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Broadway Tower (c) Anthony Paul Ltd / courtesy of Cotswold Tourism

Classic Cotswolds Activities

8 days

from

$1,549 USD

incl. taxes

View Dates & Prices

Cycling

Suitable for:

Age 12+

Activity level:

Moderate

Trip code:

M07CW

Way to Travel:

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity:

New Mixed-Activity Holidays

Min age:

This self-guided 7-night walking and cycling tour takes you through some of the most picturesque villages and some of the best scenery in the north Cotswolds.

The Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, has scenic rolling hills and meadows and a wealth of quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone buildings. You'll visit world-famous villages including Chipping Campden and the Slaughters and have the chance to visit Broadway Tower Country Park and Snowshill Manor, a National Trust property full of extraordinary treasures.

Overnight stays are in Moreton-in-Marsh, a town that dates back 1000 years, the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe with Sudeley Castle close by and Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'. There are lots of options each day for places to eat lunch and dinner.

Highlights

Explore the beautiful scenery of the Cotswolds - England's 2nd largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - rolling hills and honey-coloured villages by bike and on foot
Visit the market towns of Chipping Campden, Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold
Stay in the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe and visit Sudeley Castle (last resting place of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's 6th wife)
Outstanding views across the Cotswolds from Broadway Tower Country Park
Stunning gardens and historical manor houses including National Trust gardens

Key information

7 Nights, self-guided hotel to hotel
High quality bikes provided
Optional electric bikes
Route directions provided for both walking and cycling options
Navigation app
Luggage transfers between hotels

Countries visited: United Kingdom

What's included

All Breakfasts
All accommodation
High quality bikes
Route directions and maps with navigation app
Luggage transfers

What's not included

Hotel upgrades
Electric bike hire upgrade
Transfers to and from hotels
Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Visas & vaccinations

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Live Chat >

Request a Brochure >

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Days of Cycling

Terrain:

Walks on this holiday are on village streets, country lanes, farm tracks and rural paths. Cycle routes are on tarmac roads and country lanes.

Day by day breakdown

Day 2 42.0km/26.0miles

Day 3 17.5km/11.0miles

Day 4 31.0km/19.0miles

Day 5 44.0km/27.0miles

Day 6 16.0km/9.5miles

Day 7 49.0km/30.0miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Expand all

Moreton-in-Marsh

Day 1

Arrive in Moreton-in-Marsh

Arrive in Moreton-in-Marsh and explore some of the antique shops and art galleries.
Stay overnight at The White Hart Royal Hotel or similar
Day 2

Moreton-in-Marsh to Winchcombe (via Chipping Campden)

Depending on your day of arrival, you will be met at 9am for your briefing and will be provided with your bikes for the holiday, adjusted to your specifications.

Cycle along country lanes into Chipping Campden, known for its elegant High Street. Continue uphill to Broadway Tower Country Park, worth a detour for the amazing views of the Cotswolds. You'll then pass through the lavender fields at Snowshill, an amazing kick to the senses around harvest time (early July). Snowshill Manor, a National Trust property full of the extraordinary treasures collected by Charles Wade, can also be visited before continuing on through Stanway and on to Winchcombe.
Stay overnight at The White Hart Inn or similar

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3

Winchcombe Circular Walk

Today you have a choice of two 9km walks, one walk takes you through the Sudeley Valley, across fields up to St Kenelm's Well for views over Winchcombe and the surrounding countryside before returning to Winchcombe via Sudeley Castle. The alternative walk follows a section of the Cotswold Way through farm and woodland to Belas Knap, a neolithic, chambered long barrow. Or, do both!
Stay overnight at The White Hart Inn or similar

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4

Winchcombe to Bourton-on-the-Water

Cycle through the charming villages of Guiting Power, Lower Swell and Lower Slaughter, all of which will offer ideal chocolate-box photo opportunities. There will be plenty of chances to stop for refreshments, from the 'post office' in Guiting Power offering superb tea and cake, to the wonderful Slaughters Country Inn with its lovely garden. Continue to Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds' and your base for the next 3 nights.
Stay overnight at The Manor Close B&B or similar

