds?
With two you see the essentials: one day walking and one of villages. With three you add Castle Combe or the southern area.
Where to stay in the Cotswolds without a car?
In Moreton-in-Marsh, which has a direct train from London and the 801 bus to Stow and Bourton.
Is the stage from Chipping Campden to Broadway hard?
No: 9.6 km with 173 m of climbing, about three hours, on grassy paths that get muddy in the rain.
What is the best time of year?
May, June and September. In winter it gets dark around half past four and some attractions close earlier.