I went to Cotswolds for 3 days with my friends visiting me from Japan and discovered the beauty of English countryside.
We stayed at a cottage in Bibury, a very very small and beautiful village in Cotswolds, and also visited other 3 places, Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter and Stow-on-the-Wold. They were all stunning with the mixture of nature and old buildings made of honey-coloured Cotswolds stones, which made us overwhelmed by the contrasts with London. We especially loved Bibury, which had been called "the most beautiful village in England" by William Morris, and enjoyed walking around there.
Based on my experience, here are some recommendations:
- Trip by car
We were so desperate to get a cab because taxi companies were always busy. Soon after arriving, we found out that buses are not convenient at all in Cotswolds, but we honestly did not expect to struggle getting a taxi that much. Taxi companies often said they were fully booked and not available, and sometimes phone call did not even get through. The waitress at a restaurant we had dinner at in Stow-on-the-Wold said it was almost impossible to get a cab in the last minute when we asked her to call a taxi company after dinner.
This was the only deficit that I found in Cotswolds, so I would go there by car next time. There seemed many free parking lots, and roads among villages did not look complicated.
Just in case I still put some information on taxi companies that we contacted:
Cotswoldstaxi4u: 07720572420
I recommend this taxi company, since their service was organised. They sent me a confirmation text when we booked, which was nice.
Cvc Rainbow Cabs: 01285740070 We used this company a couple of times. They also drove us between Cotswolds and Oxford.
Local Taxi Company: 01285650850
This was on the information pack from our cottage, but unfortunately the phone calls never got through...
- The Catherine Wheel (Link)
This is a local pub in Bibury where we enjoyed English food. The waitresses were very friendly, and they created the warm and cozy atmosphere.
- Number Four at Stow (Link)
This is a boutique hotel with a pretty restaurant and small bar, and we had coffee here. The location was good - 15 minutes to the Stow-on-the-Wold, and I think it could be a perfect base for visiting the north Cotswolds.
