The Cotswolds have had my heart since our first trip about three years ago. Back then, on our way back to London from Bath, we stopped off at Castle Coombe, and immediately I knew that whilst that little village might not be the one, the Cotswolds is somewhere that one day I hope to reside. A few months ago my partner surprised me with a trip to the Peak District in May, so I rebutted by booking us into a little AirBnB in the Cotswolds for a few days prior, to break the trip up. My previous love for this little area in England reignited and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. Below is a little guide to where we went and what we did.
Bibury
Our chosen area to stay, central to everything and not too far between home, and our next stop in the Peak District. Click here to find out about this leg of our journey. We stayed in a lovely little Airbnb, just off of the main road in the centre of Bibury. The village was, as you can imagine, chaos come midday, but we would wake up early, go for a stroll and grab a coffee at the local coffee shop before the coaches flooded in. The village truly is stunning, and we made sure to book our pub dinner at The Catherine Wheel pub in advance just in case, as there really aren't many places to grab a bite in the village itself.
The Airbnb was so cosy and perfect for our stay. It slept 4 people and was inside the grounds of the owner's property, so no worries with parking at all. I can't recommend the village enough, and definitely somewhere that you could make your base to explore the rest of the Cotswolds from too.
Burton on the Water
Arguably one of the most stunning places I've ever been. The sun shone throughout spouts of rain and the crowds attested to this. The streams and river that ran through the village added to the quaint and unique setting. We grabbed lunch in one of the many pubs and restaurants on offer, picked up a homemade candle in one of old little shops, and popped into the Motoring Museum, a must for any car fans. before we left, we decided to also visit the Model Village, something I've seen online and was more than happy to pay entry for. Whilst the attraction isn't huge, it is still a lovely little experience and if you finid yourself in the area on a not-so-busy-day, definitely check it out.
Cirenchester
We didn't spend much time here but whilst looking through the local market and grabbing a coffee for the road, the Cirenchester is still a gorgeous little village, with similarities to others with old buildings and a church or cathedral at the heart.
I would like to cast my vote that these villages are some of the prettiest in England and have since not stopped telling everyone to visit. Planning my return as soon as winter is done.