Cotswolds by Bike

heart_plus

tourhub | Walkers' Britain | Cotswolds by Bike | CMR | Map

location_on

41 Views

8 Days

From

~~$1461~~

$1414

Cotswolds by Bike

8 Days Starting and ending in Cheltenham

Visiting: England

Tour operator:

Walkers' Britain

Tour code:

CMR

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 20

Physical rating:

introductory to moderate

From:

$1461

$1414 (USD) BLACK FRIDAY SALE @ Tourhub: $47

Tour Overview

This holiday is intended to appeal to those who want a gentle introduction to cycling in the English countryside, as the Cotswold’s are hilly rather than mountainous. A week of marvelous rides will take you through one of the most beautiful and historic parts of England. Honey coloured stone villages, open wolds, wooded valleys and Roman roads are the background to pretty villages, “wool” churches, famous gardens, a Roman villa and welcoming inns. Your tour starts in elegant Cheltenham with its Regency buildings, beautiful gardens, and fashionable centre. Then a delightful ride takes you over the top of the Wolds and through Duntisbournes, crossing the River Dunt’s pretty fords. The route passes exquisite village churches with Saxon and Norman features. This is followed by an easy ride to Tetbury, an important medieval wool market town. You can stand inside the old market house and walk down the ancient Chipping Steps - the course for the Woolsack Races. The ride then continues through the Cotswold Water Park. From Barnsley you ride along the River Coln to Bibury - described by William Morris as the most beautiful village in England - and its famous row of weavers' cottages. Then down the scenic Windrush Valley, past Windrush village’s Norman church to Burford, an elegant town with its steep main street leading down to the river. Your ride also takes you to the Eastleach villages with their fine churches and historic footbridge, and to the Barringtons. After a visit to Chedworth Roman Villa, one of the best exposed Romano-British villas in Britain, the ride takes you through Northleach, another attractive wool town with a magnificent church, to the Slaughters, surely the most delightful villages in England. You stay two nights in a superb guesthouse in Guiting Power, a typical upland Cotswold village. On the final day you will visit the historic 15th century Snowshill Manor, take lunch at Broadway and enjoy the wonderful views from Broadway Tower. In the afternoon you can visit Sudley Castle once home to three of Henry VIII's wives, Katherine Parr, Ann Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey. Finally, free wheel down Cleeve Hill back to Cheltenham.

Highlights

Cycling Through the Heart of England
Quaint Stone Built Villages
Riding Across Rolling Hills
Biking Between Village Pubs and Old Coaching Inns

Itinerary

tourhub | Walkers' Britain | Cotswolds by Bike | CMR | Route Map

Not what you're looking for?

People that have booked this tour have also searched for the following:

Tours in England

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive Cheltenham

Arrival into Cheltenham
Accommodation: The Portland Guesthouse, thought to have been built in 1836, is a Grade II listed building ideally located in the heart of Cheltenham. The property boasts seven en-suite bedrooms across four floors of the late Georgian building, retaining many of the original features.

Day 2 : Cheltenham To Fampton Mansell

Meals Included:

Make your way to the bike shop at Cheltenham Spa Train Station to collect your bikes.
Ride 1: via Elkstone, the Duntisbournes & Daglingworth. Distance = 32 km/19.8 miles or 25.7 km/16 miles.
This lovely ride is uphill at the beginning, but from Elkstone goes through easier, undulating countryside. The ride down the Duntisbourne valley is a treat. The churches at Elkstone, Duntisbourne Rouse & Daglingworth are particularly worth visiting. There are not many pub stops in the middle of the ride; you will need to visit The Green Dragon at Cockleford or the Highwayman on the A417. There are no other shops in Cheltenham.
Ride 2: via Cowley, Sheepscombe, Painswick & Slad. Distance = 49 km/30.4 miles or 44 km/27.3 miles. This is an interesting, varied but hilly ride with attractive countryside and scenery and some famous towns and villages. You visit Painswick an elegant wool town, Slad, the home of Laurie Lee, the famous Cotswold author. Stroud the industrial centre of the valleys and Bisley another beautiful wool town. Although there are several steep hills the destinations are worth the effort.
Accommodation: The Crown Inn is a 16th century stone inn overlooking the beautiful, wooded, Chalford Valley, your accommodation is 4 crowns.

