Bike the Cotswolds – Guided

We wind our way through the majestic countryside of the Cotswolds, stopping at Broadway Tower for coffee, with its quirky tower and views over 16 counties of England and Wales. We also visit some of the most well-known towns and villages including Chipping Campden and the Slaughters before returning to Moreton-in-Marsh in the evening.

Mileage: 20-25 miles

We cycle out from the hotel through the beautiful Cotswolds to Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site and Winston Churchill’s birthplace. The ride is around 20 miles, through wonderful, rolling countryside. At Blenheim guests can eat lunch overlooking the Capability Brown parklands and will be given ample time to explore the historic Palace and walk through the 2000 acre estate. In the afternoon we bike back towards Moreton in Marsh, stopping in one of the best pubs known to man – the Chequers in Churchill on the way back! 

Mileage: 20-35 miles

We travel from Moreton in Marsh to Daylesford for coffee (one of the most upmarket farm shops you will ever see!) before having lunch in the Venice of the Cotswolds at Bourton on the Water. After lunch we head to Burford, our next hotel in one of the prettiest Cotswold towns there is, renowned for its bustling High Street and atmosphere. 

Mileage: 25 miles

We travel from Burford, biking towards Bibury, a village so pretty that Henry Ford wanted to transfer it (in its entirety) back to the USA! We lunch at a trout farm and then head to Bampton for Downton Abbey fans (it’s the village where all the outdoor filming is done), before arriving back in Burford for our last night dinner together. 

Our tour ends after breakfast, where we help guests with their ongoing travel arrangements, most often from Charlbury train station, a short transfer from the hotel.

Our cycling holidays are designed to be completely relaxing. Travel from London, Bristol or the Midlands is an easy hour journey to the start of our bike tours. This tour begins from Moreton-in-Marsh, a direct 1.5 hour train ride out of London, so that you can begin your holiday stress-free.

The Cotswolds are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A limestone escarpment of rolling green hills and picturesque valleys in the South West of England. It is a quintessentially British area with historical landmarks and pockets of singular beauty throughout.

Yes! This tour encompasses the whole of the Cotswolds as well as some incredible iconic locations and World Heritage Sites, that you would not get on a ‘normal’ cycling trip! The Cotswolds stretches from Bath in the South to Stratford Upon Avon in the North, and across to Oxford in the East. It is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, its rolling hills and its historic towns and villages, built from the golden Cotswold stone.

Our cycling routes are carefully chosen to ensure we bike on the quietest country lanes, with the best views of the Cotswolds! Drivers in the Cotswolds are very polite, and on our guided trips you will always be with a guide who will lead and look after the group. Our guests have always felt safe and secure when riding with us, check out our Trip Advisor Reviews from guests who have cycled with us: “I was concerned about riding in traffic, but for the most part there were not that many cars. The people are very watchful and careful, they wait and allow cyclist to go ahead. The Cotswolds and very beautiful, rural and unspoiled. I loved the small towns and the beautiful countryside. I would absolutely do it again with Active England. Loved it all.”  E.C.