Explore the Cotswolds (Private Day Tour from London)
Explore the Cotswolds (Private Day Tour from London)
There is nothing better than spending time in the country. The stunning scenery, including golden fields in the spring, the vibrant rainbow coloured country gardens in the summer, and the myriad of dark crimsons, yellows, & silvers in the autumn & winter, always take our breath away. Add the gorgeous historic towns & villages made of soft creamy sandstone many of which regularly top the best places to visit in the Cotswolds & the UK, plus the local wildlife of ducks, geese, bees & even the odd snake, & the fantastic food and you have the perfect refresher to staying in the noisy city.
Visiting many of the villages that are annually voted the best places in the Cotswolds, this tour offers you the opportunity to see some of the prettiest parts of Britain with someone who is passionate about the past, loves to eat (and knows the best places to stop for food), and who knows where to take a photo that will make your friends back home jealous of this unique, almost perfect, day out.
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Woodstock
Our tour starts with a visit to the gravesite of Britain’s favourite Britain Sir Winston Churchill. Unlike other great national heroes who are buried in one of the great cathedrals in London, Sir Winston is buried in The Parish Church of Saint Martin Bladon, close to where he was born. Whilst here, you will be able to pay your respects to the great wartime leader, and your guide will explain just why Sir Winston is such an important (and sometimes controversial) figure. If The Parish Church of Saint Martin Bladon is open to the public on the day of your tour, you will also have time to see the Churchill memorial window which is housed inside the Church.
15 minutesChipping Norton
Chipping Norton is the highest town in Oxfordshire and gets its name from the old English word for market. A market town since the 13th century and a significant Wool trading town since the 15th century, this lively Cotswolds town is also home to the famous Bliss Mill. This one of a kind former tweed mill is known throughout the area for looking like a cross between a mansion and a folly rather than a factory. Whilst in Chipping Norton, you will be able to explore the beautiful shops and see the great wool church of St Mary. At St Mary’s Church, your guide will explain why these great wool churches emerged and why wool was so important to the local and national economy during the 15th century.
Moreton-in-Marsh
Like all Cotswolds villages, the local pubs at the heart of the community and the town’s history. Whilst in Moreton-in-Marsh you will hear how Charles I sheltered in one of the town’s pubs during the English Civil War, and how the author JR R Tolkien is believed to have been inspired by The Bell Inn when writing his famous work The Lord of the Rings.
30 minutesBlockley
Blockley is a charming and largely unspoiled midway point between Moreton-in-the-Marsh and Chipping Campden. This beautiful village was once a leading production centre for silk, which used the local stream to power the silk mills. Today, the village is regularly seen on the TV series Father Brown where the Norman church of St Peter and St Paul stands in as the fictional St Mary’s Church and where the local vicarage doubles as father Brown’s residents. Whilst visiting Blockley, you have time to explore the village and its stunning surroundings and take photographs of the quaint houses, cottages, and shops.
15 minutesChipping Campden
With over 250 listed properties, including one that dates back to 1380, this charming town is the perfect place to get photos that will make the folk back home jealous of your getaway.
30 minutesStow-on-the-Wold
Stow-In-The-Wold is an antique lovers delight and is the highest of all the towns in the Cotswolds. Famous today as a place where antiques are bought and sold, historically, things in Stow-In-The-Wold have not been so sedate. Whilst at Stow-In-The-Wold, your guide will explain how the last battle of the first phase of the English Civil War took place in the town and how the local church of St Edwards was used as a parliamentarian prison for royalist troops. You’ll also hear how during the height of the wool trade in the Cotswolds, Stow-In-The-Wold was famous for its market where over 20,000 sheep would be sold at one time and how today Stow-In-The-Wold is a centre for the Gypsy and Romany communities who gather here twice a year
30 minutesUpper Slaughter
As we drive through the countryside to our next location we will travel through the twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter. If you'd like to briefly stop here, please let your guide know and they will be happy to make a brief additional stop.
Lower Slaughter
As we drive through the countryside to our next location we will travel through the twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter. If you'd like to briefly stop here, please let your guide know and they will be happy to make a brief additional stop.
Bourton-on-the-Water
Should you wish to spend a little bit longer in Bourton-On-The-Water, there’s also the chance to visit the local model village, a perfect 1/9 scale replica of Bourton-On-The-Water created in the 1930s or Greystones Nature Reserve, home to a wide variety of local wildlife, and site of the Neolithic and Iron Age encampment (which is now on the schedule of ancient monuments) which gives Bourton-On-The-Water its name.
30 minutesBurford
Our final destination on this tour is the stunning chocolate box village of Burford. Regularly voted as one of the top places to visit in the Cotswolds (alongside Stow-In-The-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water and Chipping Campden) Burford includes pretty pubs, stunning shops, including a traditional sweet store, and traditional grocery and clothing stores. Arranged along a central road, which will take your breath away, the town of Burford was a favourite retreat for Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwyn and contains Britain’s oldest pharmacy, which opened all the way back in 1734.
Included
- All transport and guiding fees are included in the cost of this tour.
Not Included
- Gratuities
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Lunch
- Snacks
Good to Know
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.