Cotswolds Small Group Tour from London

Regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England, Bourton-on -the-Water has a unique appeal to visitors and residents alike. Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops, restaurants and tea rooms, or simply the space for you to enjoy some tranquil time by the River Windrush, spanned by its five arched bridges. Bourton-on-the-Water’s most prized feature is its tranquil river. Fed from many springs, its source is approximately ten miles from the village, and even in the 1976 drought the flow continued. Where the river enters the village centre, over the rapids next to the Old Mill, its clear waters flow under a miscellany of arched stone bridges past the green with its banks of Cotswold stone.

- On arriving into Bibury you may think you have been transported back to a different age. The village was once described by the British poet, artist and novelist William Morris (1834-96) as “the most beautiful village in England”. Bibury’s attractions includes Arlington Row, a 17th century row of weavers cottages built of local stone next to the River Coln. It is one of the most photographed areas in the region and was chosen as a location for the 2007 film ‘Stardust’. Close by you will find the Bibury Trout Farm and a Saxon Church. The River Coln flows between the main village street and a water meadow: together with Arlington Row as a backdrop, it makes one of the most picturesque scenes you will find in the Cotswolds.

The picturesque Arlington Row cottages in Bibury were built in 1380 as a monastic wool store. This was then converted into a row of weavers' cottages in the 17th century. The cloth produced at Arlington Row was sent to Arlington Mill on the other side of Rack Isle. The cloth was then hung on wooden timber frames on Rack Isle after being degreased at Arlington Mill.

– “Gateway to the Cotswolds” Burford is known as the gateway to the Cotswolds. Its High Street slopes from the high Wolds, where you have beautiful views over the open countryside, down to the willow fringed River Windrush in the pretty Windrush valley. Choose to visit Burford’s numerous small shops offering Cotswolds cheese, quality meats, freshly made cakes, antiques and books.