Shakespeare Country and the Cotswolds

Overview

This bike tour in England through the land of Shakespeare is quintessential England. The graceful contours of Cotswold's lanes and bridleways lead from one honey-colored village to the next, winding through the classic hills, valleys, and peaceful streams. You will want to stop and explore Cotswold market towns, several famed gardens, thatched inns, lavender fields, and marvelous vistas. Discover Shakespeare’s history in Stratford-upon-Avon and enjoy the spirit of Oxford - a magical combination. Arrive in Oxford on Friday and check into your hotel adjacent to the heart of the city. Enjoy the treasures of this beautiful city today and stroll through the lovely colleges of the University with their magnificent architecture and gardens. Take in the museums, galleries, and libraries galore, and perhaps a concert or play. Discover the little tea rooms and fine restaurants, the unique shops and back streets, and the river backwaters dotted with punters and rowing eights. Today’s ride explores the heart of the Cotswolds, following quiet, winding lanes through picture-perfect villages. You cross small stone bridges over gurgling streams, ride past ancient woodland and hidden valley tracks, and enjoy wide, pastoral views that define this timeless landscape. Traditional pubs appear along the way, inviting unhurried stops, and there is plenty of time to wander among honey-coloured stone cottages and thatched roofs. Start the day with either a short train hop or a gentle pedal to the Cotswold market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, where the high street formed part of the Roman Fosse Way. Linger in the shops and cafes before cycling gently on through peaceful country lanes to enjoy the renowned gardens of Hidcote and Kiftsgate before freewheeling downhill through ancient villages, to join an old railway track route that leads straight into Stratford. This old market town is known worldwide through its most famous resident, William Shakespeare. Your overnight stay is in the heart of the town with all its half-timbered buildings. Take the morning to further enjoy Stratford as there's much to see. Visit the restored Tudor houses associated with Shakespeare and the Royal Shakespeare Company's theatre. Stroll around the backstreets, browse the shops, linger in a cafe, or take a boat trip on the river Avon. Pedal off after lunch on an easy ride to the neat gardens and pretty cottages of Broadway, where you will stay the night. If you are keen to cycle further, continue to Sudeley Castle and Winchcombe, which offers a lovely return journey through a string of gorgeous villages. Your overnight stay is in the heart of Broadway. This will be one of your favorite days of cycling in England - despite the inclusion of the only real hill on the entire route! Leave all visitors behind as you take an idyllic rural track through sheep-clad hills to the delightful village of Snowshill, where you can visit the manor house. Ride on through purple lavender fields and look forward to a refreshment stop near the Broadway Tower, which affords breathtaking views over 12 counties on a clear day. The breathtaking vistas continue with a downhill route for the rest of the day that leads to the 'must-see' 14th-century honey-colored stone buildings of Chipping Campden. For the last night of the tour, you will stay in the heart of this town. Soak up the very special atmosphere of the place and relax after a stunning day of cycling. Again, we know the mileage is not great this day, but there is just so much to see and enjoy! Your final day gives you a couple of fascinating options. Start the day by cycling through some lovely hidden villages to reach Moreton in Marsh. From here you can pedal further on through the Cotswolds across fords and fields to discover ancient Stow on Wold, whilst the longest ride also takes you to the lovely hamlets of the Slaughters and to Bourton on Water with a hill. All routes lead back to Moreton for your final night in the heart of this Cotswold market town. Easy self-guided tour on mainly flat terrain. You will encounter slopes on most days and a big hill on Day 6. 'Wolds' actually means hills! Even though the mileage is low, there are hills as well as much to see, so do expect 3 -5 hours of daily cycling. Half of the route takes place on traffic-free paths and the rest of the tour is routed on low-traffic roads. Closest international airport to Oxford, your tour start, is London Heathrow International Airport. Heathrow has a direct bus link to Oxford which takes 90 minutes and runs every 30 minutes. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc. US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov. Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries. Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.

Daily Ride Schedule

Accommodation & Services

Accommodation

Hotel

What's Included