Another Idyllic Day Out in the Cotswolds of England

 

I enjoyed my first tour of the Cotswolds with Go Cotswolds so much that I decided to do it again the next day! (they offer you 10 percent off of another tour with them) This time we took their brand new tour, Secret Cotswolds, which is more of a hidden gem tour than their Cotswolds in a Day tour. So come along on a day out in the Cotswolds of England with me!

We were picked up at the same spot as the day before, the Moreton-in-Marsh train station which was an easy walk from our hotel, The Bell Inn. (for more on this hotel, you can read about it here) Go Cotswolds uses 16 seat minivans so your group size is small - and today it wasn't even full. It was only a few minutes and we were on our way!

The Rollright Stones

Our first stop was the Rollright Stones. The Rollright Stones are a trio of Neolithic and Bronze Age stone monuments - the Kings Men Stone Circle, the King Stone and the Whispering Knights. We were able to visit all 3  -

The Kings Men Stone Circle is a 4000 year old stone circle. (If it looks familiar, it's been used in the Father Brown mystery tv series)

The King Stone, a weathered standing stone

The Whispering Knights, a 5000 year old burial chamber

There's something about stone circles that mystify me- and I think it's safe to say many other people, also - and I would never have known these were here if I hadn't gone on the tour. Which is one of the benefits of taking a tour with locals.

Burford

Known as the Gateway to the Cotswolds, Burford is one of the most picturesque towns in Oxfordshire. It's famous for its steep high street which sweeps downhill to the River Windrush. The river gave the town its name taken from the Old English - burh (fortified town) and ford (river crossing). 

Some interesting things to do in town are: The Tolsey Museum, a free museum that was originally the "Toll House" in the 1500's with exhibits on local history, the Church of St. John the Baptist, founded in 1175 and one of the top most visited churches in the country with its stained glass windows and medieval wall paintings and the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, 160 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and park that is home to 250 species of animals including rhinos, giraffes, lemurs and leopards. (Located 3 miles outside of Burford)

We enjoyed a walk up and down the High Street window shopping - Burford is known for its antique shops and is home to Englands oldest chemist, opened in 1734 - and stopped into the Church of St. John the Baptist. A highlight was a stop for a delightful cream tea at Burford Bakery & Cafe - jam or cream first? What's your take on it?

Broadway

Broadway, the Jewel of the Cotswolds, was one of my favorite stops on the tour. Only two hours from London, it's an easy getaway. Considered large by Cotswolds standards- with a population of 2,500 -this village has a pretty High Street with Cotswold stone cottages, a war memorial, the Lygon Arms Hotel, tea rooms, shopping and restaurants. Known, also, for it's art scene, there are galleries by local and nationally known artists including the Gordon Russell Design Museum. It's located on the famed Cotswolds Way national walking trail which runs 102 miles from Chipping Camden to Bath. (We saw quite a few backpackers and hikers in town.) And if you're a Downton Abbey fan, you can see many spots where the series was filmed.

Guiting Power

Guiting Power is a small village, population 300, located in the Cotswolds. ( Despite its small size, it still has two pubs)This village with its Cotswolds stone buildings, has the meaning of Getinge (meaning rushing) and lePohers (named after the lord of the manor dating back to the time of Edward the Confessor)

We made a short stop at the end of the day with a quick walk around purchasing a snack from the Cotswold Guy shop - home of David Beckhams favorite sausage roll - and with a visit to the 12th Century St. Michaels Church. We walked around the graveyard and then visited one of the most famous toilets in the UK - a full access composter, that was evidently quite pricey, which is housed in the shed that houses the mower and gardening tools. What a hoot! After a glance at the sheep in the field, we were on our way back to the train station at Moreton in Marsh. 

I highly recommend Go Cotswolds tours - they were extremely professional, the price was reasonable, they are local to the Cotswolds and both days we were on their tours were fantastic. If you're in the area, I suggest booking with them.

How about you? Have you visited the Cotswolds?

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!