No corner of England nails pin-up charm quite like the Cotswolds. Barely two hours drive from London, or one Taylor Swift album by train, and you’re in your own period drama cruising through idyllic limestone villages, rolling hills, and sipping and scoffing in bijou tearooms.

Boasting honey-stone villages and more sheep than you can shake a welly at, the Cotswolds has long been the rural dream. But you know a place has really made it when the A-listers start scouring Rightmove for a hamlet and helipad.

Beyonce and Jay-Z are the latest celebs to reportedly be moving in, and they won’t have to sweat over a BBQ guest list. Neighbours in the area include the Beckhams, Jeremy Clarkson, Kate Moss, Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley, Lilly Allen, Ellen Degeneres and Joanna Trollope to name but a few, with superstar DJ Calvin Harris also moving into a grand pad near Stroud this summer.

This glorious region is home to some of the prettiest panoramas in the UK, a jumble of bridleways, farmland, country houses and castles. Whilst the more obvious selfie stop-offs will be top of your list – we’re looking at you Bourton-on-the-Water (aka the Venice of the Cotswolds) – there are countless other cool and quirky places to discover off the tourist track.

Straddling 800 square miles and five counties (Glos, Oxon, Warks, Wilts and Worcs) the Cotswolds are awash with unpredictable finds. One minute you could be on a skywalk through the canopy at Westonbirt Arboretum, the next sunbathing on the UK’s largest inland beach or lunching at a Farmers’ Market.

Little over an hour’s road trip from north to south, or east to west (why not hire a vintage drop-top for max cool vibes), it’s a really easy region to get around.

So where to eat, stay and play we hear you cry? Here’s the ultimate rustic-luxe guide to Britain’s most bougie backyard.

WHERE TO GO

The choice may seem mind-boggling with so many bucolic hotspots and must-see villages on the map, but there are three main regions to get to grips with.

The North Cotswolds takes in an area that includes picture-postcard villages such as Broadway in Worcs, the hip Chippys (that’s Norton and Campden), Charlbury in Oxon, Shipston-on-Stour in Warks and down to Bourton-on-the-Water in Glos with its tea rooms and idyllic riverside walks.

It’s perhaps the best known bit of the AONB, and if you’re a sucker for endless honey-coloured lanes, artisan boutiques, hipster eateries and being where the celebs hang out – this is it!

Also at the top of your list pin Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh with their indie shops, authentic pubs and year-round events. But also make a beeline for Burford with its high street of half-timbered buildings, Chipping Norton for indie shops and café culture, and Broadway for galleries, boutiques and brasseries such as TV chef James Martin at the Lygon Arms.

the lygon arms — The Lygon Arms, Broadway

Venture into the Mid Cotswolds for a less touristy and big family-friendly experience. Stretching from Northleach (famed for Daisy May Cooper’s This Country) there is a lush green corridor of church-sprinkled villages to explore before you hit the headliner town of Cirencester with its Roman origins, pretty marketplace and cool cafés.

Just 20 minutes to the west and you’re in Stroud, Nailsworth, Painswick and the Slad Valley. This is the Cotswolds’ boho and arty underbelly, with a rich calender of festivals and gigs at venues such as The Sub Rooms, indie boutiques, the famous Stroud Farmers’ Market and the National Trust’s Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons.

The Cotswolds’ wilder cousin, come here for buzzing market towns and the region’s very own beach. Tucked away in its own little eco-system, the Cotswold Country Park & Beach is a fantastic day out, where you can paddleboard, kayak and SUP into the sunset.

cotswolds scene — The weekly farmers’ market, Cirencester

Lastly, the South Cotswolds may be the quieter part of the AONB but it offers equal amounts of charm and getaway appeal. Take in Tetbury, home to the King and Queen (The Highgrove Estate) with scores of antique shops, artisan delis and welcoming inns.

Or head to pretty villages such as Castle Combe in Wiltshire. Replete with 15th century weavers cottages, it consistently scoops awards for being the ‘Prettiest Village in England’ and is a hotspot for TV and Hollywood film shoots.

Take a wander round its beautiful marketplace or pick up some delicious local produce at the village shops for a picnic by the River Bybrook.