Day 3 : Fampton Mansell To Bibury

Meals Included:

Ride 1: via South Cerney & Meysey Hampton. Distance = 35.7 km/22.2 miles or 28.15 km/17.5 miles
This easy ride circles through South Cerney & the Water Park. It passes through several quiet villages & the flat south Cotswolds countryside. It finishes in Barnsley where the church & Barnsley House Garden are worth visiting.
Ride 2: via Tetbury, Cherington, Ashton Keynes & Down Ampney. Distance = 53.2 km/33.1 miles. This easy ride visits Tetbury an attractive Wool town, then goes east to Ashton Keynes & the Cotswold Water Park. It goes through several quiet villages south east of Cirencester before going north back into the Cotwolds to the beautiful stone village of Barnsley.
Accommodation: For two nights, the Catherine Wheel offers a warm welcome in its family-friendly 15th century Cotswold stone building with a lounge bar, restaurant and garden.

Day 4 : Bibury: Choice Of Circular Rides

Meals Included:

Ride 1: a short ride to Cirencester Distance = 23.65 km/14.7 miles. This easy ride goes to Cirencester via Welsh Way & Whiteway, & returns via Preston & Ampney
Ride 2: Fairford via the Coln Valley & the Eastleaches. Distance = 50 km/30.6 or 41.85 km/26 miles
This beautiful ride goes down the Coln Valley, which has several typical, pretty, Cotswold villages. The Woollen Mill at Filkins is interesting, & you can buy some real Cotswold souvenirs. Fairford is a good place for tea, & the stained glass windows are a must.

Day 5 : Bibury To Guiting Power

Meals Included:

Ride 1: via Chedworth Roman Villa, Northleach & Notgrove. Distance = 35.5 km/22.1 milies or 26 km/16.4 miles. This is an enjoyable ride over undulating countryside. The Roman Villa is very interesting, and Northleach is an attractive ’wool’ town with a lovely church.
Ride 2: via the Windrush Valley, Burford, Bourton on the Water & the Slaughters.
Distance = 53 km/33 miles or 43.45 km/27 miles. This is an interesting, enjoyable and fairly easy ride. It goes through many picturesque Cotswold villages - Windrush and the Slaughters are particularly delightful. Burford is an attractive town & Bourton a busy tourist centre.
Accommodation: Two nights at the Guiting Guesthouse a tastefully restored 16th century 4 star Cotswold stone farmhouse in the centre of a small and isolated typical Cotswold village that has allowed time to pass it by.

Day 6 : Guiting Power: Choice Of Circular Rides

Meals Included:

Ride 1: A short ride to the Slaughters & Lower Swell. Distance = 23 km/14.3 miles
This undulating ride goes through beautiful countryside & attractive quiet villages. Upper Slaughter is a lovely place to picnic & spend time by the ford on a fine day.
Ride 2: to Snowshill & Chipping Campden via Blockley & Sezincote - with extensions to Broadway & Hidcote Manor Gardens. Distance = 42 km/26.3 miles, 45 km/27.9 miles or 56 km/35 miles
The lovely ride goes across rolling countryside to Snowshill & Chipping Campden - two classic Cotswold towns. It can be extended to visit Broadway & Hidcote Manor Gardens. The ride is quite hilly, & even the minor roads round Chipping Campden get very busy at holiday weekends.

Day 7 : Guiting Power To Cheltenham

Meals Included:

Ride 1: via Winchcombe & Brockhampton. Distance = 28.6 km/17.8 miles or 27 km/13.5 miles
This ride covers some beautiful countryside, with good views from the hills. It is quite hilly, particularly down into & up from Winchcombe, but it gives you a good knowledge of the Cotswold scarp! Winchcombe is well worth visiting, & it is easy to spend several hours there.
Ride 2: via Northleach, Chedworth Roman Villa, Withington & Seven Springs. Distance = 41 km/25.5 miles. This ride goes through beautiful countryside, some attractive villages, and to Northleach - an important ’wool’ town - with an interesting ’wool’ church. The Roman Villa is fascinating.
Drop your bikes off at the bike shop by 5.30 pm before making your way to your overnight accommodation.

Day 8 : Arrangements End After Breakfast

Meals Included:

Trip concludes in Cheltenham after breakfast.

