Cotswold Winter Explorer
Overview
The Cotswolds is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which has inspired artists, writers and philosophers for many centuries. Come and discover idyllic English villages, nestling in quiet valleys, small stone thatched cottages, majestic castles and manors, and charming high streets peppered with quaint tea shops and antiques shops. Let your knowledgeable guides show you the English countryside at its best.
Inclusions
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Hotel drop-off (select hotels only)
- Blue Badge guide
- Bottled water
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote, Minster Road, Minster Lovell, Witney England
You start your unforgettable Cotswold journey from central Oxford, driving to Burford (the Gateway to the Cotswolds) through Minster Lovell, with its its attractive thatched houses and ruined Hall
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Burford Library 86A High Street, Burford OX18 4QF England
We then continue to Burford, the Gateway to the Cotswolds via the beautiful villages of Asthall and Swinbrook (home to the Mitford sisters)
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Bourton on the Water, High St, Bourton-on-the-Water GL54 2AP England
Continuing through the former quarrying villages of Taynton and Great Barrington we arrive in Bourton-on-the-Water, the Venice of the Cotswolds – with its delightful bridges over the River Windrush, where you will make a stop for lunch.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Snowshill Manor, Snowshill WR12 7JU England
After lunch we take a scenic drive to the enchanting village of Snowshill with its beautiful stone cottages and views of the Cotswold Hills.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: High Street Chipping Campden, Chipping Campden GL55 6AT England
From Snowhill we head past the lavender fields and Broadway Tower to the delightful market town of Chipping Campden, the centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the Cotswolds. Here, you can browse in the quaint shops or visit the impressive ‘wool church’ and ruined manor house.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Stow-on-the-Wold, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds, England
Our last stop is in the charming town of Stow-on-the-Wold with its quirky boutiques and antiques shops, quaint cafes and beautiful church. Don't forget to visit the back door of the church which inspired Tolkien in his writing.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Woodstock, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England
You return to Oxford, following a beautiful route which offers stunning views through the charming villages of Broad Campden and Blockley, with their thatched cottages.We pass through the busy market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, with its art galleries and antiques shops and then return to Oxford via Chipping Norton and Woodstock, the site of Blenheim Palace (birthplace of Sir Winston).
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote, Minster Road, Minster Lovell, Witney England
You start your unforgettable Cotswold journey from central Oxford, driving to Burford (the Gateway to the Cotswolds) through Minster Lovell, with its its attractive thatched houses and ruined Hall
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Burford Library 86A High Street, Burford OX18 4QF England
We then continue to Burford, the Gateway to the Cotswolds via the beautiful villages of Asthall and Swinbrook (home to the Mitford sisters)
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Bourton on the Water, High St, Bourton-on-the-Water GL54 2AP England
Continuing through the former quarrying villages of Taynton and Great Barrington we arrive in Bourton-on-the-Water, the Venice of the Cotswolds – with its delightful bridges over the River Windrush, where you will make a stop for lunch.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Snowshill Manor, Snowshill WR12 7JU England
After lunch we take a scenic drive to the enchanting village of Snowshill with its beautiful stone cottages and views of the Cotswold Hills.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: High Street Chipping Campden, Chipping Campden GL55 6AT England
From Snowhill we head past the lavender fields and Broadway Tower to the delightful market town of Chipping Campden, the centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the Cotswolds. Here, you can browse in the quaint shops or visit the impressive ‘wool church’ and ruined manor house.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Stow-on-the-Wold, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds, England
Our last stop is in the charming town of Stow-on-the-Wold with its quirky boutiques and antiques shops, quaint cafes and beautiful church. Don't forget to visit the back door of the church which inspired Tolkien in his writing.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Woodstock, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England
You return to Oxford, following a beautiful route which offers stunning views through the charming villages of Broad Campden and Blockley, with their thatched cottages.We pass through the busy market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, with its art galleries and antiques shops and then return to Oxford via Chipping Norton and Woodstock, the site of Blenheim Palace (birthplace of Sir Winston).
Additional information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- 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
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
FunseekerBothell_WA
September 2023
So glad we were able to make this 5.5 hour trip through the Cotswolds. It was everything we were looking for and the guides Isabel and David were wonderful. So knowledgeable and enjoyable to have as our guides. I highly recommend this trip!
