Choosing a village base in Cotswolds

okay, i can give you some advice here. we went in may 2011 and just might be there again this may. beautiful beautiful beautiful! when i die, this is where my soul will go to for it's heaven. okay, back to the subject. We stayed in Broadway and would repeat this one again. Broadway in 'just over the hill and dale" from Chipping Campden... which is just gorgeous. It has enough size to it that it supports a local Budgens market and restaurants which do not shut down after lunch, like we found so many smaller towns did... the businesses fell asleep when you wanted to go out and get an afternoon cup of coffee and a scone. there were plenty of great walks through the beautiful village and up through the sheep pastures to the broadway tower. Things to see withn an hours drive: Hidcote gardens... literally heaven, which is a town near Chipping Campden; Chastleton house... great house + gardens; Warwick castle... really suprized us with how much we as adults loved it although online it looks like something only kids would like; hiking the 'cotswold ways' which are trails maintained by the English. Post me a reply if you want more info... i have tons including a tremendous resource to find your perfect cottage!

I'm glad you finally got a response! We will be in the Cotwolds in September and I'm trying to figure out the best town to stay in too. I hope more people will weigh in with their advice.

Bill, between those 2 towns, I would pick Chipping Campden. Stow is great, but I would give Chipping Campden the edge - just a little more old world charm. Great little shops and pubs, easy access to lovely walks. If you're interested in other towns, I love Upper and Lower Slaughter (they are separated by a wonderful little walking path).

Jean-Paul, I'm interested in your resource for finding the perfect cottage!

Thanks,
Sandra

Also love Chipping Campden. Nice size town and really easy for day trips all through the Cotswolds. Great restaurants and a wonderful little tea house for Cream Tea. Really one of my all time favorite places to be.

We have been to the area on more than one occasion...I would recommend, as do many others, Chipping Camden...it makes a nice staging point to visit the Cotswolds in general. You won't regret it.

Bill, I would give a vote to Moreton-in-Marsh. It has easy access to the roads for day trips in the area. There are some nice B&B's , Pubs and places to eat in town.

I had the opportunity to rent my mother a cottage in Bourton on the Water, if I had it to do over, I'd also consider Moreton-in-Marsh with the convenience of the rail access. Don't get me wrong, Bourton was fantastic, but the extra 30 minute bus ride added complexity. Have a great journey.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions! I just saw them (apparently the website is no longer sending email notifications when a posting gets a response?)

Anyway, I did finally put a deposit on a cottage in Chipping Campden and we're very excited about our trip in a few months. Any further suggestions for pubs, walking paths and other places to visit are welcome. We're definitely planning excursions to Bath, Statford, Warwick and Blenheim, but are always looking for ideas off the beaten path!

Thanks again.

Bill

There are plenty of places off the beaten path if you just hop in your car and take off on a road adventure. One little place I found while rambling around looking for photo opportunities (I am a photographer) was a little village called Greater Tew...a cute little pub and lots of thatched roofs. Great soup and bread at the pub the day I was there. Just keep driving and you will find your own hidden gems.

Chipping Campden has one of the most picturesque residential streets - thatched roof houses and incredibly manicured hedges... Also easy access to the rest of the Cotswolds.

We stayed in Moreton-in-Marsh on the advice of a travel agent due to its convenience to other villages, and while that is true, I'd caution that it may not be the best choice for everyone. For all of its accessibility, we found Moreton-in-Marsh itself to lack some of the charm and tranquil atmosphere of some of the other villages like Chipping Campden or Bourton-on-the-water. This was a few years ago, but I'd recommend Moreton-in-Marsh primarily for visitors who are wanting to range around a lot to other villages. Personally, I would choose to stay somewhere more remote and picturesque next time, but everyone has different travel goals - that's what makes it fun. Hope that helps.

I was planning on staying in Stow. Where in Chipping Camden would you recommend?