The Cotswolds - whats there to do and see there?

[Zippee]

Thinking of an easter break away in the cotswolds but have no idea whats good to do or see. Any tips?

[br d]

Cotswolds wildlife park - near Burford.
Boughton on the water - lovely
Broadway - nice village, bit commercial though.
Loads of stuff I can't remember, it's great down there anyway. If you are a PH the roads are brilliant, virtually no speed cameras and everyone gets on with it, the total opposite to London/Essex where I'm from.

[TJD2003]

Went here the other day while staying in Oxford.

Cotswold Wildlife Park.

http://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/

Enjoyed it, thought it was very good but we did have a nice day weather wise.

Regards
TJ

[evenflow]

What are you interested in?

Loads of lovely countryside, nice hotels/spas, loads of great restaurants, good driving roads, good towns (Cirencester, Cheltenham, Bath etc), good villages (Bibury, Stow, Bournton-o-t-Water, Castle Combe etc)...

[SunnyD]

Yep us locals'll help you out! Who are you going with? Kids? Romantic break?

[Zippee]

Thanks guys (& sunny D),

We're looking to stay here - http://www.heathfarm.com/ near Chipping Norton, just myself and the wife. Ideally just a relaxing break, just trying to get a flavour of whats around there - any NT properties? Will probably pop into Oxford for a day and the wildlife park sounds good. Weather dependant I'll try and swing it so we take the TVR so any tips on roads would be welcome.
Some nice restaurant/pub recommendations would also be good.

Edited by Zippee on Wednesday 24th February 16:12

[Highway Star]

If going to Oxford, take the Park and Ride, don't even bother trying to park in the centre of town. The Ashmolean Museum has recently reopened after a multi-million pound refit, is free and good (kind of like a smaller British Museum).

Can recommend the Burford-Stow road (A424), Bourton to Cirencester (A429), Broadway to Bourton (A424) and the B4077 which goes from Stow out towards Winchcombe.

[Jaguar steve]

Highway Star said:

If going to Oxford, take the Park and Ride, don't even bother trying to park in the centre of town. The Ashmolean Museum has recently reopened after a multi-million pound refit, is free and good (kind of like a smaller British Museum).

Can recommend the Burford-Stow road (A424), Bourton to Cirencester (A429), Broadway to Bourton (A424) and the B4077 which goes from Stow out towards Winchcombe.

+1 for driving and pretty villages - esp Stow on the Wold, Bourton on the Water, Burford, Snowshill and Broardway. Oxford Park and Ride is good move. Lots of good pubs in Oxford too.

Pit Rivers museum in Oxford is excellent and there's a small aircraft museum just outside Stow on the B4608. I'd take the Oxford tour bus or go on a guided walk round the centre - it's a facinating city -just get there early before the crowds arrive

[ali_kat]

Hop, Skip & a Jump for some culture in Stratford upon Avon (RSC theatre, shakespeare stuff etc) and Warwick (castle)?

Depends on what you like doing on a weekend away?

[bint]

Bourton on the water for Birdland and also motoring museum!

http://www.cotswold-motor-museum.co.uk/

http://www.birdland.co.uk/

Stow on the Wold is good for pub grub, but also a few shops to have a nose around in.

[missdiane]

Blenheim is good, if you do Oxford- take a peek in covered market.

Cotswold zoo as mentioned above

Broadway as mentioned above

Bourton and Burford also worth a visit

[missdiane]

If you do venture down Lechlade/Faringdon way, good grub can be found here

http://www.clanfieldtavern.com/findus.htm

[SunnyD]

missdiane said:

Blenheim is good, if you do Oxford- take a peek in covered market.

Cotswold zoo as mentioned above

Broadway as mentioned above

Bourton and Burford also worth a visit

Bourton is lovely, and def. agree with the covered market in Oxford. Lots of great little delis and cafes in there, and possibly the most amazing cake shop I've ever seen in my life!

If you head into Cheltenham, Montpellier is the lovely part. Loads of nice restaurants and bars.

If you’re staying in Chipping Norton, there’s a hotel called the Three Ways House Hotel in Mickleton. It’s home to the “Pudding Club” – they’re world famous for their deserts. People literally come from around the world to eat there and try the puddings. They’ve now even started packaging their puddings and selling them in Waitrose. I had a weekend away there last summer and the deserts really are ridiculously good.

[GetCarter]

Chippy is a bit of a non event - carry on a few miles to Stow on the Wold, has some nice shops. There are LOTS of good pubs though. Heath Farm is very close to Great Tew - make sure you check out the Falkland Arms. It's also just down the road from Clarkson's house... so watch out! A visit to the RSC at Stratford upon Avon is well worth it if you are that way inclined. The Swan Theatre is much nicer than the main auditorium.

[Highway Star]

GetCarter said:

Heath Farm is very close to Great Tew - make sure you check out the Falkland Arms.

I live just up the road from Great Tew, the Falkland Arms is a lovely looking pub in a beautiful village setting, but we found the service to be rude and slow, plus the food was distinctly average.

[MK4 Slowride]

If you do go to Bourton-o-t-water vist 'Legends' on the industrial estate it's got proper rare & classic cars there. If your in Cheltenham go to the Bugatti Motor museum in Gotherington it's free to look round and you have the famous hill climb that also featured on Top Gear.

Loads of pretty little villages and nice roads to drive, great pubs as well.

[missdiane]

Guess where we went today?

A trip down to Bourton for cream tea

So on the way I was looking out for ideas for you-

Chastleton House
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits...
went here when I was at school, was a nice place- as a kid you don't appreciate it

The Slaughters, upper and lower, nothing to do there, but it is very pretty.

[SunnyD]

missdiane said:

The Slaughters, upper and lower, nothing to do there, but it is very pretty.

Yeah if you can somehow work a drive through the slaughters into your plans, it's v.pretty/picturesque indeed

[Amateurish]

Zippee said:

Thanks guys (& sunny D),

We're looking to stay here - http://www.heathfarm.com/ near Chipping Norton, just myself and the wife. Ideally just a relaxing break, just trying to get a flavour of whats around there - any NT properties? Will probably pop into Oxford for a day and the wildlife park sounds good. Weather dependant I'll try and swing it so we take the TVR so any tips on roads would be welcome.
Some nice restaurant/pub recommendations would also be good.

Edited by Zippee on Wednesday 24th February 16:12

I can highly recommend a tour of the wonderful Hook Norton brewery which is close to your location. Like Charlie's chocolate factory, except from adults! Otherwise a meal in The Sun in Hooky is excellent.

Falkland Arms in Great Tew as mentioned above lovely pub and great setting (no issues with the service here).

Not NT, but the Rollright Stones are worth a look, especially if you like your druids / dowsing etc.

Blenheim Palace worth a look, if expensive. Although you can walk the grounds for free.

Another vote for the Slaughters for picturesque and maybe Chipping Campden.

As others have said, not much to do in Chipping Norton.