So glad we were able to make this 5.5 hour trip through the Cotswolds. It was everything we were looking for and the guides Isabel and David were wonderful. So knowledgeable and enjoyable to have as our guides. I highly recommend this trip!jamesmO7572LX
December 2022
Isabelle and David run a magnificent tour. We know this because they provided a terrific tour under challenging conditions of snow, ice, and frigid temperatures. At one point we almost got stuck on an icy hill. Isabelle is a highly trained and experienced guide. She filled every moment with inter...
Isabelle and David run a magnificent tour. We know this because they provided a terrific tour under challenging conditions of snow, ice, and frigid temperatures. At one point we almost got stuck on an icy hill. Isabelle is a highly trained and experienced guide. She filled every moment with interesting tales of Cotswold history and culture as well as contemporary and up-to-date information, rattling off dates and even the current tuition at Oxford University. She is a wonder. David did a masterful job of driving the little windy (and slippery) roads that made us all feel secure. My wife and I highly recommend this tour and team.997maggieh
June 2022
Isobel was very knowledgeable and spoke beautifully about the history of the towns we visited. She brought history alive with specific insights into the ways people lived and the way people in different social strata would have related to each other and to the property. The whole tour was well or...
Isobel was very knowledgeable and spoke beautifully about the history of the towns we visited. She brought history alive with specific insights into the ways people lived and the way people in different social strata would have related to each other and to the property. The whole tour was well organized. The minibus was comfortable and the group was small - about 8 people. The time allotted to get off the bus and explore was just right. And David, our driver, navigated the narrow roads with ease. The size of the bus made it possible for us to go on very small country roads with gorgeous views. I don't think a large coach would have afforded the same experience. At the end of the tour we asked Isobel and David for a restaurant recommendation. Our phones weren't working well. Isobel made the reservation and they dropped us at the restaurant after others disembarked. Lovely, generous people!abdulrasheeda2018
March 2020
The tour was excellent and very well prepared by Isobel and her team. It was a family trip (9 of us altogether with one child). Pick up was from our hotel at Mac Donald Randolph at 9 am and we had David himself, who drives us around and Edward as our guide. David and Edward was there waiting 15...
The tour was excellent and very well prepared by Isobel and her team. It was a family trip (9 of us altogether with one child). Pick up was from our hotel at Mac Donald Randolph at 9 am and we had David himself, who drives us around and Edward as our guide. David and Edward was there waiting 15 minutes ahead of our scheduled time and we enjoyed the route to Cotswold with very informative narratives from Edward - who are superbly knowledgeable about almost anything about Oxford, Cotswold and others in general. David is a very competent and nice driver - safe and made us feel very comfortable all throughout the day with full of useful information on Cotswold and its surroundings. Cotswold is such a beautiful place on earth - a must see for everyone who are n Oxford. Lunch was pre-booked by Isobel at one of the best restaurant in Cotswold - near Bourton-on-the-Water. I do not recall the name of the restaurant, but the food is delicious. As we had halal dietary restrictions, all of us had fish and chips - i have to say it is certainly one of the best fish and chips that I have had. My two sons who loved fish and chips are all in agreement. From Cotswold David and Edward took us around the farm and the town area. We were back at the hotel by 5 pm and everybody enjoyed the trip. Thanks to Isobel for making all the arrangements for us despite it is a Sunday and thank to David and Edward for taking very excellent and good care of all of us. Looking forward for more trips with you guys - Explore Oxford Tours Ltd.Harsimran J
January 2019
We had Helen and David as our guides and both of them were amazing! They were well informed and were warm and kind. There are about 4-5 places where they stop, but we left with memories of 10 different villages with stories for each! Definitely recommend this tour and would happily do it again my...
We had Helen and David as our guides and both of them were amazing! They were well informed and were warm and kind. There are about 4-5 places where they stop, but we left with memories of 10 different villages with stories for each! Definitely recommend this tour and would happily do it again myself!WasOnce
February 2020
This tour was a definite highlight during our trip to Oxford, Hard for me to think of anything that hasn't already been said about how worthwhile and enjoyable this particular tour is. So, how many more overall Excellent reviews are needed to convince you that 1) The Cotswolds are absolutely gorg...
This tour was a definite highlight during our trip to Oxford, Hard for me to think of anything that hasn't already been said about how worthwhile and enjoyable this particular tour is. So, how many more overall Excellent reviews are needed to convince you that 1) The Cotswolds are absolutely gorgeous 2) Isobel is a knowledgeable and informative tour guide. She knows her stuff! 3) David is a safe, capable driver, even on curvy narrow country lanes 4) Your "ride" is a comfortable, spit-spot clean, roomy mini-van??? My advice? Go.