BROAD CAMPDEN
'THERE WAS REALLY SO MUCH TO SEE'
Curated Cotswold
tours by Car
"John was a fantastic guide, full of local knowledge and able to show us a few special places not usually covered in larger tours"
Sean H - Darwin Australia
BROAD CAMPDEN
'THERE WAS REALLY SO MUCH TO SEE'
Curated Cotswold
tours by Car
'Johnnie seemed to have a new fact or story for every street we went down. Great experience, with a great guide!
Rocio C - Seville Spain
UPPER SLAUGHTER
‘WE WENT TO SPOTS THAT MOST TOURS DON’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT’
Curated Cotswold
tours by Car
'Johnnie was great, really knowledgeable and enthusiastic and went out of his way to show us everything we wanted to see’
Aidana J - New Zealand
BROADWAY TOWER
‘GREAT EXPERIENCE, WITH A GREAT GUIDE!’
Curated Cotswold
tours by Car
‘If you are visiting the Cotswolds and want a first class introduction to the area, I’d highly recommend Johnnie’
Situationist - Dundee Scotland
BROAD CAMPDEN
HE WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL, BUT EXTREMELY FRIENDLY
Curated Cotswold
tours by Car
‘Johnnie was fantastic! His tour was incredibly thorough and he took his time with my wife and i to make sure we got the best experience possible’
Mike R - Louisiana USA
Your Guide
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Meet Johnnie your local driver and tour guide, who has lived and worked in The Cotswolds for three decades. As we navigate the picturesque countryside, Johnnie, with his passion for the Cotswolds and love of local history will provide an informative and interesting commentary. Visitors will be left with cherished memories of this timeless English countryside. This is a private tour and will include only you and your driver. You will not share the car with anyone else.
Our tours showcase the beauty of the area while minimising time spent in the car and with this in mind, we have carefully chosen the routes and destinations. We aim to show you as much as possible whilst ensuring you have a relaxed and enjoyable experience and time to savour the unique atmosphere. There will be plenty of photo opportunities, breaks for a bite to eat, a cream tea, or a pint in a cosy pub, as well as a chance to explore local shops.
Your Cotswold Adventure starts here!
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Join the Cotswold Tour Company for a memorable adventure exploring the idyllic landscapes and charming towns and villages of this area of outstanding natural beauty. Immerse yourself in the quaint architecture, historic landmarks and local treasures as our meticulously planned tour navigates the winding roads and leafy lanes through this tapestry of English countryside. Discover not only the popular tourist destinations but also hidden gems and little known treasures nestled in the rolling hills.
Our Cotswold Tours. We have three options - 8hrs, 6hrs, or 4hrs. Each one takes you on the beautiful back roads to tiny villages, busy towns, stunning viewpoints and historic landmarks. These may include Chipping Campden, Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold. There will be other locations off the tourist trail. Our aim is to show you the very best of the region and why it is so visited and admired in the time you have available.
The Best of Both Tour, available from 1st April, visits charming towns, villages and, beautiful gardens. This combined experience promises to be a day filled with the unique character of the region. You will visit one of the six gardens listed in the Gardens Tour and various towns and villages including Chipping Campden, Broadway, Snowshill, Lower Slaughter and Stow-on-the-Wold.
The English Country Garden Tour available from 1st April, offers a visit to three out of a choice of six fabulous gardens in the area, dependant on opening times and the best seasonal displays. These may include Hidcote, Kiftsgate, Bourton House, Sezincote, Upton Wold and Snowshill Manor. There will be a chance to look at some of the beautiful countryside, towns and villages.
About the Tours
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TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE WE HAVE CURATED FIVE TOURS
Terms & Conditions
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When you make a tour reservation with The Cotswold Tour Co. you (and any other person(s) including children accompanying you on the tour) are agreeing to be bound by the following terms and conditions.
BASICS
The Cotswold Tour Co. (also referred to as “we”, “us” and “our”) accepts your booking under the following terms and conditions. When making a tour reservation with The Cotswold Tour Co. you (and any other person(s) including children accompanying you on the tour) are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is the client's responsibility to ensure they have the relevant travel insurance to cover their trip. If for any reason you have to cancel your booking with us then please do ensure your travel insurance covers you for your tour. Travel insurance is there to ensure that you; the client, is protected if you have to cancel your trip for any reason. We assume all guests have travel insurance.
