England, International

England – The Cotswolds Bike Tour

DURATION

7 Days

PRICE

$4,990

LEVEL

BADV_AbilityLevel_IconsIntermediate

DAILY DISTANCE

35-45 Miles

INCLUDED ACTIVITIES

Cycling (bikes included), Sudeley Castle, Chedworth Roman Villa, Roman Baths (museum)

INCLUDED MEALS

All breakfasts. Two lunches and two dinners on your own.

Discover and explore what we ultimately strive for in a cycling vacation–which is to simply “Pedal Happy”.

When you imagine “picture-postcard” English countryside, it’s likely an image of the Cotswolds – England’s largest “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” – that comes to mind. Now picture yourself there – riding a bicycle! – on bucolic country roads with polite English drivers and beautiful views around every corner. It’s hard to believe that this enchanting, richly rural, region is so close to the “big city” hustle and bustle of London. Beautiful villages and towns of honey-colored stone dot the landscape of “wolds” (hills) and “cots” (stone-fenced sheep pens). In addition to iconic locations such as Oxford, Shakespeare’s Stratford upon Avon, and Bath, you’ll discover outstanding gardens, medieval churches and castles, country homes, lovely hotels, and some of the best (as well as oldest) pubs in the world. Truly, this is the “real England” in all its glory!

PEDAL HAPPY: Most of the riding on this tour is on typical English countryside roads which are well-paved but relatively narrow, as well as some ‘bridleway’ / canal routes limited to cyclists and pedestrians. About 12% of the roads are hard-packed but unpaved and there may be some short sections of cobblestones.

RENTAL BIKES: Models will be different for the bike-types (road and e-bike) shown at the bottom of the web page. Call or request our Guest Information Packet for more specifics.

COMBINING TOURS: We schedule our United Kingdom tour dates to make longer adventures possible. You can combine our England tour with Ireland or Scotland for the ultimate U.K. cycling experience!

Day 01

Meet in Oxford. Head northwest through the eastern Cotswolds on your way to the delightful market town of Moreton-in-Marsh.

Meals

– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Redesdale Arms

Mileage

35 miles

Elevation

+1,947 ft / -1,712 ft

Arrive at Oxford Station at 11am where your Bicycle Adventures bike guide will meet you. After introductions and a briefing for the day, we’ll get set up on our bikes. We’ll take a quick spin around the city to ensure you are happy with your setup before heading northeast toward the Evenlode Valley. Along the way, we will pass near to Winston Churchill’s Blenheim Palace and head into the easternmost Cotswolds. Tonight, we’ll be dining at our hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh, the Redesdale Arms,

Day 02

Ride a loop past some of the best-known locations in the northern Cotswolds - Chipping Campden and Broadway Tower - and enjoy a tour at Sudeley Castle.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Redesdale Arms

Distance

41 miles

Elevation

+3,225 ft / -3,225 ft

Pedal a loop from our hotel across the northwestern undulating landscape. The ride out today is a hilly one, however, the bigger the climb the bigger the views! During this loop, we’ll visit some of the best-known locations in the northern Cotswolds, including Chipping Campden and Broadway Tower and enjoy a tour at Sudeley Castle.

Day 03

Cycle on quiet, twisting country lanes, and ... "thence" to Stratford for some Shakespeare!

Meals

– Breakfast

Lodging

Redesdale Arms

Distance

44 miles

Elevation

+1,702 ft / -1,702 ft

Following quiet, twisting country lanes, the flatter terrain today takes us toward Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of William Shakespeare. Have lunch on your own and explore this medieval market town before returning to Moreton-in-Marsh via an abandoned railway. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 04

Pedal to the "Venice of the Cotswolds" and visit Chedworth Roman Villa on the way to Tetbury.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

The Hare and Hounds

Distance

41 miles

Elevation

+2,717 ft / -3,012 ft

Today we head south through the nearby “honeypot” villages of Lower Slaughter (meaning “muddy place”) and Bourton-on-the-Water renowned locally as the “Venice of the Cotswolds.” Traverse the rolling landscape of the North/South divide and visit the Chedworth Roman Villa (included) as we head down the spine of the Cotswolds toward Tetbury. Spend tonight amongst acres of beautiful gardens and woodlands at The Hare and Hounds.

Day 05

Visit the oldest borough in England and Castle Combe - voted the prettiest! - on your way to historic Bath.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch

Lodging

The Queensberry Hotel

Distance

39 miles

Elevation

+1822 ft / -2104 ft

Our final “point-to-point” ride will take us the last 40 miles into the center of Bath where we will spend the last two nights of the tour. Along the way, we will visit Malmesbury – England’s oldest borough according to the Guinness Book of World Records – and Castle Combe (voted the prettiest village in England) before descending into Bath. Stay tonight and tomorrow at the centrally located The Queensberry Hotel, a combination of Georgian-traditional style with “cheeky twists of contemporary comfort.” Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 06

Cycle along canal paths and venture into history at the Roman Baths museum. Raise a toast to a great week at our celebratory dinner!

Meals

– Breakfast
– Dinner

Lodging

The Queensberry Hotel

Distance

39 miles

Elevation

+1,566 ft / -1,549 ft

After breakfast, pedal out along the canal paths east of Bath. It’s not a long day in the saddle, so you will have plenty of time to reflect on your favorite roads and villages on the tour. Lunch is on your own and the afternoon is yours to explore this wonderful city and visit the Roman Baths (included) before our final night’s celebration dinner. Raise a toast to a fantastic week of cycling in the Cotswolds! If you want to keep the party going, Bath’s vibrant and varied nightlife won’t let you down either!

Day 07

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." -Shakespeare. Enjoy breakfast in Bath before your departure.

Meals

– Breakfast

“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.” -William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

A fitting quote for the circumstances, we think. Our Cotswolds adventure finishes after breakfast on the morning of Day 7. If you are leaving Bath today, we will transfer you to the Bath Spa train station at 10:30am where you can catch a train to London, or one of the London airports (generally less than 2 hours away). We wish you a safe trip home or onward to your next adventure!

Dates
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
Availability
Dates
Single Supplement
Price
$1,347
This is not required. It is an optional fee to allow a solo traveler to guarantee a private room for the duration of the tour.
Dates
July 11, 2024
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
$4,990
Availability
Open
Dates
August 16, 2024
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
$4,990
Availability
Open

BIKES (Bike models will differ. Request our Guest Info Packet for more details).

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