Cotswold Experiences

Make your visit to the Cotswolds special...

The Cotswolds list of visitor attractions is complemented by various experiences on offer - each of which are definitely on the list for visitors to the Cotswolds to enjoy, whether as part of a UK short break, holidays for a longer period or day trip.

Cotswolds Walking & Cycling

The Cotswolds were made for gentle walking and humane cycling expeditions. Our hills are gently sloping and somehow there's always a welcoming pub or village shop at the right moment.

Walking options include the 100 mile (160km) Cotswold Way, a National Trail from Bath to Chipping Campden. Heading east from its source near Kemble, the Thames Path (184mile/294km) route leads all the way to east London. At the other end of the scale are short walks that combine a little local history with a stroll around a beautiful Cotswold village. Another uniquely Cotswold thing to do is to join a walk with a Cotswold Voluntary Warden, which are graded into 'easy', 'moderate' or 'strenuous' - you'll come away with a higher level of understanding of the landscape. For walking and cycling breaks there are tour operators who will forward your luggage, hire equipment and make your reservations.

Romantic Cotswolds

This might be the only tourism website to use the word 'snuggle' more than once! The perfect place for a romantic break, the Cotswolds are idealistic with starlight, gentle walks, harvest moons and birdsong on offer, all thoughtfully complemented by some of the greatest hotels, restaurants and inns in Britain. The world would be a better place if everywhere was as romantic as the Cotswolds.

The romantic nature of the Cotswolds makes for ideal touring, with the Cheltenham-based Romantic Road packages combining Morgan car hire, excellent accommodation in the town and suggested routes through well-known (and not so well-known) Cotswold villages.

Active Cotswolds

Paragliding, zorbing and hot air balloon trips are some of the new draws for short breaks in this beautiful area of the UK.

One well-kept secret is the Cotswold Country Park & Beach with 40 square miles of watery options from kayaking to windsurfing. It has 74 fishing lakes, and nearly 100 miles of pathways, bridleways and cycleways. And the Cotswolds' only beach...

The Cotswolds offer most of the activities to be expected in a rural, outdoor-minded destination. Golfing breaks are enhanced by friendly, unpretentious courses shaped by gentle Cotswold contours. And in an area that hosts the Badminton Horse Trials and Cheltenham Gold Cup (and regular polo around Cirencester), we're a natural choice for equestrian centres and holidays.

The Farncombe Estate Centre offers experiences from art to zen - courses and leisure breaks to suit everybody.

Also read about Ghostly Cotswolds, Spa Breaks, Romantic Cotswolds and Celebrity Cotswolds.