Highlights of the Cotswolds

This tour is no longer available. Please contact us for other tour suggestions.

Cycle through honey-colored Cotswold villages and thriving market towns, over rolling hills and down country lanes. The Cotswolds is the perfect destination for biking in the countryside. Traveling along quiet roads will make you feel as though you have been transported back into early England, where sheep and dry-stone walling were the biggest industries.

The tour will visit some of the most iconic places in England, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in beautiful and historic England in all its glory. You will pass through the gardens of Windsor Castle, the home of the Queen. Cycle through Blenheim estates, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. You will continue cycling through the gently rolling hills of the Cotswolds countryside with optional visits to Oxford and Stonehenge. With stunning views around every corner, excellent accommodations, wonderful pubs.

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Highlights

• Windsor Castle
• Great Park of Windsor
• Blenheim estate
• White Horse Hill
• Stonehenge (optional)
• Oxford (optional)

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Learn more about self-guided tours.

Daily program

Please note that this tour begins with a morning transfer from London's Paddington station. Overnight accommodations in London are not included, and we recommend booking a pre-tour night on your own.

Day 1: Arrival transfer and biking around Windsor Great Park (10 miles/16 km)
Arrival transfer from London Paddington Station to Windsor by bus. Visit Windsor Castle, home to the Queen, and Windsor Great Park, where you will have your bike fitting and learn to cycle on the “wrong side” of the road! Take the bus to your hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh in the North Cotswolds means a nice, gentle start to your holiday with a short 10 mile ride.

Entrance to Windsor Castle is not included in the tour cost. This optional site visit costs approximately £25 and is payable on arrival. We recommend booking site visits in advance.

Day 2: Cotswolds (20-40 miles/32-64 km)
Wind your way through the majestic countryside of the Cotswolds, taking in some of the most well-known towns and villages including Chipping Campden and the majestic Broadway Tower (entrance not included). Journey to visit the stunning Hidcote Gardens (not included), renowned for its series of ‘outdoor rooms’. Return to Moreton in Marsh in the evening.

Entrance to Broadway Tower and Hidcote Gardens are not included in the tour cost. This optional site visit costs approximately £25 per site and is payable on arrival. We recommend booking site visits in advance.

Day 3: Blenheim estate (20-40 miles/32-64 km)
Cycle from the hotel through the beautiful Cotswolds to Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site where Winston Churchill was born. The morning’s ride is around 20 miles, through rolling countryside. At Blenheim, guests can eat lunch over-looking the Capability Brown parklands with ample time to explore the historical palace and walk through some of the 3000-acre estate. The ride continues to your hotel in Burford in the evening. In the afternoon, you can also choose to spend the evening in Oxford for a guided walking tour through the historical university town and dinner out in the city.

Entrance to Blenheim Palace is not included in the tour cost. This optional site visit costs approximately £25 and is payable on arrival. The optional guided walking tour and dinner in Oxford costs approximately £50. We recommend booking site visits in advance.

Day 4: The South Costwolds (25 miles/40 km)
Ride from Burford towards the stunning White Horse Hill to see the beautiful ancient carving atop the Ridgeway. Continue cycling to lunch in Woolstone, perhaps at the White Horse pub. After lunch, you can finish the day with a relaxing afternoon in Bath. You have the option to join a guided group tour to Stonehenge to visit the Neolithic monument.

The optional guided tour to Stonehenge costs approximately £25. We recommend booking site visits in advance.

Day 5: Bath (15-25 miles/25-40 km)
In the morning, cycle around the wonderful canals of Bath and Devises, along towpaths and beside the rivers that lead into this Roman city. You can visit the incredible Roman Baths (not included in the tour cost) in the afternoon. Explore the Georgian architecture, including the Royal Crescent overlooking the city. Spend another evening in Bath exploring it's popular restaurants, bars, culture, and arts!

Entrance to the Roman Baths is not included in the tour cost. This optional site visit costs approximately £25 and is payable on arrival. We recommend booking site visits in advance.

Day 6: Departure
Individual departure after breakfast. The Bath Spa train station is a short walk from the hotel.

Surface and terrain

The terrain is varied. You’ll enjoy some rolling hills, with wonderful downhills and a few climbs which will be a bit more demanding. Daily distances range from 10-40 miles and options for shorter or longer rides are available on most days.

Hotels

These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.

Category A: 4-star hotels

The Manor, Moreton in Marsh
www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

The Lamb, Burford
www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

The Francis, Bath
www.francishotel.com

Category B: 3-star hotels

The Redesdale Arms, Moreton in Marsh
www.redesdalearms.com

The Highway, Burford
www.thehighwayinn.co.uk

The Bird, Bath
www.thebirdbath.co.uk

How to get there

Tour start
Nearest airport: London Heathrow (LHR)
Nearest train station: London Paddington Station

Tour end
Nearest airport: London Heathrow (LHR)
Nearest train station: Bath Spa Station

Airport transfers

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Dates

Prices

Included services

• 5 nights accommodation in chosen category
• Breakfast buffet
• Luggage transfer
• One set of detailed maps, route description and tour information per room
• 7-day service hotline
• Transportation as mentioned in the itinerary
• Standard or road bike
• Personal welcome meeting and bike fitting
• GPS tracks

Excluded site visits
The following site visits are not included in your package. Reservations must be made in advance at the time of booking, but payment will be collected upon arrival (approximately £25 per person/per site). Please indicate in the booking form which locations you wish to reserve.

• Windsor Castle
• Blenheim Palace
• Stonehenge
• The Roman Baths in Bath
• Hidcote Gardens
• Broadway Tower
• Side trip to Oxford on Day 3 (£50 per person)

Please note if visitors tax is due, it is not included in the tour cost.

Bike rentals

Bikes available and included in the tour package (must be reserved in advance at the time of booking):

• Standard bikes (men's and women's, Giant brand)
• Road bikes (men's and women's, Giant brand)

Bikes available to rent (must be reserved in advance at the time of booking):

• Electrically assisted bikes (step-through frame)*

*More about electrically-assisted bikes >

Bikes come equipped with the following at no additional cost:

• Panniers
• Bike pump
• Bike lock
• Toolkit and spare inner tube
• Helmet

Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

Helmets:
Helmets are provided as part of the bike rental package (upon request), but we recommend that you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.

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