Cotswolds

[ElizaN]

I'm wondering which Cotswolds village would be the best base, mid-Sept. 2021. I won't have a car, plan on taking train/bus from London, just for a few days. Any recommendations would be welcome!

 

[Pauline]

The train from London stops in Moreton in Marsh. I would recommend staying in Chipping Campden or Broadway. You want to be in a pretty town which you can have fun exploring. Buses run from both these towns. From Broadway you can easily visit Sudley Castle (Henry VIII last wife’s home) and the remains of Hailes Abbey (Cistercian). They are on the bus that goes to Winchcombe (which you could also visit). Another bus runs from Broadway to Chipping Campden, but only twice a day.

From CC you can visit the famous gardens - Hidcote and Kiftsgate. I am not sure if a bus goes there but they are close by. You can probably get to them from Broadway too.

Did you see my resources on the Cotswolds?

Cotswolds - Market Towns in the Cotswolds

Towns and villages of the Cotswolds. In the heart of England is a rural idyll of peaceful rolling hills and historic villages so charming that they're called "chocolate boxes". This is the Cotswolds, an area of limestone hills in the English countryside west of London, between Bath and...

www.sloweurope.com

{link updated}

Look up bus info here:

http://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/explore-booklet-final-web5.pdf

This looks like a brochure from 2017
There is a website where you can find schedules. I’ll look for it.

 

[ElizaN]

Thanks so much Pauline! Very helpful, and I hadn't seen your article on the Cotswolds Market Towns. Happy Holidays, Elizabeth

 

[Eleanor]

If you do visit Hailes Abbey, make sure you also visit Hailes Church just across the road which has some lovely wall paintings.

I was underwhelmed by Sudeley Castle but both Hidecote and Kiftsgate Gardens are worth visiting. They afre only a short walk apart and are very different to each other.

 

[Pauline]

These are all the resource pages we have for the Cotswolds:

United Kingdom & Ireland Travel Articles

Travel notes and articles for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Articles posted must be approved by the Admin before they are published.

www.sloweurope.com

{link updated}

 

[ElizaN]

What a treasure trove of information! Thank you again Pauline. I think I've narrowed it down to Broadway or Chipping Campden.

 

[Kathy]

Eliza, I don't know where you're from or how much time you've spent in the UK. We love the Cotswolds and have been there many times, usually staying for several weeks. Although we've stayed in other villages and have also done some long-distance walks, we usually now stay in Chipping Campden. It's a wonderful village and doesn't have the coach tours you find in some other villages. The bus service is limited, but with some planning, you can make it work. (It's more set-up for local people than for tourists.) There are also local taxi services and you could plan ahead to utilize those, perhaps to drop you off at Hidcote / Kiftsgate and then to pick you up a few hours later. (I can recommend a few drivers.)

I know Eleanor has visited many castles in the UK, but we have taken our groups to Sudeley Castle for years and people really do like it. It's privately owned and there's something for everyone... history, gardens, beautiful countryside. And you might enjoy visiting the town of Winchcombe as well. I wrote about Sudeley Castle recently in my blog: A Cotswolds Experience: Discovering History and Gardens at Sudeley Castle

If you end up staying in Chipping Campden (or even just visiting for a few hours), I'd suggest a meal at the Lygon Arms and lunch or afternoon tea at one of the tea shops. Also, the Cotswold Wardens do guided walks a few times a week, which would give you a great insight into the village-- they just ask for a donation. The Tourist Office will have info on this.

Kathy

 

[ElizaN]

Kathy, thanks for your recommendations! I hope to visit Sudeley Castle, and I loved your article about it. I've been to England many times over the years, beginning when I was 20 and had a Brit Rail pass and was staying in hostels. About 10 years ago, my husband and I stayed in a beautiful little rental cottage in Broad Campden, and I fell in love with the area. I'll probably stay in Chipping Campden on the trip that I'm planning for next September. I know your tours stay at the Lygon Arms. Do you think it would be a good place for a single traveler to stay?

 

[Pauline]

Do you think it would be a good place for a single traveler to stay?

Kathy will answer this but I’ve visited the hotel when Kathy was staying there and it is very charming. Right on the Main Street so central, and it isn’t busy with traffic. I think you would like it.

 

[Kathy]

We love the Lygon Arms and I think you'd be very comfortable there alone. It's not a "posh" place but very authentic and comfortable, in the same family for four generations. Many of the staff in the pub have been there for most of their adult life. It's on the quiet end of the High Street with a pretty flower-filled courtyard. Fantastic breakfast! The pub is cozy for a drink or dinner... just be sure to book ahead for dinner. It's popular with locals and the food is wonderful. (We are huge fans of their sticky toffee pudding.) We were so sorry not to be there this year but hope to be back this next July.

Another suggestion in Chipping Campden would be Badgers Hall... more of a B&B, maybe three rooms. It's above a fabulous tea room, five minutes walk into the center from the Lygon. The tea room is now open just a few days a week. I know the breakfasts here would be great too.

You probably know this but you can walk through the back of the Noel Arms and walk through the fields to Broad Campden... 20 minutes.

 

[ElizaN]

Thank you Kathy! Your recommendations are very helpful. I contacted both Lygon Arms and Badgers Hall and they aren't able to take September reservations at this time. Here's to the hope for a better 2021!

 

[Pauline]

I’ve moved all our Cotswolds articles to a new location. Here is the link:

United Kingdom & Ireland Travel Articles

Travel notes and articles for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Articles posted must be approved by the Admin before they are published.

www.sloweurope.com