What's Included

Accommodation
7 nights in guesthouses and hotels
7 breakfasts
7 nights accommodation in guesthouses and hotels on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities
one piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 20kg
Information pack including route notes & maps
Emergency hotline
GPX Files
Bike hire based on 6 days
6 days bike hire. E-Bike Hire on request (supplement applies, please ask us for details)
Panniers
6 days bike hire, with E-bike hire on request (supplement applies, see below)

What's Not Included

Bike hire £115, E-bikes are also available £210. These prices included panniers and are for a 6 day cycle hire
Dinners, lunches & beverages
Travel to the start and from the end point of the trip
Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
Unscheduled transfers required during the trip
Entrance fees
Bike hire is included, but there is a supplement for electric bike (E-bike) hire, Please contact us for details
A supplement will apply if you are travelling solo or book a single room
Guide - this is a self guided holiday

Accommodation

7 nights in guesthouses and hotels
The hotels described are our usual accommodation, however if these are not available then alternatives are used. Rooms generally do not have baths. The main reason being that they take up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it is showers.

Grading

Easy - Moderate. There is a choice of two routes each day 25 miles (moderate) or 15 miles (easy)

Reviews From Travellers On This Tour

J. Varriano(Memphis, TN, USA)

Cotswolds by Bike

29 Jun 2022

My wife and I had an absolutely fabulous time biking in the Cotswolds. The bikes were top notch, nicely outfitted with a roomy bag, a spare tube, pump, and lock. They looked brand new. The luggage service was outstanding. Our bags were always waiting for us when we arrived at the next inn. The inns and guesthouses that we stayed at were lovely. And we so enjoyed eating at the local pubs after a day of riding and exploring. Fresh local food and beer! We are amateur riders at best but didn't find the routes that were suggested too taxing. We did have to walk our bikes up a few hills but didn't mind. We spread the riding out over several hours. There always were things to explore on the routes. We rode in the middle of June and had no rain for the entire six days. Just an absolutely fantastic time!

D. Devine(Washington, USA)

Cotswolds by Bike

21 Oct 2019

I have traveled to Europe on 3 different occasions with this company, each one a self-guided tour and have been very satisfied with the communication of the company to its travelers both before and after the trips. I felt the accommodations were excellent providing a nice blend of hotels, bed & breakfasts to experience the local culture, food & communities. I would highly recommend using them as your next international travel partner!

A. Worsley(NSW, Australia.)

Cotswolds by Bike

13 Jun 2019

My daughter and I have just completed a self guided bike trip of the Cotswolds in England. What a fantastic experience, challenge and adventure the 8 days provided.The scenery was breathtaking and the townships we rode through were magnificent.All the accommodation was excellent with luggage always greeting us at our destination.The first day of the ride was a tough ride with hills, challenging the map reading skills and understanding the written directions. A couple of times we had to resort to google maps to find where we were. Thoroughly recommend this adventure and thank you to the team for an efficient and comprehensive booking service.

K. Varriano(Memphis, TN, United States)

Cotswolds by Bike

7 Jul 2022

Perfect! Everything worked smoothly from the luggage transfers to the accommodations to the beautiful new bikes that we enjoyed riding. The guest houses were fantastic - comfortable and welcoming - and the hosts fed us fresh and made-to-order breakfasts each day. We especially enjoyed the local pubs, craft beer, and local produce in each community. I did enter all of the routes into a GPS system before we began - really helpful as we were able to avoid pulling out maps and directions while riding. The routes were off the beaten path and included the unmarked Welsh Way (beautiful) and a walking path or two. We were fortunate enough to catch a herd of sheep crossing the road near Chedworth.

K. Varriano(Tennessee)

Cotswolds by Bike

23 Jun 2022

I would like to review the Biking the Cotswolds trip that we've just completed: Perfect! Everything worked smoothly from the luggage transfers to the accommodations to the beautiful new bikes that we enjoyed riding. The guest houses were fantastic - comfortable and welcoming - and the hosts fed us fresh and made-to-order breakfasts each day. We especially enjoyed the local pubs, craft beer, and local produce in each community. I did enter all of the routes into a GPS system before we began - really helpful as we were able to avoid pulling out maps and directions while riding. The routes were off the beaten path and included the unmarked Welsh Way (beautiful) and a walking path or two. We were fortunate enough to catch a herd of sheep crossing the road near Chedworth.

Dates & Availability

Mar
2024 Apr
2024 May
2024 Jun
2024 Jul
2024 Aug
2024 Sep
2024 Oct
2024

Instant Booking Available

Saturday - Saturday

Mar 23, 2024 - Mar 30, 2024

~~$1461~~ $1414 (USD)