STAY

Chic hotel stays

The Stroud Hotel is one of the hottest places to stay in the heart of the Cotswolds. This boutique hotel in a dreamy renovated Grade II listed house is co-owned by Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows and his wife Steph (catch them in the bar some nights).

It has a top restaurant, live music nights and is a mere stumble from the train station, so no taxis needed, and only 1.5 hours from London Paddington.

cotswolds house hotel — Room with a view at Burleigh Court

In Minchinhampton, the award-winning 18-room Burleigh Court Hotel is an intimate, Grade II-listed manor house with cracking views over the Golden Valley. Try out the new Wellness Garden, featuring a stunning Victorian plunge pool, sauna and jacuzzi with massage jets.

Further north, near Cheltenham, Cowley Manor Experimental is a Regency getaway that’s had a swish multi-million-pound makeover. It has an amazing spa and pool, as well the largest hotel suite in the Cotswolds with a giant wrap-around balcony.

cotswolds house pool — The pool at Thyme

Taking Cotswold chic to another dimension, Thyme in the idyllic village of Southrop is an epicurean country-chic hotel with a first-class restaurant and spa. Or head to Broadway in Worcestershire where the famous Lygon Arms has family-friendly courtyard suites, a stand-out spa and indoor pool.

For rooms with sweeping views Dormy House on the lush Farncombe Estate, perched above Broadway, is a luxury getaway with breathtaking vistas.

Stylish Ingleside House in Cirencester is spot-on if you want to check in and instantly feel like a film star. Offering 11-bedrooms and brimming with cool design elements, sexy velvet furnishings and cool artwork. The acclaimed Barn Theatre is right next door, so you can pop in to see a show, or get dinner and cocktails in the award-winning Téatro restaurant.

There’s good news for fans of The Pig boutique hotels too. You’ll find the latest piglet at 17th-century Barnsley House, four miles from Cirencester, it comes with its own peak Cotswold drinking den – The Village Pub – which you can stay in too.

Other hot-to-trot options are The Double Red Duke in Clanfield (it’s won multiple awards) and the uber-luxe Bull at Burford, which was renovated by one Matthew Freud and has Nobu’s former head chef installed in the kitchen.

Of course, the Oxfordshire Cotswold set also use Soho Farmhouse at Great Tew as a glitzy home-from-home. The good news is you don’t have to be a member to stay there (but they do get the best room rates), so hop on down to the Cowshed spa, order yourself a Negroni and act like you own the place. Same goes for luxe Cotswolds retreat Estelle Manor. It’s so tight-lipped about its celeb residents that the only way to spot them – and luxuriate in Estelle’s bonkers gorgeous interiors – is to book a room. Yes, it’ll break the bank but you’ll get access to its vast Roman-inspired spa, padel and gazillion restaurants to boot.

Pubs with rooms

Not much beats a stay at a Cotswold inn with a beautiful beer garden outside, it’s what the AONB was made for (see 22 beer gardens here).

Try The Wild Rabbit and Plough in Kingham, two gorgeous rustic-chic country pubs with rooms. Wild Thyme & Honey in the picture-perfect village of Ampney Crucis near Cirencester is a blissful retreat with quintessential Cotswold charm.

Book into one of its 24 beautifully designed rooms (the hot tub room has a terrace) or check out its equally lovely pub/restaurant, The Crown. On the Oxfordshire Cotswolds side, check out The Bell at Charlbury (immaculately decorated by Daylesford Stays) and The Swan at Ascott-under-Wychwood (we guarantee you’ll never want to leave that garden).

The Green Dragon Inn in Cockleford is a Cotswold-catnip stay too, with nine gorgeous rooms, beamed ceilings and stone flagged floors in the pub. Or, take a look at The Bear at Rodborough in Stroud, a top choice for walkers and dog-owners thanks to its location in the middle of the National Trust’s spectacular Rodborough Common. Top tip? Head for a cone at the famous Winstone’s ice cream parlour here.

Self-catering cottages

StayCotswold has more than 200 luxury holiday cottages to choose from if you fancy a DIY stay in a dreamy location. Whether you’re after a cosy romantic hideaway for two with a hot tub or a party pad for a large get-together, many of them are also pet-friendly.

