When I picture England in my mind I see rolling hills, castles and medieval looking villages with houses covered in yellow limestone and thatched roofs. Whilst sadly this is not the case everywhere this fairytale image can be found in one particular area of England and that is the picturesque region of the Cotswolds. I have spent around six months in the UK in total and the Cotswold area is by far my favourite, it is absolutely stunning and looks exactly like I always dreamt England would look.
Here is a short guide to everything you need to know about exploring this dreamy destination.
HOW TO GET TO THE COTSWOLDS
The Cotswolds can be found in South-Central England, roughly two hours north of London. It is shared across five regions of the country including Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Whilst you could catch a train up from London (Moreton in Marsh would be the train station I recommend) it would be difficult to see the surrounding areas without your own form of transport. I recommend hiring a car but if you’re a keen and confident cyclist this could also be an option.
THE BEST VILLAGES TO VISIT IN THE COTSWOLDS
STOW ON THE WOLD
Stow-on-the-Wold is the largest town in this list and so I recommend it as the first stop. It was here that the last skirmish of the English Civil War took place in 1646. This is a great place to stop and have some lunch, we ate at the ‘Porch House Pub,’ which apparently is the oldest Inn in all of England. I recommend the Burger with the thrice cooked chips. Delish!
UPPER SLAUGHTER
Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter are two of the prettiest villages in all of the Cotswolds. Be sure to park your car, wander down the alleyways and admire St Peters, a historic Norman Church which dates back to the 12th century.
LOWER SLAUGHTER
The tiny village of Lower Slaughter is so picturesque and my favourite section of the whole Cotswolds. Be sure to wander along by the River Eye and admire the idyllic cottages and bridges that surround. Make your way past the Victorian Corn Mill with the working Water Wheel where you’ll find a tiny store selling organic, home-made ice-cream. I recommend the caramel shortcake or double chocolate flavours. Yum!
BIBURY
The tiniest village of them all is Bibury which Fox News apparently once called ‘one of the worlds most picturesque villages.’ Arlington Row, the main attraction of Bibury, is often referred to as the most photographed and beautiful cottages in all of England. The tiny cottages, which sit beside the River Coln, are entirely made from local stone. It is picturesque! 
All four of these villages are within a forty minute drive from each other so could easily be explored in a day. I fell absolutely in love with the Cotswolds and can’t wait to return and explore even more of this magical region.
20 Comments
Such a nice part of the world. I’m in Malaysia now and this post made me miss the UK a little! Thanks for sharing
Aw, glad I could make you reminisce a little. Enjoy the warmth of malaysia though, it’s cold and grey over here right now!
I am dying looking at your photos. Haha..I have never been to England although it is in my wishlist. All your photos reminds me of the children storybook I read when I was still a young kid. The villages are so lovely! 🙂
Oh I am so glad that it is making you want to visit, it does indeed look like a book. Thanks for reading!
I remember visiting the Cotswolds on a UK trip with my parents when I was about. I didn’t care much about most sites my mum and dad wanted to see but I do remember loving the Cotswolds! Such a beautiful part of the country and the streets & houses are just gorgeous!
It really is a stunning part of the country. Thanks for reading!
Cotswolds looks lovely. I would definitely be sure to check that place out when I make it to the UK. Those pics arent just enought. I want to see more of them 😃
So glad this post and photos inspired you!
There are so many amazing looking places outside of London! Cotswolds looks gorgeous – would love to spend a long weekend there!
Oh yes, so much to see outside of London. Thanks for reading!
I haven’t been to the Cotswolds but I will definitely keep them in mind if ever I’m in England. These villages are quintessentially Old English and look like they belong in a fairy tale – I just love all the stone cottages they’re just so charming!
It definitely is as charming as the photos make it seem. Thanks for reading.
How awesome are these villages! You have captured some great photos! And I totally agree that this is what I imagined the whole of England must look like too, until I actually went and lived there for over a year ha! Never made it to any of these places to, might have to go back sometime. Thanks for sharing!
So glad that you enjoyed it, thanks for reading!
One of my favourite Instagrammers was actually posting quite a few photos of the Cotswolds earlier this summer and I’ve been wanting to go eversince! Your photos of Lower Slaughter in particular were quite stunning! I would definitely be keen to rent a bike and make my way between each of the little towns. How many towns are there? Approximately how far are they each from each other? Also what else is there to do in the Cotswolds?
Awesome. Well there are loads and loads of towns in the Cotswold’s regions but I visited these ones as they are supposed to be the best. Long walks, cycling, picnics and pub lunches are definitely the top things to do there!
Ooh this is such a cute place! I’m from the UK but never been to the Cotswolds. Next year I”m back to Leeds for university and plan to have many a weekend trip, this is definitely on the cards now, thanks! Also, I love the place names in British villages they’re so funny haha.
Ha yes, I thought they were funny too. You will definitely have to take a weekend trip here. Thanks for reading!
The Cotswolds has always been one of those places I have always wanted to go but not got around to it. I only live a few hours away and this blog has made me decide to get my butt there next summer! Thanks for your town and pub recommendations, will use these!
Fantastic, so glad it has inspired you!