Green Travel Guide to the Cotswolds
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Words by Harriet O'Brien.
Artwork for Greentraveller's Guides by Tina Smith and Mark Edwards.
Foreword by Nicola Greaves, Information & Interpretation Officer, Cotswolds Conservation Board
The Cotswolds is quintessential England at its very best. It is a place where you can truly get away from it all and enjoy peace, tranquillity and of course some amazing scenery.
Many people visit the Cotswolds to see the picturesque towns and villages, so many of which seem to have simply stopped in time. However, in my opinion the best way to enjoy the Cotswolds is to get off the beaten track and explore the hidden gems, away from honeypots. There are over 3,000 miles of public rights of way which take you through rolling hills, farmland, wildflower grasslands and ancient woodlands.
One of the most spectacular ways to explore the Cotswolds is to follow the Cotswold Way National Trail - just over 100 miles between the traditional town of Chipping Campden and the World Heritage Site of Bath. Whilst many choose to walk the entire trail, many others prefer to just follow one of the short, circular walks which take in some of the best parts of the trail, plus of course there is always an excellent refreshment stop along the way!
We are delighted to work with Green Traveller to produce this Green Traveller's Guide to the Cotswolds AONB that will help you make the most of a trip to this wonderful part of England. With nearly 800 square miles of beautiful countryside, the Cotswolds is the perfect destination to switch off, chill out and recharge the batteries, naturally.
The Cotswolds Discoverer Pass
Video produced by Green Traveller Productions
What Green Traveller's writers discovered in the Cotswolds
This is perfect pastoral England: a place to appreciate glorious scenery, nibbled by sheep that shaped the fortunes of the region, to explore bucolic villages of honey-coloured stone, and to visit gracious country manors and gardens. Running through five counties, the rolling hills of this handsome district cover an area of about 800 square miles. A largely rural area, crossed by over 3,000 miles of footpaths, the Cotswolds offers walkers the chance to take in breath-taking landscapes, lakes, and acclaimed reserves. Beautiful towns and cities including Bath, Cheltenham, Stroud and Moreton-in-Marsh provide rail hubs from which to explore this beautiful region.
Stay, Eat, See & Do
Our pick of places across the Cotswolds
Google Map Key:
Click on the coloured icons for more information about each listing
Green = Places to stay; Blue = Places to eat; Yellow = Attractions; Purple = Activities
Click on the square brackets top right of map to reveal expanded map
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There are over 3,000 miles of public footpath and rights of way in the Cotswolds.
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The Cotswolds was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966.
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Westonbirt The National Arboretum has some 2,500 different types of trees,
among them 80 champions ie the tallest or largest of their species.
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At more than 91m (300ft), the single-jet fountain at Stanway House is
Britain’s highest fountain and the world’s tallest gravity fountain.
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There are more than 4,000 miles of dry stone walls in the Cotswolds AONB.
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The native Cotswolds sheep is known as the Cotswold Lion and
one time provided wool for over half of England’s cloth.
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Bibury was acclaimed the most beautiful village in England by
Victorian Arts & Crafts pioneer William Morris.
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The Cotswolds AONB contains over half of the country’s
flower-rich Jurassic limestone grassland.