The Cotswolds is a very special and wonderful place. A short break or even an extended holiday in the Cotswolds will leave you wanting more and you’ll be booking your next Cotswolds holiday as soon as you return home!
Covering almost 800 square miles, running through five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire) – the Cotswolds has a lot to offer visitors.
One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’.
Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone; take in splendid, lively market towns; visit some of the country’s greatest palaces, castles, and country houses; marvel at the natural world in acclaimed reserves and at some of the most famous arboretums in Britain; walk through breath-taking landscapes along historic trails, or make a splash in our lake-land area with its inland beach.
There’s a vibrant buzz in places like Cheltenham, Cirencester, Tewkesbury Stroud, and Witney. And an arty heartbeat too – which extends to the wealth of festivals that are testimony to the creative vibe of the region.
The Cotswolds is also richly rural: more than 3,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore; ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows; 4,000 miles of historic Cotswold stone walls dividing up the landscape.
The accommodation is just as wide-ranging and welcoming: enjoy the finest of country house hotels, go chic and boutique, take a spa break, snuggle up in a charming B&B, put up a tent at a beautifully located campsite. Or opt for a place of your own: there’s a striking range of cottages and manor houses to rent.
A world-class climbing park called 270 Climbing with sports and adventure activities is coming to Gloucestershire. The project will become one of the finest climbing centres in the country, opening in a phased approach from late Spring 2022.
With a range of indoor and outdoor activities for all ages and abilities, it’s set to become an exciting attraction for the local region and offer a vibrant facility for climbers as well as families, groups, and walking clubs.
Whatley Manor is a quintessentially English manor house set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens. All 23 bedrooms and suites are individually furnished and the hotel boasts a pretty courtyard, luxurious spa, cinema, restaurants, and lounge bar. 5-star accommodation and 1 Michelin star restaurant.
Experience complete relaxation floating in warm, buoyant water enjoying the blissful peace and quiet of a giant float pod.
Choose to enjoy a massage before or after your hour-long floatation experience in the heart of Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean.
Strip off – yes, naked is best – and experience blissful peace and quiet of the giant float pod, and complete your experience by curling up on comfy chairs with a cup of organic tea and a slice of local, homemade cake.
With lovely local art on the walls, intriguing books on relevant subjects, and colouring books to explore your creative side, this is the ultimate in stress relief and relaxation.
A spa robe and sandals are provided for guests, too.
Booking
Price: £135 per person.
Duration: 3 hours (1 hour float, plus pre-float orientation and post-float relaxation)
Capacity: Minimum of 1 person and maximum of 2 people.
Opening: All year round. The float centre is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 8pm.
From fabulous gorgeous gardens to amazing shops to visit, we could go on … but why not come and see for yourself?
Top three places to visit:
Sudeley Castle & Gardens – 01242 604244
Winchcombe, Near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 5JD
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens – 01993 823006
Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire, OX18 4JP
Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre – 01386 701441
Batsford, Moreton In Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 9AD
Halal places to dine
Temple Lounge Oxford – www.templeloungeoxford.co.uk
Achaar Restaurant and Grill – www.achaar.co.uk
Be sure to make the Cotswold your next staycation!
By Natasha Syed
The adventurous spirit behind the pages of British Muslim magazine. As the Editor-in-Chief, Natasha leads with a passion for exploration and a pen dipped in wanderlust. With a keen eye for halal travel experiences and an insatiable curiosity for new experiences, she brings readers along on captivating journeys to far-flung destinations. Through her vibrant storytelling, Natasha invites readers on enriching adventures, where every experience is a window into the muslim world.
