DAY 1: Burford & Bibury

Pop into Burford, the “Gateway to the Cotswolds” on your first morning. Burford is a picturesque little town with a characterful, steep high street lined with beautiful limestone buildings, sloping down to the River Windrush. The long high street is the main hub of the village; wander along it and explore the many independent shops, stopping off for breakfast along the way. There are plenty of cafés to choose from, we’d recommend Huffkins where you can pick up a bacon sarnie and a coffee in their bakery, or sit down for brunch in their neighbouring café.

The one downfall of this pretty town is that it is situated just off a cross-roads between two major A roads and therefore the high street is a thoroughfare for a lot of traffic heading north and south.

Time to burn off your breakfast on a classic Cotswolds countryside walk. We based ourselves in the sleepy village of Coln St Alwyns, and it is from here that you can start a beautiful (3 mile) walk to the infamous Bibury (you can also do it in reverse if that works better for you). Starting from the tiny bridge in Coln St Aldwyns, you follow the River Coln most of the way, walking through meadows, woods, and finally up a gently sloping hill towards Bibury. It’s an easy walk and we highly recommend it – we especially enjoyed the fact that it’s a bit more off the beaten track, so we only spotted one or two other walkers along the way. On the way back you can take a higher route along the top of the hills to make it a circular walk.

The charming Bibury is a classic Cotswolds village, with the River Coln running straight through the centre of it. Start off by exploring the infamous Arlington Row, which is made up of ancient cottages built in the 14th century and looks like it’s come straight out of a film set (in fact it’s been pictured in many a film – including Bridget Jones’ Diary).

Next, visit one of the oldest working trout farms in the UK. It’s definitely worth the rather hefty £5 entrance fee (for adults) if you fork out an extra 50p for some trout feed. It’s great fun meandering through the farm throwing feed into the many trout pools and watching the “boiling water” below as the trout all compete to get their share at the surface. If feeding the trout isn’t enough, you can even try your hand at catching one from the river! The café nearby sells lovely cakes if you fancy some afternoon tea, as well as some freshly grilled trout of course!

Once you’ve finished enjoying all that Bibury has to offer, loop back to Coln St Aldywns and head to your accommodation for dinner.

DAY 2: Castle Combe & Bath

Journeying further south in the Cotswolds, head to what was one of our favourite spots, Castle Combe. Often described as looking like it’s been frozen in time, no new buildings have been built since the 16th century, when the village was a key centre for the area’s wool industry. Its beautiful stone cottages used to house the village’s many spinsters and weavers, and the River Bybrook provided power to the local mill. Take your time strolling through the village, stopping for an unmissable photo opportunity on the packhorse bridge. 

Next, visit the Manor House, a grand hotel with lovely gardens that are open to the public. We spent a good hour exploring their gardens, and were then pleasantly surprised to find a set of garden games that are also free to use and not just reserved for hotel guests. We had a fiercely competitive game of croquet and a game of giant Jenga in the grounds of the beautiful, ivy-curtained hotel.

There are limited food options in Castle Combe – we’d recommend booking ahead to have lunch in the gardens at the Manor House, or alternatively bring a packed lunch.

Once you’ve had your fill of Castle Combe, head for an evening in Bath. Spend some time just wandering around the beautiful city and walking along the riverside. The Parade Gardens by the river are a nice place to catch some evening sun before they close around 5pm. Grab a pre-dinner drink at Thai by the Weir, stunningly located right by the Pulteney Weir and the famous Pulteney bridge, Bath’s answer to Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Finally, visit the brand new Coconut Tree Restaurant for a delicious Sri Lankan feast before heading home for the night. 

Day 3: Bourton-on-the-water and Lower & Upper Slaughter

Make sure to head out early (we mean it!) to Bourton-on-the-Water to avoid the crowds. Known as the “Venice of the Cotswolds”, this extremely popular destination is home to the River Windrush which snakes through the village, criss-crossed by dozens of low, stone footbridges. Spend an hour or two here dabbling your feet in the shallow river with an ice cream and poking your head into the independent little shops selling a rather old-fashioned assortment of souvenirs, antiques and other stereo-typically British bits and bobs. You can also visit the popular attractions such as the Model Village and the Motor Museum if you have the time.

Next you’re in for a real treat. Our absolute favourite chocolate-box village, Lower Slaughter, is just up the road from Bourton-on-the-Water. A calm oasis in comparison to its tourist-filled neighbour, the village is built on both banks of the river, and is home to just a small row of pretty cottages and a beautiful old mill. Bring a picnic and settle down on the banks of the river, and go for a paddle in the shallow river. You can also take an easy 20 minute stroll along the footpath to its sister village, Upper Slaughter, before making your final journey home.