The stunning Cotswolds attract visitors from all over the world and is typically English where time seems to have stood still for over 300 years. The region covers an area of 790 square miles and was designated an AONB in 1966 and spreads over 6 counties in the south west of England, mainly Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

Holiday cottages in the Cotswolds can be found amidst gorgeous countryside with gentle hillsides (wolds), river valleys, water meadows, beach woods, ancient limestone villages and historic market towns. Beyond its beautiful landscapes there is a wealth of fascinating history and heritage to be discovered and many of the UK’s significant political and cultural figures have made the Cotswolds their home over the years.

For walkers there is the Cotswold Way National Trail which starts in Chipping Campden in the North and finishes at Bath Abbey in the south. The 102 mile route includes some wonderful scenery and sweeping views, historic monuments and pretty villages. The route can be walked in sections and you are never far from a cafe, gastro pub or restaurant. There’s a great choice of shorter walks such as Bourton on the Hill and Batsford Arboretum (7 miles), or Great Tew Park (5 miles), Broadway tower (5 miles) or Minster Lovell Hall and Windruch River (4 miles) all with a pub included and some lovely cottage rentals in the Cotswold nearby.

There’s also cycling, infact cylists love the Cotswolds with its gentle hills, beautiful views and winding lanes edged with drystone walls and lots of wildlife to spot. The area is also good for fishing, golfing and there are some lovely gardens to visit such as Charlecote Park Estate or Blenheim Palace the ancestral home of Winston Churchill. At Gloucester Cathedral you can walk in the corridors of fictional heroes as it was used as the Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter films and is a stunning feat of architecture in its own right.

There’s also a great culinary heritage to discover with famous produce including award-winning jam from Stroud, Old Spot Pork from Gloucester, prized plums from Blaisdon and over 100 different types of cheeses. You’ll love exploring the quintessential Cotswold towns and village and Chipping Campden is often referred to as the ‘jewel of the Cotswolds’. With Stown-on-the Wold, Cirencester, Witney, Winchcombe and The Crocodiles of the World attraction near Burford on your doorstep you won’t be short of things to do and see.