Broadway – Worcestershire serves as an ideal base for anyone visiting England’s gorgeous Cotswold area. All the main attractions are easily accessible. These include the Regency Cheltenham Castle (in Warwick), the Shakespeare Theater (Stratford-upon-Avon), and the Roman Baths (Bath).

There is no doubt that Broadway is one of the most appealing villages in the county of Worcestershire. Just two hours from the middle of London, it’s known as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswold’. Pretty horse chestnut trees line the High Street, and the village features beautifully maintained stone cottages and many period houses.

Accommodation options in Broadway are plentiful. These include country house hotels, traditional B&Bs, mobile homes, apartments and cottages. Well equipped caravan parks and camp sites are found on the village outskirts.

Broadway is a shopper’s paradise. Whether you’re looking for Cashmere sweaters, paintings, antiques, gifts or souvenirs, you will certainly find it. This vibrant village has been dubbed the ‘Cotswold’s Jewel’. Its residents were filled with pride when they heard the news in 2008 that it had been declared the Best Village in Worcestershire.

The Lygon Arms is located on High Street. This hotel has a rich history and has been a popular venue with many famous people. King Charles I would frequently summon his confidants to the Inn for meetings, while Oliver Cromwell was a regular guest. Today the hotel is classified ‘international standard’ and is noted for its fine cuisine and modern-day comforts.

The Broadway Tower was erected on a beacon site. This is another building that is steeped in history. The famous publisher, Sir Thomas Phillips, ran his printing works from the tower. Socialite, designer, writer and artist, William Morris, frequently used it as a getaway retreat. The recognized archaeologist, Arthur Evans, conducted his studies from here. Today the tower houses many interesting displays.

For a fun family day outdoors, a visit to the Tower Country Club is highly recommended. The kids will be entertained at the red deer paddock where they can watch many Bambies frolicking. Dad and Mom can admire the tower’s architecture and savor the tranquility of nature.

Your stay at Broadway – Worcestershire should also include a trip to the Gordon Russell Museum. The museum is located in a listed building that was used as a workshop for many years by the notorious furniture designer, Sir Gordon Russell. After he did his stint in the First World War, he conducted his business here for six decades where he created his distinctive masterpieces.

Technorati Tags: Broadway, Cotswolds, Jewel, Worcestershire

If you can, or you have in the past, then you might get more than you were expecting from your Cotswolds Holiday.

It would appear that the area is fairly well haunted in one way or another, and there are plenty of buildings, locations and villages that can lay claim to at least one ghost. And on many occasions they can claim far more than that.

Take the Black Abbott for example, who resides in a churchyard close to Cheltenham, the home of the famous racecourse. We have plenty of Holiday Cottages close to the area, so if you fancy the idea of trying to find the mysterious Black Abbott, you won’t have to try quite as hard to find a nearby property to stay in while you do!

For those staying near Cheltenham the best way to find out all there is to know about the ghosts in the area is to take a ghost walk. These are guided by experts in the subject, so you will be assured of a disturbing but enjoyable night out. Make sure you find out about these in advance though, as they usually need to be booked. They are certainly rather popular among those visitors who want to see a different side to the area!

If you are staying a little further afield in our Grosvenor Place Apartment in Bath, then you’ll be glad to know you can see a similar side to this city too. These ghost walks have been going for over thirty years, which should tell you how popular they really are!

The Royal Crescent in Bath is one of the most famous and recognisable sights in the city. And the ghostly Gravel Walk which leads to it holds a few stories of its own.

But Moreton in Marsh is perhaps one of the most haunted places you could visit on any Cotswolds Holiday. And for the bravest among you we have just the property to put you right in the middle of this haunted location!

We can’t guarantee that you’ll find any ghostly activity at all at The Cottage in Moreton in Marsh, but you might see something nearby. A good number of the local hotels and pubs have at least one ghost on the property, and if you fancy a drink at the Black Bear Inn there is something you ought to know first. You shouldn’t be too surprised if you find yourself in the middle of some poltergeist activity there. This is a German phrase which literally refers to a noisy ghost.

So you see, while most people think of Cotswolds Cottages as being lovely, calm and stunning places, the area surround them has a lot more to offer than that. On a Cotswolds Holiday, you might actually see more than you bargained for, with ghosts and ghouls abound, and so much more besides.