The beautiful Flower Press in Bibury – famously named the most beautiful village in Britain by William Morris – is spot on for a family get-together. Or check out The Cotswold Letting Agency in Burford in Oxon, which offers short holiday lets all over the AONB.

Cotswolds Hideaways, based in Stow-on-the-Wold, has a large selection of rustic boltholes too. You can also rent a Cotswolds hideaway at the famous Daylesford Organic Farm near Kingham. It has 32 restored cottages to stay in and is beloved by locals and celebs alike.

Quirky boltholes

For a back-to-nature bolthole with lashings of luxury head for the spectacular treehouses at The Fish Hotel in Broadway. Expect underfloor heating, hot tubs, a Nespresso machine and a friendly welcome for dogs.

The Severn Vale on the edge of the Cotswolds is great for walkers and The Glamping Orchard offers bell tents and a restored 1950s Warwick Knight Caravan that has starred on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. It sleeps a family of four and has your very own gin terrace on top.

Go off-grid

Far Peak in Northleach has great shepherd huts, tipi tents and eco-domes to shack up in for a proper back-to-nature getaway. The site has a 30ft climbing wall (if you’re brave enough, otherwise just send the kids up) and acres of outside space for den-making. Plus there’s a new ‘caving zone’ where kids can have their own underground adventure.

Alternatively, stay in a four-person eco yurt in your own glade at Abbey Mead Farm in Cirencester. The Organic Farm Shop next door offers amazing Sunday lunches if you’re missing home comforts.

If you’re looking for family friendly glamping in Oxfordshire, Westmoor Farm near Bampton is a good bet. Its woodland cabin, yurt and bell tent are all set up if you don’t have the gear, or there are pitches for the happy campers among you. It’s also got a kids play area, go-karts and plenty of riverside and woodland walks to keep you entertained.

Tucked at the edge of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Campfires & Stars is a family-run glamping spot that’s perfect for parties. You can opt for a rustic-style barn with a kitchen bar (G&T, anyone?), go wild with the safari bell tent with an ensuite, or keep it vintage with a restored 1920s Showman’s Wagon.

Cotswold Farm Park in Guiting Power, owned by Countryfile celebrity farmer Adam Henson, has eco-pods and Moroccan-themed tents. They have king-sized double beds and bunk beds, so they’re perfect for a family getaway. You’ll want to make sure you visit the tourist bucket-list villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter nearby too.

On the Cotswold fringes at Lower Mill Estate in Somerford Keynes near Cirencester, stay at one of the Grand Design-style eco properties (with private kayaks for the lake). Or the luxe Cotswold Water Park Retreats provides waterside lodges with hot tubs. Dogs are welcome too.

EAT & DRINK

The Cotswolds are a platinum-level foodie paradise. The region is brimming with lashings of good restaurants with a farm-to-fork ethos and cool cafés, many using fresh locally-sourced ingredients.

Restaurants

Take a trip to Roman Cirencester with its dreamy, cream-coloured marketplace where you’ll find Teatro in the heart of the town. Eat in the restaurant with its red leather booths or in the Summer Firepit Garden. Other great eateries here include La Bobina (located off Black Jack Street) for stand-out tapas eatery.

man serving food in The Cotswolds — William’s in Nailsworth

In Nailsworth William’s is an award-winning seafood restaurant perfect for a plate of moules with a glass of Prosecco. Or over in Moreton-in-Marsh try the recently opened Sakura, a fantastic Japanese-fusion bistro.

In Cheltenham there’s an incredible amount of choice. Go to The Ivy Montpellier for super stylish dining, Brasserie Blanc (Raymond Blanc’s place) for French cuisine, the elegant Victoria’s at The Queens Hotel for its fantastic all-day menu and No.131, a super chic hotel, restaurant and bar set over several levels of a Regency mansion.

Japanese fine dining restaurant YOKU is spot on for a treat night if you love Asian fusion food. The recently opened Nook on Five is the town’s first rooftop restaurant and has a stand-out menu with amazing views over the town and Cotswold hills while you dine. And Matthew Freud’s Bull at Burford gets another hat-tip for having not one but three restaurants: Horn, Wild and sushi restaurant Hiro, under ex-Nobu sushi master Hiromi Wada.

