Avebury to Bletchley Park - places to see enroute and stay.

Actually, much of the Cotswolds is almost due north from Avebury. You could walk around any number of those towns/villages before heading east to Bletchley Park. If you’ve never been to any of them, most people are impressed with Bourton on the Water. Bibury, Stow n the Wold, and Chipping Campden are nice for short visits, and Stratford Upon Avon is nice for a few hours. On the direct line between Avebury and Bletchley Park, I’m not familiar enough with the towns to make a recommendation. When I made something close to that drive, I went from Southampton to Bletchley Park, then on to Uppingham.

Bicester (pronounced Bister) is on the route and is a market town that still retains historic buildings. Plenty of options to stay and eat. It also has a nice 'factory outlet centre' for any shopping you may want to do. For a nice traditional thatched pub visit the Bull Inn at nearby Launton.

I think that I may have to disagree - sorry - with ryan_and_gill about Bicester outlet mall. The place is heaving most of the time because overseas visitors from China, India, and the Middle East flood the place by the mega coach load, and Chiltern Railways has a stop very near the shopping mall on its route from London Marylebone.

I have nothing personally against the tide of visitors there - bring your money and leave as much of it as you can, is what I say - but it is the sheer weight of numbers that overwhelms the place. It isn't many times in my life that I have seen tour groups following the little umbrella - at a shopping mall.

Also understand that the mall is not covered so if the weather doesn't cooperate you may get wet going between shops.

It pretends to be English, but this is a facade to cater to hordes. Expect long queues even in the fast food places like Pret a Manger and Itsu, and long waits for sit down table service places.

So if it is so 'orrible, Nigel, why did you go there? Easy answer - I used to own a business a couple of miles away so went there earlier in its life when it was less crowded and I could get a crêpe without waiting or have a nice Busaba Eathai lunch, again, just wandering in. Now I can't find a parking place without going around their wacky one-way car parks for more time than it is worth, and the queues are ridiculous. Good people watching though, if you do get parked.

I propose a route only about half an hour longer than the direct route (plus wow moment photo stops and walkabouts) -

From Avebury head towards a direct line to Bletchley but turn left before Swindon (unless you want to experience the Magic Roundabout - a gyratory system of FIVE interlocked roundabouts (think of how the gears in a car gearbox interlink) forming effectively one giant roundabout, and you can go both ways around!, and I actually think that everybody who want to drive in England should have it on their list, but Swindon, other than the excellent Steam! museum of the Great Western Railway and adjacent outlet mall is a dump (sorry, Fidelma) ) and go towards Royal Wootton Bassett (recently got the Royal in its name because every time a soldier was returned in a box from Iraq, Libya or Afghanistan via the airbase (also used by Americans) nearby, the entire town would turn out and line the route of the cortege, scattering roses and flowers in the path - the government and people of the country were so moved by this informal recognition of the brave soldiers (and other forces) that the Queen granted the title in 2011. Neat architecture.

From there follow signs to Cirencester, a typical Cotswold large town with a Roman villa nearby to visit, and plenty of refreshment if required. From Cirencester follow the Fosse Way north, signposted to Stow on the Wold. A Roman Road, the Fosse Way will take you through the heart of the northern Cotswolds with typical Cotswold villages to both sides and in some cases right on the road. The name Fosse Way is ancient, the modern name for that portion of it is the A429. Pretty straight, as with many Roman roads, quite hilly, not the fastest road in the world but direct. Various places to stop and gawk such as Bibury (Arlington Row, google it)(off the Fosse Way via the B4425, signposted Arlington and Bibury, when returning to the Fosse Way take the lane along the route of the extremely scenic Coln River (just a big stream really) past Ablington, Winson, Coln Rogers and Coln St Dennis - signposted Fossebridge). Enjoy going slowly along the lane, enjoy slowing down at every crossroads to read the finger signs. Because of the way finger signs are made you have to slow down or you can't read them.

ran out of space - continued

After your possible adventure to Bibury you can enjoy the history of Fossebridge (careful of vehicles coming around the blind corner and the hill), possibly stopping at Northleach to visit the musical instrument museum, until you get to Bourton-on-the-Water.

Bourton-on-the-Water has lots of interest, books have been written about the place, google for more. Consider the Model Village, the extremely photogenic River Windrush which runs through it spanned by many very low and also photogenic bridges - and consequently lots of other tourists I'm afraid - and the appropriately named Birdland (never been inside, ask others for opinions). I just like a brief walk around. On a Sunday in late March parking shouldn't be any problem and you should be able to find a free 1 or 2 hour space - read the signs carefully.

