 | The Cotswolds is a wonderfully picturesque area in southern England that is loved by the English themselves as well as by people from all over the world. Designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966, the Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales.
This area is ever-popular for its gentle hillsides - known as 'wolds' and its beautiful villages: such as Burford and Castle Combe. Of course, there are famous cities such as Bath: Britain's leading spa destination, here too. Bath is designated a World Heritage site and the city's The Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pultney Bridge are some of the world's very best architectural treasures. Visit Bath's stunning new spa complex: Thermae Bath Spa, which is located 100 metres from the Roman Baths, and enjoy sublime relaxation. There are four bathing pools here, including a fabulous open-air rooftop pool with views across the city.
Another famous spa destination in the Cotswolds is Cheltenham. Here you can visit the Chapel Spa, and also enjoy Cheltenham's many other offerings: including its parks, gardens and award winning flora. Look out too for the annual music and literature festivals staged here.
The Cotswolds is perhaps most famous for the local honey-coloured limestone that features in all its buildings and creates a special magic to the area's architecture. Dry stone walls are another hallmark of the Cotswold countryside. As you drive through the area you will stumble across many hidden villages: such as Painswick, Winchcombe and Woodstock, and also see larger market towns and villages, including Stow-on-the-Wold, Cirencester, Chipping Norton and Tetbury.
There is no shortage of things to do in the Cotswolds, whatever the time of year. This area is home to some of the finest gardens and arboreta in the country. These include National Trust owned and run gardens Hidcote Manor Garden, which is near Chipping Camden, and Snowshill Manor, which is close to Broadway. Abbey House Gardens close to Malmesbury is also well worth a visit.
Other places to visit include Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum; the Holst Birthplace Museum in Cheltenham: the childhood home of the famous composer of The Planets, Gustav Holst; Bibury Trout Farm at Cirencester; The Model Village at Bourton-on-the-Water: a replica in local stone of one of the most picturesque villages in the Cotswolds; the Calcot Manor Hotel and Spa near Tetbury: renowned for its excellent restaurant, and Blenheim Palace: a World Heritage Site and the birthplace of one Sir Winston Churchill.
There are lots of fabulous annual events in the Cotswolds. These include Cheltenham Folk Festival, Bath Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare birthday celebrations in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Annual Woolsack Races and Traditional Street Fair in Tetbury, Badminton Horse Trials, Blenheim Flower Show, The Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Jane Austen Festival, and Bath Christmas Market.
Lots of famous people have connections with the Cotswolds. For example, the cloisters at Gloucestershire Cathedral were used as a location for filming of the Harry Potter stories and the Harry Potter author JK Rowling was born at Chipping Sodbury. Jane Austen was a Bath resident and visitor and her close knowledge of the famous city is well seen in two of her novels: Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Both these works are set largely in Bath. You can visit the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street during a visit to the city. |