Still hungry? Head to Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-star Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons in Great Milton, Oxford for whatever tickles your tastebuds at this long-established home of haute cuisine.

tea in the cotswolds — Afternoon tea overlooking the Cotswold hills at Nook on Five

Pub grub

The Cotswolds is the land of the gastropub, but rave-able local favourites include The Royal Oak Tetbury, a charming 18th century pub which has vegan options on the menu, along with regular live music in the pub garden.

Tables go quickly at The Ship Inn in Brimscombe (the Sunday lunches are legendary), The Bell Inn in Selsey (walk off the calories on the Common afterwards) and peaceful local favourites The Oak or The Falcon in Painswick.

The award-winning Bell at Sapperton is one of our best off-the-beaten-track tips for Sunday roasts. And The Stump in Fosse Cross, run by local foodie duo Baz & Fred, is a pizza pub. It always has a great family-friendly atmosphere and some of the best pizzas you’ll get in the Cotswolds.

The candy-coloured Bathurst Arms has a 20ft teepee in the garden for alfresco feasting and a fierce farm-to-fork ethos, all with an idyllic riverside setting. The Swan at Thyme in Southrop (famously Kate Moss’s local) is a gorgeous 17th century pub that uses local, organic ingredients. The Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold, the oldest pub in England apparently, is the quintessential Cotswolds experience.

On the Oxfordshire side, The Three Horseshoes at Asthall (formerly The Maytime Inn) has delicious pub grub and a lovely beer garden with views over the Windrush Valley. Meanwhile, The Boxing Hare, Swerford has a a Michelin chef, buzzy atmosphere and celeb clientele.

Or stop off at The Angel in Burford, The Swan Inn on the banks of the River Windrush in Swinford, or The Lamb at Shipton (and its sister restaurant The Bell Inn at Langford. All top-notch for pub grub and a slap-up Sunday roast. With all that lot on the menu, safe to say you’re not going hungry…

Cafés & farm shops

Nothing beats a slice of homemade cake and a great coffee – and the Oxfordshire side of the Cotswolds comes up with celeb-magnet Quince and Clover at Great Tew (the homemade ice cream is fabulous).

Of course, the most high-octane farmshop in the area is Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farmshop, put on the map (and then some) by his reality show Clarkson’s Farm. But a trip to the Cotswolds wouldn’t be complete with a pit-stop at Lady Bamford’s deluxe Daylesford Organic, the Harrods Food Hall for the Chipping Norton set. In the market for an artisan ham and cheese hamper at £125 a pop? Look no further.

If you are in Stroud go to The Artisan Baker, who do the best organic, vegan pastries you’ve ever tasted (the pistachio croissants are insanely good). The Little Ginger Deli & Cafe is a great pitstop here too, with a delicious menu and a great sun-trap spot to sit in with your iced coffee. Ditto for Pretty & Pip, this cool café in Cirencester has a fabulous courtyard for sunny days.

One of the best pit stops in the area is Jolly Nice in Frampton Mansell. Brimming with organic produce, sit in the new wooden barn or go to the handy Jolly Drive-Thru Shack, for coffee, smoothies and food. The incredible farm shop here is a non-negotiable Muddy stop-off whenever we pass.

Popular in Tetbury is artisan bakery and patisserie KNEAD – serving up some of the best coffee, cakes and cookies, or go to Huffkins in Burford for all manner of tempting treats. And Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden is brilliant for all-day grazing. Located on the beautiful Bathurst Estate minutes from Cirencester town centre, it has a farm shop and excellent indoor and outdoor play areas for the little ones.

THE UNMISSABLES

There are heaps of spectacular sights to pack into a Cotswold trip, start with these cherry-picked experiences.

In the North Cotswolds head for the Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire – the baby Stonehenge of the UK. This ring of 5,000-year-old Neolithic rocks is spot on for a bracing stroll with great views.

Sudeley Castle, in the pretty town of Winchcombe, is a gorgeous day out, explore the gardens, let the kids burn off steam at the play fort and see the tomb of Katherine Parr – the only English Queen to be buried on private land. And take a tour around the lovely gardens of the National Trust’s Snowshill Manor too.

