Costwolds and surrounding roads/loop

[crispyshark]

Hello,

Planning a weekend (Friday - Sunday) tour of the Cotswolds and surrounding area for a car group I run.

Does anyone have any route/loop suggestions?

Looking for about 3 - 4 hours a day.

Thanks in advance.

CS

[blueg33]

Hvent got time to plan a route for you, but roads that are fun and worth including are:

These are mainly north Cotswolds and on my door step

Fish Hill - up hill from Broadway towards Stow on the Wold. (its a series of tightening bends, in the Evora the first bend is 5th gear the last is second gear, its great fun especially good early ish in the mornings, but boring as anything downhill. Its also 2 lanes uphill so you have a chance of passing people)

Stow on the Wold towards Burford

Stow on the Wold to Bledington

Chipping Camden to Shipston on Stour

Cirencester towards Fairford and Lechlade

Fosse Way from Stow to Cirencester (may be a bit busy at the weekend)

Toddington via Ford to Stow on the Wold - fun road but not if your car is prone to bump steer. With no traffic in front of you the up hill bit from Toddington is great fun and a challenge to do smoothly and quickly.

If you want a nice lunch in the area Dormy House hotel outside Broadway is nice, Broadway has lots of decent places and Stow has a couple.

[Lotobear]

Did a trip there a few years ago with my son.

Pretty villages, okay roads but I seem to recall many are 50mph limits?

The Old Stocks in Stowe was great accomodation, nice food and IPA.

...mind you I live in the North Pennines so a bit spoilt

[blueg33]

Lotobear said:

Did a trip there a few years ago with my son.

Pretty villages, okay roads but I seem to recall many are 50mph limits?

The Old Stocks in Stowe was great accomodation, nice food and IPA.

...mind you I live in the North Pennines so a bit spoilt

Most of the 50mph roads are Oxfordshire Cotswolds. All the ones on my list are mostly NSL

[crispyshark]

I was thinking about this for day 1

https://goo.gl/maps/qj4jic4difRiNwmBA

And got this far for day 2 but have run low on ideas

https://goo.gl/maps/hUHvXVwQQMhmHfJV8

[blueg33]

crispyshark said:

I was thinking about this for day 1

https://goo.gl/maps/qj4jic4difRiNwmBA

And got this far for day 2 but have run low on ideas

https://goo.gl/maps/hUHvXVwQQMhmHfJV8

First one is mostly not in the Cotswolds - The green area on the map is the AONB. The roads in the first one are not the best. Second one is better. Look at roads between Ford and Bourton on the Water, Broadway towards Stow

[Nexus Icon]

Your first route dips onto the edge of my village and is very near the Renault F1 factory. I can confirm that while some of the roads are fine, open and a pleasure, many are rutted, pot-holed and overgrown.

[crispyshark]

I got the maps mixed up. Day 1 is the more comprehensive Costwolds route.

Perhaps I can add those roads you mention to the shorter map?

[chim79]

Quick map - If you want a scenic route with good pubs and b roads. These roads used to be my back road blast routes. Great scenery and room for some fun driving.

https://goo.gl/maps/JNKstEX6jg658yDv5

Covers Broadway, Stanton (nice village, pub for a quick stop - the mount), winchcombe (nice village, sudeley castle), stow, rollright stones, the slaughters (mill, coffee shop). A40 is the worst bit due to traffic - worth finding an alernative if you can.

[blueg33]

My route starting with A436 and ending at Conygree Fold looks like this:

https://goo.gl/maps/UUm6mfa57v7BYJ77A It takes you into Broadway and up Fish Hill

Like the route posted above I was going to take you into Winchcombe via Guiting power, its a scenic run, but not much fun for drivers as it is narrow in places and the surface can be a bit crap.

I live pretty close to the route in a village called Dumbleton

[AJP89]

Hi All - thanks for the posts so far as these routes look great! Im also planning a weekend trip to the Cotswolds (staying near Cheltenham) from North London.

Does anyone have any recommended roads or routes to/from North London to hit along the way?

[blueg33]

AJP89 said:

Hi All - thanks for the posts so far as these routes look great! Im also planning a weekend trip to the Cotswolds (staying near Cheltenham) from North London.

Does anyone have any recommended roads or routes to/from North London to hit along the way?

Not quick but I quite like this route

https://goo.gl/maps/CVowTvaaN4mUxZj97

In reality though best way is M40 to Oxford then go via Witney - not pretty but functional.

[Wozy68]

Drive the ‘White way’ road from Cirencester to Withington and on to Andoversford..... great fast empty road.
Chipping Norton to Charlbury B4026
B4086 Banbury to Kineton and Kineton to Pillerton Priors
Most of the very best roads in the north Cotswolds (at least) are unregistered minor roads.

[super7]

I'd do this....

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/52.0475381,-1.8565...

This takes you up Fish hill from Broadway, over to Moreton then to Stourton (Cotswold Distillery), Whichford (Norman Night.... TT night every 3rd Thursday of the month!!), Hook Norton (Brewery) Then up to Blloxham, back to Chipping Norton (A361 good fast road!!!) Then down to Burford and onto your last bit of your original map.

[mark beavan]

Wozy68 said:

Drive the ‘White way’ road from Cirencester to Withington and on to Andoversford..... great fast empty road.
Chipping Norton to Charlbury B4026
B4086 Banbury to Kineton and Kineton to Pillerton Priors
Most of the very best roads in the north Cotswolds (at least) are unregistered minor roads.

100% Agree. I'd add the road from Birdlip, South through Brimpsfield, past Syde, past Duntisbourne Abbas, towards Sapperton and meeting the A419 a mile or so East of Aston Down airfield