What to do · Cotswolds
Bibury and Arlington Row
Information
- Price
- On your own · free
- Duration
- 1 h
- Who it's for
- With a pushchair, on the tarmac path
- With a dog
- On a lead on the Arlington Row path
What it is and what you see
Bibury is a small village on the banks of the River Coln, about 10 km north-east of Cirencester. What draws people is Arlington Row, a terrace of stone houses that began in 1380 as a monastery wool store and became weavers' cottages in the 17th century. Today it belongs to the National Trust and appears in almost every photo of the Cotswolds. William Morris is said to have called Bibury the most beautiful village in England.
In front of the houses lies Rack Isle, a meadow that floods in season and is protected by the National Trust as a wildfowl reserve; in late summer a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle grazes on it. The walk is completed by St Mary's church, of Anglo-Saxon origin, and the bridge over the Coln, next to The Swan, the village hotel.
Arlington Row: what to know
The houses cannot be visited. Almost all are private homes, and numbers 1 and 9 are National Trust holiday lets; there is no access to the houses or their gardens. The path in front is public, though: look and take photos from there, keeping your voice down, without peering into windows or sitting on the steps. Car access to the row is reserved for residents, because the street is narrow and steep.
Bibury Trout Farm
Beside the bridge is Bibury Trout Farm, a fish farm founded in 1902 by the naturalist Arthur Severn to restock the local rivers with trout. It is the plan that lasts longest with children:
- What you do: stroll among the ponds, feed the trout and, if you like, catch your own in the fishing area, with a loan rod subject to availability.
- Opening hours: 9:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:15. Fishing, 10:00 to 15:00, weather permitting.
- Price: £9 adults, £7.50 ages 3 to 15, £8 over 60s and £49.50 for the family ticket. People with disabilities enter free.
- Parking: its own costs £8. At the moment the street by the main entrance is closed and you reach the rear entrance by following the signed diversion.
There is a shop and café, which serves its own trout.
Getting there and parking
By car. There is free parking on the street and in front of the trout farm, but it is not National Trust parking and it fills up at weekends and in summer. If there is no space, the Trout Farm has its own paid car park.
Without a car. The nearest station is Kemble, about 22 km away. The 855 bus links Cirencester with Bourton-on-the-Water via Bibury.
How long
An hour is enough for Arlington Row, Rack Isle and the bridge. With the trout farm, allow two or three hours. Combine it on the same day with Bourton-on-the-Water or, if it rains, with the Corinium Museum in Cirencester.
With children and a pushchair
The National Trust describes a flat, tarmac path in front of Arlington Row and around Rack Isle. It is narrow in places and crosses a narrow bridge over the mill channel, but it is manageable with a pushchair. Dogs, on a lead, are welcome on the path.
When to go
Early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and best on weekdays and outside summer: the street parking fills up at weekends and in season.
Tips
- Arrive early There are few spaces on the street and they go quickly at weekends.
- Respect the neighbours Arlington Row is a street where people live. Take photos from the path and do not block doors or steps.
- Leave time for the trout farm With children, the Trout Farm adds a couple of hours to the visit. The last entry is at 15:15.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside the houses of Arlington Row?
No. They are private homes and holiday lets; you can only see them from the public path.
How much does Bibury Trout Farm cost?
£9 per adult, £7.50 for ages 3 to 15 and £49.50 for the family ticket.
Where can you park in Bibury?
On the street and in front of the trout farm, free but with few spaces, or in the Trout Farm car park, £8.
With young childrenAs a familyWith a dog