Broadway Tower sits on the second highest point of the Cotswolds Ridge, with wow-factor views of 13 counties, do the gorgeous circular walk and get an ice-cream or afternoon tea at the Morris & Brown tearoom.

On the eastern tip of the mid-Cotswolds, pay a visit to the stately Blenheim Palace. You’ll be blown away by 300-year-old treasures and gorgeous gardens designed by Capability Brown.

You may not think of watersports and the Cotswolds as a ‘thing’ – but it is! The Cotswold Water Park has idyllic lakes to explore, whether you’re up for wild swimming, water-skiing, or just some gentle kayaking.

And pack your bucket and spade because the Cotswold Water Park and Beach is the UK’s largest inland paddling beach. There are BBQs by the shore, electric boats and pedalos and an adventure playground for kids. Plus don’t miss the AquaVenture course with 40 obstacles to slide your way around (from £15 per person). Or, pack a picnic and just chill out on the beach on the golden sand which is imported direct from Padstow.

In the South Cots, Tetbury with its 28 antiques shops (at last count and rising!) and Highgrove with its glorious garden tours are all worth a linger.

A great day out awaits at Westonbirt Arboretum, home to the largest national collection of trees and a 40ft high skywalk. Or, take a trip to WWT Slimbridge near Stroud, a popular wildlife reserve with the famous Berwick swans, and fun stuff to do all year round.

Head for the incredibly pretty town of Castle Combe (beloved of Instagrammers) with its quintessential cottages, river and walks, and take a trip to nearby Dyrham Park with its wild, roaming deer and Lacock Abbey, made famous in the Harry Potter films.

Most Cotswolds towns have a knack for separating you with your money and none more so than chi chi Burford. Its High Street is flanked on both sides with indie and family-run stores. Head to Slate Clothing for womenswear, Antiques @ The George to find something totally unique and At Home With The Rudds for stylish homewares. Running since 1976, Burford Garden Co, just outside the town centre, is a destination in itself with a drop-dead gorgeous curated mix of plants, home and garden decor. We warned you!

KIDS

Lidos

Cirencester Lido is one of the best outdoor pools you’ll ever go to. It has a great slide for kids and is fed entirely by pure spring water heated to 80 degrees. Bask on one of the sun loungers on the patio against the backdrop of a fairytale castle. Plus, there’s a brilliant vintage-tuck shop on site to keep everyone happy. Or, head to Chippy Lido in Chipping Norton, which also has a great toddler paddling pool, lawn and cafe.

If you’re dreaming of gliding elegantly down a Cotswolds waterway (or at least that’s the idea) then Moi’s SUP School based at Newbridge near Witney is one for your little black book. With trips, private and group lessons, or regular weekly SUP sessions (think Silver SUP for over 50s and the women’s-only Healing Hour) as well as SUPYoga, that’s every kind of paddler covered.

Cirencester Lido with its fairytale castle backdrop

MUSEUMS & CULTURE

If you’re staying in the Cotswolds, dip into a packed calendar of culture and events. The Cheltenham Festivals land huge celeb names every year. Still to come this year? Go to the Science Festival (Tuesday 3 June – Sunday 8 June), the Music Festival (Friday 4 July – Saturday 12 July) and the Literature Festival (Friday 10 October – Sunday 19 October).

The Cheltenham Races are the place to go for some thrilling trackside action, and also taking place here, see James, Scouting for Girls and The Zutons amongst the headliners at the Wychwood Festival from 30 May to 1 June.

It’s all about the opera in Moreton-in-Marsh at Longborough Festival Opera (26 May – 2 August), and for some totally free fun go to the awesome Phoenix Festival in Cirencester (23 – 24 August).

Cotswolds party people are no slouches on the festival front either. Two of the most lively are Wilderness on the Cornbury Park estate and The Big Feastival on Blur bassist Alex James’s farm near Kingham. He’s said it’s a family friendly affair… until Kate Moss turns up to get the party started.

