Cotswold Selection

Anne Hathaways Cottage Bath (feature) Bibury Bourton-on-the-Water Broadway Burford Town Charlecote Park Cheltenham Chipping Campden Cotswolds Farm Park Cotswold Wildlife Park Coughton Court Hidcote Manor Gardens Jephson Gardens Leamington Painswick Garden Ragley Hall Stow-on-the-Wold Stratford Butterfly Farm Stratford-upon-Avon Sudeley Castle The Slaughters Upton House Warwick

he Cotswolds stretch from Stratford-upon-Avon, down to Oxford and across to Bath and the area takes its name from the range of hills between the river Severn in the West and Oxford in the East. It is one of my favorite parts of England, coming second only to Yorkshire. The Cotwolds are famous for fine landscapes, gently undulating hills, picturesque villages with mellow buff stone cottages and an abundance of rivers and streams. The area originally gained prominence and wealth from its wool and cloth trade, when the rich merchants put much of their money into building beautifull villages and churches. I have spent many holidays in the Cotswolds and usually base myself at Stratford-upon-Avon, it is not very central but it is a pleasant bustling town, steeped in Shakespearian history and with the river Avon running through its centre. The links on the left lead to some of my favorite places, but this is only a selection there are many more which I hope to add in the future. Some of the more famous towns and villages attract many tourists and can be rather commercialised, but this should not deter you from visiting (although perhaps avoid weekends if possible). They are still very attractive and the shops provide a diversion when the site seeing is finished.