Group Tours of the Cotswolds

br

The Cotswold’s is located in Gloucestershire and includes Cirencester, South Cerney, Stroud, Cheltenham and other rural locations in-between. Groups looking to tour the Cotswold’s in the UK can choose from a wide range of activities. The Cotswold’s encompass many pretty villages with a typical English feel and landscape. Walk though fields, narrow lanes, and ancient forests, while admiring beautiful streams, stone cottages, churches, old barns, and manor homes.

 

Groups can enjoy any of the following Cotswold tours:

Coach Tours: If you want it all done for you shoes a pr-organized tour. They can bring your group around the Cotswold’s to explore lanes and villages in a comfortable mini-bus that is more suitable for accessing narrow lanes.

Walking tours: Groups can take long leisurely walks through the countryside and villages. There is a large verity of walks in the Cotswold’s. The Gloucestershire way offers 100miles of footpaths and bridle ways. This trail starts at Chepstow and goes through the Forrest of Dean and Tewksbury. Shorter walks that can be done I a full or half day include

- Painswick to Uley (17 miles).
– Chipping Campden to Broadway (6 miles) or to Winchcombe (18 miles).
– Cheltenham to Painswick (17 miles).
– Winchcombe to Dowdswell Reservoir, Cheltenham (12 miles).

The Cotswold’s Village Trail explores 27 towns, villages and hamlets. They also include shops, inns, churches, workhouses, medieval cottages and more. In addition, historical sites such as, the Iron Age Hills forts, a Gothic folly, a ruined Medieval Abby, a Sezincote Hours and the Sudeley Castle are also viewed.

Talk, Lectures & Slide shows: Interested guests can take advantage of many discussions and exhibits that cover a vast range of interesting topics related to the Cotswolds and earlier eras.

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway: Toddington; Return to the past on a 20 mile round trip steamer. This steamer will transport visitors through the Cotswolds. Special group rates for parties of 10 or more apply.

 

Sudeley Castle tour: Set against the beautiful Cotswolds, this royal castle is over 1000 years old and comes with spectacular gardens. Group tours must be booked in advance. Group rates require at least 6 persons.

Cotswold Farm Park: Visit this amazing conservation of rare breeds. The tour of the farm includes nature trails, walks through the woodlands and much more. Group rates require a minimum of 5 persons with a maximum of 100 persons.

While visiting the Cotswolds, visitors may be interested in renting one of the Gagingwell Cottages. These cottages were once used by monks as retreats as far back as 1549 and are spread over 3 acres of land. The hamlet of Gagingwell consists of 10 buildings and is only 6 miles from the market town of Chipping Norton and only 7 miles from where Winston Churchill was born in Blenhein Palace, Woodstock. Guests should enjoy these private and comfortable accommodations where they can walk, site-see, ride horses and even golf. They can also enjoy shopping, restaurants and pub at any one of the nearby villages.

There are plenty of B&Bs and small hotels dotted around the Cotswolds but most of these would not be suited towards groups with most of the B&Bs having no more than 4 rooms. If you are visiting with a medium to large group you may need to consider staying in one of the larger towns such as Cheltenham of Gloucester as your base to explore the Cotswold’s from. If you look harder there are a number of hotels with 20 – 30 rooms located in the more rural locations. Some of them are in some truly beautiful locations although they can be very remote to access and you will need car or coach transport to and from these locations.