If museums are more your thing, go to the The Corinium Museum in Cirencester to learn all about the Cotswolds’ Roman history. In Bourton-in-the-Water, you’ll find the Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum, or nip to Cheltenham to wander around the arty Wilson Collection. The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock covers the history of the county and has an amazing interactive dinosaur exhibit, while the Banbury Museum tells the story of the Civil War, life in a Victorian market town, and more.

If it’s chucking it down (the Cotswolds can’t always be perfect, alas), catch a film in the ever-popular Chipping Norton Theatre (locals call it the Chippy Theatre). It shows films, comedy, theatre and music. Take your pick!

FARM PARKS

The ever popular Birdland in Bourton-on-the-water will be a huge hit with the kids, and great places to see rare breeds and baby animals are Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park and the Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford. Here you can walk on the wild side with rhinos, see penguins and lemurs being fed and go eye-to-eye with a giraffe on the amazing Giraffe Walkway.

Over in Chipping Norton, Fairytale Farm does what it says on the tin, with storybook-themed attractions, playgrounds and walks, as well as pigs, miniature ponies, alpacas and more. Farmer Gow’s in Faringdon is another family fave for its petting experiences with cows, goats and sheep. Plus the farm shop is always worth a quick trolley dash before you head home.

Have reptile fans in the fam? Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton sounds nutty, but it’s a great day out if you want to get up close and personal with crocs (plus the meerkats are adorable if you prefer your animals a little fuzzier). For more animal magic, check out Cogges Manor Farm in Witney. It has ‘Meet the Animals’ experiences at the weekends, pretty gardens to explore, a great café in the old milking shed and an adventure playground.

CYCLING

One of the Cotswolds’ greatest secrets is how good it is for off-road cycling. A network of byways and bridleways as well as large open spaces mean two wheels is a great way to get around. Find some great routes here.

Places to go freewheeling include Rodborough Common, Moreton-in-Marsh, Burford and the Windrush Valley. A good one to start off with is the Sarsden Circuit, an easy 1-2 hour circular around (pretty flat!) Kingham and Churchill. With its winding country roads, little traffic and rural vistas Charlbury is another popular cycling destination on the Cotswold Line Cycle Route that follows paths from Oxford to Worcester. There are acres and acres of parkland and woodland to explore nearby including Wychwood Forest (the Wychwood Loop is an excellent cycle route).

Or do it the clever way and e-bike the AONB. Tetbury-based Cotswold E-Tours offers guided, off-road tours starting in the Five Valleys south of Stroud for the whole family, through beautiful villages and landscapes, where you’ll be sheep and otter spotting in no time.

Over in Broadway book an e-bike from the Tower Barn top of the hill near the spectacular Broadway Tower, and set off on a cycling trail with the most stunning views. It’s the highest point in the Cotswolds and you can see over 16 counties on a clear day.

GREAT OUTDOORS

Walks

The National Trust’s Rodborough Common in Stroud is the untamed Cotswolds at its finest. Take an amble around the 300 acres with incredible panoramic views, dodging the (friendly) Highland cattle that roam here in the summer. Winstone’s Ice Cream Parlour serves the best artisan cones in the Cotswolds – as well as doggie ice cream – so make sure to drop by.

The Thames Path is long distance walking trail, following England’s best known river for 184 miles (294 Km) as it meanders from its source in the Cotswolds into the heart of the capital – yes, you really can walk back to London in 14 days should you wish! On its way the Trail passes peaceful water meadows rich in wildlife, historic towns and lovely villages.

Join it on the Cotswold fringes in Lechlade-on-Thames, home to herds of Highland cattle, the kids will love watching the canal boats squeeze through the locks.

The Cotswold Way is 102 miles of magnificent views, chocolate box villages and picture-perfect stop offs, going all the way from Chipping Campden down to Bath. Feeling adventurous? Do it all in seven days, or (far more likely) dip in to the route for an hour or two.

Whether you’re visiting as the snowdrops in winter, the spectacular blossom months, summer blooms or an autumnal stroll, find a walk for every season in The Cotswolds here.

Gardens & farms

Fancy tip-toeing through a glorious flower field this summer? You’ll feel like you’re sashaying through a field in France with these dazzling floral pop-ups.

