A driving tour of the area must be a good starting point to exploring the Cotswolds. We can offer advice and a range of guidebooks to take in most of the famous north Cotswold villages, as well as many others less renowned but equally unique and charming. We can also provide a printed route starting from Lowerfield Farm, based upon what is known as the Cotswolds Romantic Road tour.
The north Cotswold villages have to be high up the list. Broadway is our nearest main village and, as well as its famous broad sweeping street and wonderful architecture, it boasts interesting small shops, restaurants and tea shops. Other renowned villages nearby include Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water.
We have a number of fascinating National Trust properties in the local area, which include Hidcote Manor Gardens, Snowshill Manor, Croome Park, Chastleton House, Hailes Abbey and Chedworth Roman Villa.
Other properties and gardens include Sudeley Castle (Catherine Parr's home), Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Bourton House Garden, Batsford Arboretum and Sezincote Manor.
Shakespeare Country is on our doorstep, with Stratford-upon-Avon only 14 miles from us along a beautiful country road. In the wider area but easily accessible are a range of other National Trust properties, but also Warwick Castle (22 miles) and Blenheim Palace (30 miles). Local towns for shopping and culture are Cheltenham, Gloucester and Worcester, and Oxford is 40 miles away.
There are public footpaths all over the Cotswolds, which offer a chance to experience the peacefulness of the countryside and some stunning views. The Cotswold Way, which runs from Chipping Campden to Bath, is well-signposted and some of the local sections are well worth exploring. From the farm it is an easy walk into Willersey, and from there up on to the escarpment and a lovely walk into Broadway. The Cotswold Wardens offer some very interesting guided walks, and you can view a copy of their most recent schedule of walks here.
This area is very popular with cyclists, and bringing your bicycles or renting a bike is a great way of getting around. We can recommend a good bicycle rental place in Chipping Campden which provides all safety equipment and will even drop off at the guesthouse if required. Our local village shop also offers electric bicycles to help out with the hills.
The Cotswolds is excellent horse riding country and there are some good stables nearby at which to take lessons or go for a ride in the countryside. One stables at Stanton, south of Broadway, can arrange for lessons or a hack (ride in the countryside) at any level. The stables is at the foot of the escarpment, and hacks take riders onto a web of bridleways up on the hills.
There are a number of good golf courses in the local area, the most striking of which is the 18 hole Broadway course, with a history going back over 100 years. The course is set high on the escarpment, with stunning views from many of the tees and fairways.
The most notable local fishing is probably on the Avon, which is renowned for its coarse fishing of perch, chub, roach and beam. Evesham hosts the Wychavon Angling Festival in August each year.