Just east of Bourton-on-the-Water are the Rissingtons, very scenic. Just to the north are Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter, and then Lower Swell and Upper Swell, or just set sail direct for Stow on the Wold (when I were a boy we was taught, "Stow on the Wold where the wind blows cold", and it certainly do). Stow has stocks, a church with a beautiful ring of bells, a market square and on that market square is a branch of Huffkins. Have a bite to eat there, or a coffee or tea, and rest awhile. Upstairs has views over the market square. Beware calories.

Leaving Stow on the Wold leave the Fosse Way and head east, signposted Chipping Norton. (Do not become confused and follow signs to Chipping Campden, a beautiful village in its own right but in the completely wrong direction). Either go via the A436 towards the Rollrights and visit the Rollright Stones (three groups of standing stones that you can compare with Avebury, see https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rollright-stones it only costs a Pound) and (for others, if you were not on a Sunday you could follow signs to Hook Norton where a special beer is brewed) follow signs for Chipping Norton - or if you leave Stow not wanting the Rollrights take the turning off the A436 onto the A44 signposted Chipping Norton.

If coming from the Rollrights bypass Chipping Norton and follow the A361 towards Buckingham. If bypassing the Rollrights, when the A44 goes through Chipping Norton (see if you can see the world's biggest plumbers helper on top of an old mill down to the right before the town - watch out for speed cameras, at least 2 on the approach and at least one on the other side) leave the A44 by going straight on the Banbury Road, the A361. Meet up with the route via the Rollrights, and straight on signposted for Buckingham (the market town of Buckinghamshire and former county town, nothing to do with the Palace of the same name). Becomes the A421. Through Buckingham - watch the speed cameras - and then signposted to Milton Keynes and Bletchley. Before you get to Milton Keynes follow signs to Bletchley, and then the brown signs to Bletchley Park. You may see signs to the station (red crow's feet British Rail symbol) before you see signs for Bletchley Park. They are across the road from each other.

Anyway - do as much or as little of that as strikes your fancy. You could take all day, or you could do it in just over 2 hours.

I know the area like the back of my hand - my parents used to live just outside Stow on the Wold, and I grew up in the Cotswolds. Ask anything - I may be able to answer. Then again...

Thank you so much NIgel for the wonderful tour you outlined for the Cotswolds. Is there any place that you would recommend to stay for the night? We could linger, rather than driving to Milton Keynes and drive to Bletchley park Monday morning. Really appreciate all the detail you gave. Many thanks, Karen

Unfortunately because I am a local and when I visit somebody they are family I don't stay in hotels in that part of England. So I really don't have anywhere to suggest.

I know of some places, but no personal experience.

I do know that if money is no object and you can get in, you will almost certainly have a great time at Lords of the Manor between Upper Slaughter and Lower Swell. https://www.lordsofthemanor.com/ I'd just worry that you would want to put your feet up at the hotel and attenuate your visit to the beautiful countryside.

There are other places, quite a few, in Stow on the Wold and in Bourton-on-the-Water and some of the Rissingtons. Without specific recommendations there is always booking dot com. I hope that others chip in.

Thanks to the update of Bicester outlet village Nigel it's certainly a good few years since I was there. Sort of a shame I guess because it was by far the most attractive FOC out there all be it in a very diesneyfied style. Speaking of Disney I went to Bourton just last week when we had our glorious unseasonal weather. Kids enjoyed the model village although I felt it was in need of a bit of investment (I understand the previous owners sold it recently) and Birdland proved a hit, but I was surprised at just how many people were 'milling around' in the off peak season. I personally get most out of holiday experiences where I come away picturing myself buying a house with a lottery win, and I just couldn't do that there. And I reference Disney because I had the sense that I had arrived at a theme park in its low season where suddenly all the maintenance work gets done. All the railings were being repainted, half the river bank was fenced off, presumably to allow the grass to recover. It just emphasised for me how a village that size was not designed to cope with the influx of visitors it receives.

About the most shameless act of Chiltern Railways was the downgrading of the name of Bicester Town station to Bicester Village to suit their own commercial interests. Mind you many of the locals still refer to it as London Road …

Since you have a car and a few hours for driving, you could skip the Cotswolds completely and instead drive more southerly through the much nicer North Wessex Downs and into the Chilterns (Midsomer Murders country). For example stopping in Ramsbury or Wallingford (which is Causton).

nicer is in the eye of the beholder

much nicer even more