Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

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DRIVE 6: The Villages of the Cotswolds

PLAN YOUR DRIVE

Start/finish: Cirencester to Broadway.

Number of days: 2–3 days.

Distance: Around 90 km (55 miles).

Road conditions: Mainly straight A-

and minor roads, but often narrow –

watch out for tractors and people on

horseback around unsighted bends.

When to go: In summer, some

Cotswold villages can be overrun at

the weekends by tourists, day trippers

and coach parties – it is best to try

and visit during the week.

Opening times: Museums and

attractions are generally open 10am–

5pm, but close earlier (or are closed

altogether) Nov–Easter. Shops are

often open longer. Churches are

usually open until dusk.

Market days: Cirencester: Charter

Market, Market Place, Mon & Fri; Craft

Market, Corn Hall, 2nd & 4th Sat of

month; Stow-on-the-Wold: Farmers’

Market, 2nd Thu of month; Moreton-

in-Marsh: Tue.

Shopping: Look out for antiques and

handicrafts throughout the area –

including hand-blown glass and hand-

thrown pottery, jewellery and ceramics.

Foodwise, expect fine local beers,

meats – especially lamb – and cheeses

such as the famous Stinking Bishop.

Major festivals: Cirencester: Beer

Festival, late Apr; Chipping Campden:

Music Festival, mid-May; Olympick

Games, late May.

Below Early morning view of St James’

Church, Chipping Campden, see p80

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

A few day trips can take in the very

best of the Cotswolds region. Families

with children will appreciate the

combination of the Roman museum

at Cirencester, Chedworth Roman villa

and the instruments, toy collections

and model railway displays of

Northleach and Bourton-on the-Water.

Arts and Crafts devotees can take in

the antiques shops, galleries,

museums and workshops at Stow-

on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden and

Broadway. For full details, see p81.

Above Hidcote Manor

Garden, an Arts and Crafts

masterpiece, see p81