TOUR RESERVATION
Tour reservations are made on the online booking form on our website.
You will receive an automated confirmation email and then we will email you with further details.
PAYMENT
We ask for full payment at the time of booking but, if you have to cancel your trip, this is our refunds policy;
If you cancel up to 6 weeks from your tour date you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 6 and 4 weeks from your tour date you will receive a 75% refund of the total cost of your tour.
If you cancel between 4 and 2 weeks from your tour date you will receive a 50% refund of the total cost of your tour.
If you cancel within 2 weeks of your tour date you will not receive a refund.
As mentioned above, we assume all our client's have adequate travel insurance to cover the cost of cancellations.
TOUR COLLECTION & RETURN POINTS
Collection is from Moreton-in-Marsh train station unless otherwise agreed by email. There may be a charge if we have to collect you from another location some distance from the station. This also applies to returning you at the end of your tour.
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY
It is the client's responsibility to ensure they arrive at the meeting point on time. Please ensure you have our contact details and keep us updated if you are unable to reach the collection point on time. Contact details for Johnnie will be in your 'welcome email'.
If you are running late & do not contact us, then Johnnie will wait for 30 minutes. If there is still no contact from you he will leave the meeting point. This will constitute a 'no show' and you forfeit your tour. If this does occur, no refund will be provided.
If guests are running late we may not be able to visit all the sites on the itinerary.
We advise clients to look after personal belongings whilst on the tour or out exploring the locations. We cannot be held accountable for any loss or damage to client's belongings during the tour
IF WE HAVE TO CANCEL YOUR TOUR
In the unlikely event that we cancel your reservation, any monies paid by you 'the client' will be refunded back to the original card through which the payment was made. No further liability by The Cotswold Tour Co. to the client with regard to the cancellation will arise. .
EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL
The Cotswold Tour Co. does not accept any liability for any loss, inconvenience or damage caused by, natural disasters, fires, sickness, adverse weather conditions, road or traffic conditions or other events beyond our control.
We also cannot accept responsibility for any delays caused by circumstances beyond our control, and will not offer refunds for clients who are unable to reach us. For example due to industrial action, engineering works, strikes or cancelled transfers.
If the tour should over run we will not be liable for onward transport costs due to late return.
Frequently Asked Questions
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To help you plan your trip we’ve put together some tips to make the most of your tour.
BOOKING YOUR TRAIN
We highly recommend booking an open return to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station in case tours overrun. We advise booking train tickets in advance with Trainline or Great Western Rail. If you are travelling from central London, the service to Moreton-in-Marsh leaves from Paddington Station.
WHAT TO WEAR
The tour is 7-8 hours long and may include uneven pavements and surfaces, so comfortable footwear is a must! In the colder months we recommend warm layers of clothing and in the summer sunscreen and perhaps a sun hat.
HOW MUCH TIME WILL BE SPENT IN THE CAR
To ensure you are out and enjoying the Cotswolds as much as possible, we like to minimise the time spent in the car. You will be surprised how close many of the locations are to each other. We therefore estimate the total time spent in the car during one of 8hr tours is only 1hr 45mins. The maximum time sent in the car between destinations will only be 20mins.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS
As everyone knows, the weather in the UK can be temperamental, we do get rain! However, this doesn’t mean you can't enjoy your Cotswold tour with a bit of planning and preparation. We recommend a rain proof jacket and appropriate footwear, we will provide umbrellas so don’t worry about bringing them with you.
WHERE TO EAT
We request that no food or beverages are consumed in the car, however, we will provide a bottle of water each. There will be plenty of opportunities to buy snacks and drinks to eat at the various stops and there will be a longer break for lunch. The cost of all food and drinks is not included in the tour. For your peace of mind, there will be ample opportunities to visit the bathroom at all the major stopping locations we visit.
HOW MUCH WALKING IS INVOLVED
This is your tour and it is entirely up to you how much walking you would like to do, however, we do encourage guests to explore the locations and gardens we visit to make the most of their day. We estimate the average number of steps is 10K.