The stunning lavender fields at Cotswold Lavender Farm are open from 18 June – 6 August this year and are very popular, you don’t need to book ahead, just turn up on the day to get tickets. Want more ideas? Check out 8 Dazzling Flower Fields to visit, from colourful carpets of sunflowers to PYO dahlias.

cotswolds lavender fields — Credit: Cotswold Lavender Fields / website

The area is home of course to many National Trust gardens, such as the glorious Hidcote near Chipping Campden, Newark Park near Wotton-under-Edge and Snowshill near Broadway. But the first to reopen is the lovely 17th century Dyrham Park near Bath. Take a wander around its glorious 200 acres and go deer-spotting.

The jewel in the crown in Oxfordshire, near Banbury, is the magnificent Broughton Castle, a filming location for Wolf Hall, Shakespeare in Love and Jane Eyre. Kids are welcome to roam around the medieval manor house and the maze-like planting in the landscaped gardens. Check out the gardens at Kelmscott Manor near Lechlade too. William Morris called it ‘heaven on earth’.

If you’re after something a little more low key, Foxholes Nature Reserve near Chipping Norton is a peaceful little woodland alongside the River Evenlode and is great for (whisper it) springtime bluebells as well as spotting birds like treecreepers and nuthatches. It hasn’t got a carpark but there’s a nearby layby for three cars and there’s a waymarked 1.75 mile Wildlife Walk.

Adrenalin activities

AquaVenture at the Cotswold Water Park is a giant inflatable obstacle course with 40 obstacles to slip and slide over, or you can hire SUPs, boats and kayaks to go gliding across the lagoon.

wingwalking in the cotswolds — Wing-walk in the Cotswolds

Feeling daring? Strap yourself in for a wing-walk! Try something you’ve never done before and join the team at AeroSuperBatics at this private airfield near Cirencester. Flown by an experienced wing-walking display pilot, take to the skies on the top wing of a Boeing Stearman biplane. You’ll feel the wind through your hair as you experience flypasts, zoom climbs, steep dives, and banks.

The Cotswolds is famously home to the Beaufort Polo Club. Trot along and watch this thrill-a-minute equine sport, or book in for a lesson on a polo pony yourself. Petrol-heads will love Castle Combe Circuit offering a variety of track days for both cars and bikes.

Proving the oh-so genteel Cotswolds really has a rock ‘n roll heart, RotorPro Helicopter Experience, near Winchcombe, does tours that will whisk you over lavender fields in Broadway, the rooftop of Blenheim or wherever your heart desires.

husky slegding in the cotswolds — Credit: Arctic Quest

And believe it or not, you can go husky sledging through the countryside. Arctic Quest is the only place in the UK that teaches the hands-on techniques of a sled dog adventure. Try out a session or stay in the private Herder’s hut with its own campfire.

If you want some thrills closer to the ground, the adventure playground at Blenheim’s Walled Garden is the King of play areas – it has towers, walkways, climbing walls, cargo nets, slides, swings, three zipwires and a river feature that kids can skip across. It’s all beautifully planted and elegantly landscaped, with a café and pizza restaurant at hand to turbocharge knackered parents.

QUIRKY

The Cotswolds is a honey-stoned hotbed of quirky activities. There’s a taste of South America hidden in the pretty town of Painswick at Tibbiwell Alpacas. Book in for an experience you won’t forget and take an alpaca out for a walk.

Wine-lovers will also be very happy here. Dotted around the whole area are brilliant micro-breweries, distilleries and vineyards.

Family-owned Woodchester Valley in Stroud is a boutique estate specialising in white, rose and sparkling wine and does amazing Tour and Tasting Experiences. You can also stay over at one of its spectacular barns with views across the vineyards. Similarly, over in Chipping Campden, Little Oak Vineyard is lovely to explore.

The Cotswolds Distillery has become one of the Cotswolds’ most popular attractions. Muddy can’t think why. Take a tour of the stills and learn all about the botanicals that make the craft gin.

Plus, the obligatory tastings too, of course. If you’re a fan of beer, the mecca to visit here is Stroud Brewery, set by the side of a picturesque canal. Take a tour or just enjoy sitting in the tap room with one of the locally-made craft beers. Cheers!

Cotswolds Insider Guide: eat, stay & play in the hottest spots

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