So come along to the Cotswolds, enjoy the ghosts, in the cottages, and enjoy the scenery; all are so good that you might think that the whole thing is supernatural!

Technorati Tags: Area, Cotswolds, Ghosts

Not necessarily.there are many people who live in this area and their families have done so for many generations. Also, many cottages are rented out to tourists throughout the year

Some pictures from our recent holiday in the Cotswolds UK where we stayed in a small village called Bourton on the Water, some pics also of the miniture model of the village & from inside the Motor Museum & Birdland also in the village, with a little Chinese music thrown in for no other reason than i have always resonated with it

We had a relaxing & peaceful time.

Enjoy.

Love & Light

Pete

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Technorati Tags: Holiday, Pics

Hop in for a brief glimpse of a village in England.

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Technorati Tags: Campden, Chipping, Cotswolds, Countryside, england, English, Misterduncan

Image taken on 2007-05-22 09:01:25 by UGArdener.

Technorati Tags: Bourton, Cotswolds, gloucestershire, Hedge, Hill, Undulating

Not everyone is suited to a lazy type of holiday, and if you are up for seeing the Cotswolds from the saddle of a bike, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

You can bring your own bike on the back of your car if you wish, or alternatively you can hire one locally. But whichever way you choose to get going, you won’t fall short of places to explore during your stay.

The beauty of the Cotswolds doesn’t just lie in the miles of stunning countryside you can gaze at as you pedal along. It also lies in the variety of cycle routes you can follow. If you are used to being in the saddle every day, you’ll appreciate the off-road options that will take you onto some of the more challenging routes available. Beginners might feel more comfortable on the quieter roads, of which there are many in the Cotswolds area.

The one essential item you will need if a cycling holiday appeals to you is a map. It’s worth investing in a proper cycle map too, as this will highlight all the local routes that you can follow near to where you are staying. For example, some of our cottages and properties can be rented in the Cotswold Water Park. This alone has two beautiful routes that you can try out for starters.

In fact, you don’t have to be out on your bicycle every day if you don’t want to be. You can hire bicycles for a single day to try it out, and then book for additional days if you wish.

On the far east of the Cotswolds the rolling countryside dips down toward the Thames, whilst the northern side is ridged with a steep escarpment, and within this varied countryside there are any number of routes, from the easy to the relatively challenging.

One of the best advantages of cycling in the Cotswolds is that the terrain is very suitable for bikers of all abilities. You won’t find any steep mountains to puff your way up. Think of it instead as a series of gently climbing and falling hills, so you won’t be in for any great difficulty for a prolonged period of time!

That the Cotswolds is a well established location for cyclists means that there are a large number of cycle hire specialists in the area, who can provide whatever you need – from hybrid and mountain bikes to guided tours, advice and maps.

There are plenty of cycle paths and routes criss-crossing their way all over the area, but you might like to come up with your own ideas as well, as you become more knowledgeable about the area. In fact, there is no better activity than to put your feet up in one of our superb quality cottages in the evening, glass of wine to hand, as you plan your route for the very next day.

If that sounds appealing, it doesn’t begin to cover the joy you will get when you actually go out on your bike for real!

Technorati Tags: Advice, Cotswolds, Cycling, Holiday, Planning

Mum and I are spending around 5 days in the Cotswolds next Sept/Oct and would love to know the things we must do. They can be as ordinary or as big as you can think of. We will have a hire car so transport shouldn’t be a problem. Also any ideas that are within day trip driving distance. Thanks

Go to see Bleinheim Palace where Sir Winston Churchill was born. Stow-on-the-Wold (where the wind blows cold) is somewhere to visit. As is Bourton-on-the-Water, very quaint. I think Burford has a bird sanctuary if I remember correctly that is worth checking out. Have fun, it’s a lovely part of England.

There are lots of things you can do during a stay in your Cotswolds Cottage. You can visit the Cheltenham racecourse, you can hike across the countryside, you can explore the many towns and villages that await you, and you can also enjoy many stops in a whole host of different pubs and inns.

The Cotswolds is famous for quite a few things, but it certainly knows how to tempt you with a great pub or two while you are here! So let’s explore some of the best ones in the area, so that when you visit you’ll know exactly where to go.