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BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER
Known as “Venice of the Cotswolds” picturesque Bourton on the Water is one of the most famous locations in the Cotswolds. Here 18th century stone bridges cross the river Windrush as it flows through the centre of the honey coloured village. There are a great number of pubs, cafes, bakeries, and souvenir shops.
LOWER SLAUGHTER
This quaint and Romantic village sits on either side of the river Eye and is known for its unspoilt stone cottages and picture perfect watermill. There are stone footbridges and flower filled gardens. Very little building has taken place here for over 100 years so it really is like stepping back in time.
STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
Stow on the Wold has an impressively large square where once sheep markets took place. The narrow alleys and roads leading from the square were to enable the counting and control huge flocks. These streets were said to run with blood during the last battle of the English Civil war. Here you will find The Porch House, the oldest inn in England dating from 947 AD, and the Yew tree door said to be the inspiration for Tolkien’s entrance to Moria.
Our Community
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To help you plan your trip we’ve put together some tips to make the most of your tour.
BOOKING YOUR TRAIN
We highly recommend booking an open return to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station in case tours overrun. We advise booking train tickets in advance with Trainline or Great Western Rail. If you are travelling from central London, the service to Moreton-in-Marsh leaves from Paddington Station.
WHAT TO WEAR
The tour is 7-8 hours long and may include uneven pavements and surfaces, so comfortable footwear is a must! In the colder months we recommend warm layers of clothing and in the summer sunscreen and perhaps a sun hat.
The Towns & Villages
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CHIPPING CAMPDEN
Although Chipping Campden has ancient Stone Age and Roman origins, it was really founded in the Medieval era. The wealth of the wool trade saw the building of St James Church, one of the finest in the Cotswolds, and many impressive buildings you can still see today. As one of the best preserved and most historically important towns, it is frequently described as the ‘jewel in the crown of the Cotswolds’.
BROADWAY TOWER
Set on top of the beautiful Cotswold escarpment, Broadway tower is an iconic landmark. Over 200 years old, the tower was the brain child of Capability Brown and built for the then countess of Coventry to be seen from her house 22 miles (35km)away. It provides the most magnificent views of a 62 mile (100km) radius and as many as 16 Counties.
BROADWAY
The village centres around its long, wide high street or ‘broad-way’ and remains as it has done for centuries. It was once a prominent stage coach stop on the route between Worcester and London. More recently it attracted famous artists, designers and writers such as JM Barrie, John Singer Sargent and Edward Elgar. Today it has many wonderful cafes, restaurants and pubs, a fine delicatessen and some rather special shops and boutiques.
LOWER SLAUGHTER
This quaint and Romantic village sits on either side of the river Eye and is known for its unspoilt stone cottages and picture perfect watermill. There are stone footbridges and flower filled gardens. Very little building has taken place here for over 100 years so it really is like stepping back in time.
BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER
Known as “Venice of the Cotswolds” picturesque Bourton on the Water is one of the most famous locations in the Cotswolds. Here 18th century stone bridges cross the river Windrush as it flows through the centre of the honey coloured village. There are a great number of pubs, cafes, bakeries, and souvenir shops.
STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
Stow on the Wold has an impressively large square where once sheep markets took place. The narrow alleys and roads leading from the square were to enable the counting and control huge flocks. These streets were said to run with blood during the last battle of the English Civil war. Here you will find The Porch House, the oldest inn in England dating from 947 AD, and the Yew tree door said to be the inspiration for Tolkien’s entrance to Moria.
CHIPPING CAMPDEN
Although Chipping Campden has ancient Stone Age and Roman origins, it was really founded in the Medieval era. The wealth of the wool trade saw the building of St James Church, one of the finest in the Cotswolds, and many impressive buildings you can still see today. As one of the best preserved and most historically important towns, it is frequently described as the ‘jewel in the crown of the Cotswolds’.
CHIPPING CAMPDEN
Although Chipping Campden has ancient Stone Age and Roman origins, it was really founded in the Medieval era. The wealth of the wool trade saw the building of St James Church, one of the finest in the Cotswolds, and many impressive buildings you can still see today. As one of the best preserved and most historically important towns, it is frequently described as the ‘jewel in the crown of the Cotswolds’.