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5

Bourton-on-the-Water Circular Cycle Loop

Today's cycle route takes you through the beautiful villages of Great Rissington and Great Barrington on some of the best 'off the beaten track' routes in the Cotswolds. There is an optional extension of the route to visit Burford with its charming high street sloping down to the Windrush river and Northleach with its beautiful wool church and museum of Mechanical Music before returning to Winchcombe.
Stay overnight at The Manor Close B&B or similar

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6

Bourton-on-the-Water Circular Walk

You have a choice of a longer or shorter walking route today. The longer route takes you first along the River Windrush to Naunton with its ancient dovecote and continues through Upper and Lower Slaughter, the shorter route takes you on a loop though the Slaughters allowing more time to explore these pretty villages.
Stay overnight at The Manor Close B&B or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7

Bourton-on-the-Water to Moreton-in-Marsh

Return to Moreton-in-Marsh through the Evenlode valley with a choice of three routes, direct to Morteon-in-Marsh, with a detour to historic Stow-on-the Wold, the highest of the Cotswold towns, located on the Roman Fosse Way or to the pretty villages of Bledington, Kingham and Churchill.
Stay overnight at The White Hart Royal Hotel or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8

Leave Moreton-in-Marsh

Depart after breakfast.

Meals included: Breakfast

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Show map

bourton_on_the_water-3266_-_c._cotswolds_tourism

Bourton_on_the_Water- courtesy of Cotswolds Tourism

Chipping_Campden_in_the_summer_c._Cotswolds_Tourism

Chipping Campden in the summer courtesy of Cotswolds Tourism

cotswold_panorama_with_bikes_-_c._cotswold_walks

Walking_in_the_Cotswolds - c. Cotswold Walks

Essential Info

Visas

United Kingdom

UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies.

For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers

Vaccinations

United Kingdom

No vaccinations are obligatory.

Eating and Drinking

Enjoy the local cuisine in quintessentially British pubs, cafes and delicatessens - local delicacies include Cerney Ash or Stinking Bishop cheeses, Crackleberry Farm eggs, Cotswold Cream liqueur and the local ales - try the Yubby beer from the Yubberton Brewery Co. There's also the archetypal English Cream Teas that go down a treat with a nice hot cup of tea!

Weather

The Cotswolds has a temperate maritime climate with warm, rather than hot, summers and cool to cold winters. The Cotswolds hottest month, on average, is July and the coldest is January with rainfall, on average, falling fairly evenly throughout the year. The weather is unpredictable as with the rest of the UK and it is possible to see elements of all four seasons in one day. It is advisable for visitors to check the weather forecast before they arrive in the Cotswolds to get a better idea of the sort of clothing they will need during their trip. Bringing hooded waterproof coats and hats will ensure visitors are prepared for any spells of wind and rain the region may experience.

Spring: The climate is milder in spring making it a good time to visit the Cotswolds. There can be some great sunny days mixed with cooler and wet weather. From March to May the average daytime temperatures are between 9°C and 17°C.

Summer: Most days in summer range from mild to warm with the possibility of some infrequent hotter days, the days are at their longest in the summer. There may be overcast and humid conditions in the summer. From June to August the average daytime temperatures are between 19°C and 22°C.

Autumn: The climate can vary from some pleasantly mild days particularly at the start of September to cooler and colder days in October and November. Autumn is a good time to visit the Cotswolds as it avoids the peak summer season whilst enjoying milder temperatures and longer hours of daylight particularly at the start of September. Visitors can see some wonderful autumn colours. From September to November the average daytime temperatures are between 9°C and 19°C.

Is this trip for you?

Walking and Cycling Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Activity Level: 3 (Moderate)
Average daily distance: walks 17km; cycles 41.5km
No. of days of activity: 6
Terrain and route: Walks on this holiday are on village streets, country lanes, farm tracks and rural paths. Cycle routes are on tarmac roads and country lanes.
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to walk and cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with a route directions so that you can travel at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next.

It is important that you are happy following route directions - we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The routes directions contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Live Chat >

Request a Brochure >

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Accommodation

Hotels and Guesthouses

white-hart-royal-hotel, moreton_in_marsh

Overnight stays are in Moreton-in-Marsh, a town that dates back 1000 years, the ancient Saxon capital of Winchcombe with Sudeley Castle close by and Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'. Accommodation is in a mix of friendly inns and B&Bs with breakfast included daily.