First of all, it’s good to know that wherever you want to stay you won’t have to go too far to reach a pub. That’s ideal if you are going to spend most of your days out and about, enjoying the various delights of your Cotswolds Holiday. Once you’ve gone back to your Cotswolds cottage or accommodation to freshen up, you’ll be able to wander down the road and straight into your local pub for some refreshments.

For example if you are staying somewhere near Aston, you won’t want to miss a meal at the Trout Inn, at the equally wonderfully named Tadpole Bridge. Our Bakehouse holiday cottage is perfectly located just a short distance away so there will be no excuse for not trying it out! Local food and a great choice of drinks are on offer to delight you as soon as you arrive.

The Carpenters Arms is another pub worth paying a visit to on a day out. In fact if you are staying in one of our Cottages in Fulbrook, such as the quaintly named Footstool Cottage for example, this pub won’t be too far away for you. We also have the Manor Farm Cottages and Honeysuckle Cottage – both equally well placed to allow you to pop into the pub for a drink on your way back each evening!

That’s one of the great things about our cottages. We have lots of them dotted around the whole of the Cotswolds, and none of them are too far away from at least one pub. Even if you plan to cook at your holiday cottage most evenings, you can still set aside some time to soak up the atmosphere in one of the Cotswolds pubs every now and again.

It’s also worth taking note of where the pubs are located if you are planning to go out and explore for the day on foot. The good news is that they are fairly evenly spread, and they differ enough that you can always find something that will appeal to your own tastes.

It’s also possible to get a nice taste of history while you are visiting the Cotswolds pubs. Some of them have been standing for a hundred years or more, such as the Queen’s Head in Stow on the Wold for example. So be sure you don’t miss out on this intriguing and refreshing side of the Cotswolds.

Technorati Tags: Cotswolds, Fare, Fine, From, Great, Sample, Some

Everyone knows that a holiday in the Cotswolds has a lot to offer. You will find yourself almost in another world when you arrive for your stay in one of our Cotswolds English country cottages.

It goes without saying that you should remember your camera and have it with you at all times. If you can take panoramic shots, so much the better! There are so many stunning views to appreciate that you will be tempted to spend the whole of your holiday looking through your lens.

But here are five of the best to watch out for on your Cotswolds holiday.

Arlington Row in Bibury

It is the mix of old weavers’ cottages, coupled with the single track road and the stream on the other side that guarantees this location makes it into the photo album.

This village is a must see for most visitors, and it isn’t hard to see why. Bibury fairly breathes the Cotswolds and all it stands for.

The River Windrush in Bourton on the Water

One of the most popular of all the Cotswolds villages, Bourton benefits from the low bridges – six in all – that connect one side of the river with the other. You can sit on these and dangle your legs over if you wish! The low position of the bridges makes an unusual and eye catching backdrop for any photo.
Banbury Cross

It’s worth venturing out to the eastern edge of the Cotswolds, because you can take a picture of the Banbury Cross itself.

You’ll remember the nursery rhyme no doubt, but this isn’t the only reason to pay Banbury a visit. The town is dripping with history and the closeness of the Oxford Canal provides even more stunning views to appreciate.
Looking down from Chipping Norton

Chipping Norton benefits from its high position, situated in the Cotswolds Hills. As such you have two advantages when you arrive – you can enjoy sights such as the row of Almshouses the town is famous for. And you can also look across at much of the countryside surrounding the town. Plenty of opportunities then for panoramic views as well as charming close ups!

Meon Hill – and a bonus village below

Quite often while staying in one of the many Cotswold cottages, you will wander around and stumble on a wonderful view that also gives rise to another discovery.

If you go out walking around just north of Chipping Campden, you will come across Meon Hill. This is a delightful area and it overlooks the village of Mickleton.

Once you have spent some time gazing down on the views before you, you can make your way down to the village itself. This charming village is wonderful for visiting on the last day of your holiday – you will be able to buy plug plants and take advantage of the market gardening that goes on there!

There are many other stunning views to appreciate in every corner of the Cotswolds of course. But these should get you started on the right track.

Technorati Tags: Cotswolds, Five, Missed, Stunning, Views