Guided, Supported Group Bike Tour of the Cotswolds, England

Cotswolds Itinerary

• Day 1 (Monday)
  On arrival in Bath you will be fitted with your bicycle and equipment – and you can take a warm-up ride if you wish. Alternatively, you may prefer to take a tour of the city in an open top bus. There is a meet and greet session and a tour briefing by your guide in the late afternoon, followed by dinner at a riverside restaurant in the evening.
  Accommodation: Bailbrook Lodge
  
  
• Day 2 (Tuesday)
  The day starts with a long, gentle ascent on a beautiful and quiet country road that climbs from the valley of the River Avon onto the Cotswolds escarpment. The top of the climb brings us to the village of Marshfield – and the opportunity for a spot of refreshment. Continuing north through Badminton (location for the world renowned annual Badminton Horse Trials) we stop for lunch at The Old Rattlebones Inn in the village of Sherston. In the afternoon we ride along country lanes through typical Cotswolds countryside to Westonbirt Arboretum, home to the finest collection of trees in England - from here it is a short last leg to the historic wool town of Tetbury. For the more ambitious riders there is a challenging extension with superb views through Wotton-under-Edge.
  Accommodation: The Great Tithe Barn
  
  
• Day 3 (Wednesday)
  After breakfast we leave Tetbury, riding north past historic Chevenage House to the village of Cherington. A short out and back detour from here leads to the source of Old Father Thames. Continuing north we pass Miserden Park Gardens on the way to the village of Withington – and welcome refreshments in the Mill Inn. After lunch, we pedal through glorious countryside to the picturesque village of Bourton-on-the-Water, home to the Bourton Model Railway and Model Village, the Cotswold Motoring Museum and Toy Collection, and Birdland Park. The pretty (though not so prettily named!) village of Lower Slaughter is the prelude to a final climb to the hilltop town of Stow-on-the-Wold, and a two night stopover.
  Accommodation: Grapevine Hotel
  
  
• Day 4 (Thursday)
  Today’s ride is a wonderful, scenic loop to the north of Stow. The first destination on the route is the wool town of Chipping Norton, from where it is a short ride to the site of the Rollright Stones. This Bronze Age site has two stone circles and a monolith, enchantingly named the King’s Men, the Whispering Knights and the King’s Stone. In Moreton-in-Marsh you can tour the Wellington Aviation Museum or the Cotswold Falconry Centre – or just enjoy a stroll around the village. The northernmost limit of the tour is reached at historic Chipping Campden, where there is a wide range of lunch options. Turning south again we ride past Broadway Tower to the picturesque village of Snowshill. On the return leg to Stow there is the chance to visit the Cotswold Farm Park
  Accommodation: Grapevine Hotel
  
  
• Day 5 (Friday)
  Heading south from Stow we first ride through rolling countryside to the historic market town of Burford, a sedate cascade of handsome inns and charming cottages that straddles the River Windrush. Riding east from Burford we pedal through the villages of Great Barrington and Little Barrington and pass Lodge Park on the way to Northleach. This important Cotswolds town boasts the World of Mechanical Music Museum and the Cotswolds Heritage Centre amongst its attractions - it also our lunch stop. The afternoon’s ride takes us to Chedworth Roman Villa en route to the ancient Roman town of Cirencester, our home for the next two nights.
  Accommodation: Hotel Le Spa
  
  
• Day 6 (Saturday)
  Today’s ride is a glorious circuit through stunning Cotswolds countryside. The route takes us along the valley of the River Coln, a tributary of the Thames, and possibly the prettiest of the many rivers that ripple through the Cotswolds landscape. After passing through a number of tiny hamlets we come to Bibury, one of the most popular of the classic Cotswold villages, and described by the poet and artist William Morris as the most beautiful village in England. Arlington Row, a terrace of low gabled weavers’ cottages, provides an ongoing source of inspiration for artists and photographers. For natural history enthusiasts, the Cotswold Wildlife Park is well worth a visit. The ride back to Cirencester takes us along Akeman Street, an ancient Roman Road.
  Accommodation: Hotel Le Spa
  
  
• Day 7 (Sunday)
  The last day’s ride is every bit as stunning as its predecessors. Starting out south from Cirencester we ride through a succession of picturesque villages en route to Malmesbury, where you can visit the Abbey and the Abbey Gardens. Continuing south through The Somerfords, we stop for lunch for Castle Combe – another impossibly pretty village and the setting for many period dramas including the classic Doctor Dolittle. From the village of Colerne we start on a long thrilling descent to the River Avon at Batheaston – this is the payback for the climb on the first day’s ride! From Batheaston it is a gentle ride along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal back to Bath.
  Accommodation: Bailbrook Lodge
  
  
• Day 8 (Monday)
  Departure after breakfast
  

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