Recently we had the chance to review self guided Cotswold tours with Cotswold Discovery Trail.
Please note, I am not obligated to write this post, I just felt that the experience was too good not to share. I also wanted to help support this new local business who are so passionate about sharing the unique history and sights of this Designated Area of Natural Beauty (AONB). I can thoroughly recommend for locals wanting to get to know the Cotswolds better and visitors to the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds tour trail packs also make great gifts!
My family and I have lived in various parts of Gloucestershire over the last ten years and we’ve always felt very fortunate to have the Cotswolds on our doorstep. It is a truly spectacular and unique region of the UK with postcard-perfect villages, golden-coloured stone cottages, churches and grand country houses, all surrounded by 787 square miles of rolling hills and AONB protected countryside.
I thought we knew the Cotswolds pretty well however, as we realised as soon as our trail map pack arrived, we actually just know a couple of the most popular Cotswold villages really well. We have, if you pardon the phrase, got ‘stuck into a bit of a rut’ of visiting our favourite Cotswold villages, such as Bourton-on-the-Water, time and time again.
What I really loved about trying out the Cotswold Discovery Trail a few weeks ago was that it motivated us to get out and discover other places to visit in the Cotswolds including some Cotswold towns which we had heard of, but not visited. It also inspired us to take a few short Cotswold walks in the countryside.
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First impressions – Cotswold Discovery Trail
My boys were so excited when our trail pack arrived. Our pack consisted of one map, with a North Cotswold trail on one side and a South Cotswold trail on the other, two copies of a Kids Cotswold Challenge, two copies of a Local Logo Challenge, a couple of branded pens, pad of paper, a letter explaining how to best follow the trails, a compass, a small torch and a car sticker. I loved the companies slogan – ‘A day out delivered to your door’ which is exactly what it is. The packs are just £36 (or £56 for a fabric one) which in my opinion is great value for money.
Self guided Cotswolds tour – North Cotswolds
After much deliberation we opted to follow the North Cotswolds trail (and plan to try out the South Cotswolds trail in the next few months). We decided to start our self guided tour from the pretty market town of Winchcombe.
The great thing about the trails is that you can start and finish where you like. Each of the trails are predicted to take a full day to complete. They recommend that you start around 10am and finish around 5/6pm to give you enough time for the 2-3 hours of driving time and to enjoy a relaxed stop for lunch. The beauty of the trails though is that you can enjoy them at your pace. We were in no rush and so took our time, starting with a stroll around Winchcombe and ending in Stow in the Wold, missing out the last couple of stops on the North Trail which we will return to to finish at some point.
After looking for ‘treasure’ clues in Winchcombe, we enjoyed a walk up to the stone age monument Belas Knap. It was bitterly cold up there but my boys loved running around on top of the monument and hiding in the ‘caves’.
We then hopped back into our car to drive to the ancient town of Northleach for a stroll and leisurely lunch before another short drive to mooch around the shops in the market town of Burford. It was our first time in Burford and I’ll definitely be returning there soon. (Ideally without my boys who do not share my appreciation for quirky boutique shops! Although they loved the little alley ways with hidden secret cottages, ice cream and crafts stores).
Our last main stop of the day was to Bourton-on-the-Water where we browsed around the shops, fed the ducks, played Pooh sticks from the bridges and enjoyed a cream tea in one of the cafes overlooking the river.
Our drive home took us through Stow-on-the Wold, another postcard-perfect Cotswold village. If we had continued with the tour we would have stopped for a walk up to the Broadway Tower which apparently has great views over the countryside and Chipping Camden but time was ticking, my boys were getting tired and we decided to save these Cotswold gems for another day.
Self guided South Cotswolds tour
For our next family day out we plan to follow the other side of the map, the South Cotswold tour. This trail features stops at a Roman Amphitheatre near Cirencester, Bibury and Tetbury (all Cotswolds towns I have visited before and all absolutely stunning), the village of Chedworth, an Iron Age fort, Painswick and the Cotswold villages of Minchinhampton, Badminton, and Sherston.
Final thoughts – Self guided Cotswold tours – Cotswold Discovery Trail
I can thoroughly recommend these trail packs if you want to explore the best Cotswold villages and Cotswold towns in your own time. My family and I honestly felt like we discovered hidden gems and secret places that we would never have found if we explored the Cotswolds independently.
My boys loved hunting for their own clues/logos on the Kids Challenge and Logo Challenge and really enjoyed trying to suss out which direction to take using only the compass. (A worthy life skill which is sadly not a skill kids get to use much anymore due to Google maps and other technology) .
The Cotswold Discovery Trail packs cost just £36 in a paper version (£56 for a fabric version) which I think is exceptionally good value for money. Particularly as they can be used time and time again. I think the trail maps are a great idea, not just visitors to the Cotswolds but also locals who have yet to discover what is on their doorstep. They also make brilliant gifts for people living in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
Other helpful information for a holiday in the Cotswolds or Cotswolds day trip
There is so much to do in the Cotswolds including walking along the Cotswold Way and visiting local attractions such as Birdland and the Model Village. Check out our ‘Whats on in the Cotswolds‘ guide for more information.
Nearby you have Cheltenham, known as the capital of the Cotswolds. Check out our –Ultimate guide; Things to do in Cheltenham with kids and for more photo inspiration and tips by locals check out our #WeLoveGlos instagram community at – #WeLoveGlos.
*Click here to check out ‘Cotswolds Hotels‘ and Cotswolds Accommodation for Families such as The Slaughters Country Inn in Lower Slaughter and the Calcot & Spa in Tetbury. *Affiliate hotel links. Hotel rates remain the same, any money earnt helps with the running of this site.
If you would prefer to take a private luxury guided Cotswolds tour check out The Cotswold Tour Guide by my friend David who has been running bespoke tours in the Cotswolds since 2011 and therefore is extremely knowledgeable.
Disclosure – We were kindly sent a Cotswold Discovery Trail pack for hosting #WeLoveGlos. All words and opinions, as always, my own.
Pin for later – Best Cotswolds Villages & Places to visit in the Cotswolds
