The Great Cotswolds Adventure featuring Paige, Lisa, Susan, Laura, Patricia, Elise, Anne and Annette

Day 1 - Monday 19^th May - Arrival and Blenheim Palace

Arrive at Oxford train station this morning to meet your Wilderness guide and start your tour of the Cotswolds. A short drive north will take you out of the city and into the easterly folds of the Cotswolds. Visit the incredible Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. After lunch, explore the peaceful grounds before visiting Churchill’s grave in the nearby village of Bladon. Travel to Bibury and visit Arlington Row – a stunning string of cottages built in 1380. This evening, settle into your lovely accommodation.

Overnight: Cirencester | The Swan - Bibury
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 - Tuesday 20^th May - Windrush Valley and Chedworth Villa

Following a leisurely breakfast, enjoy a circular walk through the Windrush Valley. Begin by meandering through the pretty market town of Burford, looking out over sweeping arable fields and passing through the now deserted hamlet of Widford. Not much remains of the settlement now, apart from the tiny 13th-century St Oswald’s Church that sits quietly in a grassy meadow. Enjoy a packed lunch, listening to the skylarks and blackbirds, before heading to explore the  remains of Chedworth Villa – one of the grandest Roman villas in Britain. Tucked beneath old trees, the peaceful tranquillity of the place is matched only by its exceptional insight into life during the Roman period in Britain. This evening, enjoy a delicious, locally sourced dinner.

Overnight: Cirencester | The Swan - Bibury
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Wednesday 21^st May - E-biking Cotswolds

As the morning light spills through the windows,  look forward to joining your guide for an engaging circular ride that passes in and out of honey-coloured villages. We will start and end our cycle in Cirencester a historic market town often considered the capital of the Cotswolds that has many iconic landmarks. This afternoon when you return to your hotel, you will welcome hot shower followed by a cool drink will carry you into another relaxing evening.

Overnight: Cirencester | The Swan - Bibury
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Thursday 22^nd May - Bourton and the Slaughters

This morning, enjoy visiting Bourton-on-the-Water, which is regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England. Known for its five stone bridges that arch across the River Windrush, it’s an idyllic place to enjoy a morning meander. Transfer over to Lower Slaughter and enjoy a circular walk that ribbons its way through the countryside. Along with wonderful views, the trail passes a 16th-century Dovecote and through Upper Slaughter, another quintessential Cotswold village home to a beautiful parish church. After the walk, transfer to your 16th century manor house for your final two nights.

Overnight: Moreton-in-Marsh | The Manor House Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 - Friday 23^rd May - The Cotswolds Way and Stratford-Upon-Avon

After breakfast, spend the morning hiking a beautiful section of the Cotswold Way – a 164km trail that stretches from the old wool merchants’ town of Chipping Camden to the Roman city of Bath. Along the way, pause to ascend the famous gothic folly Broadway Tower, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. After lunch, visit Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace and burial ground of William Shakespeare. Enjoy a guided tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company, learning about those who have played a pivotal role in its unique and fascinating history. Enjoy dinner at a historic country inn this evening which brims with traditional charm.

Overnight: Moreton-in-Marsh | The Manor House Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 - Saturday 24^th May - Snowshill and Depart

As sunshine pools in through the open window, enjoy your last breakfast before heading out with your guide for another cracker of a walk. From Snowshill Manor, stroll through the village and enjoy the sweeping views of the valley towards Stanton. Joining the Cotswolds Way, wander through a quiet woodland, an old orchard and across a babbling brook before returning to the Manor.

Your guide will bid you a fond farewell at Oxford Station at 2pm where you can continue your return journey to London.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch