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36 hours in Cotswolds

We will be in Oxford and would love to spend a day and a half/one night in the Cotswolds … without a car. Any suggestions on where to go/stay, where we can be in a quintessential Cotswolds village and walk the countryside to possibly another village and back?

Posted by
7667 posts

We stayed at the Volunteer Inn at Chipping Campden, it has the best pub in town and a great Indian Restaurant. Also, rates are reasonable.
Still the train doesn't go to Chipping Camden.

You can take the train from Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh, but to explore the Cotswolds, you need a car or find a guided tour.

I am sure that there is some kind of bus transport, but we had a rental. We spent about two full days seeing the Cotswolds.

Loved Cirencester, Bourton on Water and Stow in the Wold. Also, check out Broadway.

Posted by
470 posts

The bus service between the railway station at Moreton in Marsh and Chipping Campden is up in the air at the moment
The long established operator Johnsons Coaches sold all their bus routes to Diamond in May this year. They have now said they are ceasing operating them from 24 July and we are waiting to see who the local authorities have given the new contract to

Posted by
2825 posts

Broadway would be my choice too if you only have one full day and don't particularly want to rent a car.
Per Google maps, you can take the GWR train from Oxford to Evesham, then the R4 bus to Broadway - takes about an hour and a half. Broadway is a very pretty little Cotswolds village, and if you're up for a wee stretch of the legs you can walk from the town thru open fields and sheep paddocks up to a local feature called the Broadway Tower (about 1.5 miles one-way) from which you'll be treated to beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
A side trip to Bourton-on-the-water would be time well spent.

Posted by
32752 posts

That's interesting. Johnsons had been around for absolutely ages. So much for the bright yellow.

Is Diamond the same as the Diamond in and around Walsall and the Black Country, or similar name different outfit?

Not good...

Posted by
188 posts

Agree - Broadway is beautiful, and the walk to Broadway Tower is memorable and not too hard. If transportation is an issue, I also really liked Moreton-in-Marsh. We stayed at the Redesdale Arms a few years back on the high street. There is a circular walk you could take from there to Longborough and back. If you wanted to walk longer, you could go to Blockley and back.

Thanks Rogerbrown for the explanation on the Moreton-in-Marsh bus to Chipping Campden. I hope there is a reliable replacement.