We are leaving from Cardiff and going into the Cotswolds for a day and a half.
We are driving. We are me 45 my hubby 48 and my mom 72. We just are looking to see some pretty towns and take some pictures. I know we will only get a taste of the place but that is all the time we have.
What would you try to see? Where would you sleep? What would you not miss?
After this, we are going onto Conwy then into the Lake District.
So much to see and so little time.
We are planning to visit Bath for three nights, then go to Wales and come back to Chipping Campden for six night.
You can do Frommers recommended day tour of the Cotswolds, perhaps stop off in Bath for half a day.
.... arm yourself with a good map and set out to explore the most beautiful villages in the Cotswolds.
From Cheltenham, and by doing some crisscrossing here and there, you can take in the best of the Cotswolds. Scenic highlights of your day will include Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Moreton-in-Marsh. Finally, in the north Cotswolds, you arrive in the most scenic town of Broadway, with what is arguably the most beautiful High Street in England. However, it's overrun with visitors in summer and charges very high prices. Make your way northeast to the even more charming village of Chipping Campden, which you can walk around and explore in 2 hours, spending the night before heading back to London and your final destination in the morning.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/england/732079#ixzz42ukPX6MP
Oh, we will have already visited Bath......
Since you will be coming from Cardiff, I would recommend stopping in Painswick, it's absolutely beautiful, your mom would love it. Then after Painswick I would strongley recommend Bourton-on-the-Water, again very beautiful and I know your mom would love it. Depending where you want to stay the night I could recommend a place to stay. We spent two nights in Painswick before, and have stayed in Bourton-on-the-Water.
Castle Comb--voted the most picturesque village in England and so small large tour buses have trouble getting there. (Also used as the backdrop to some movies.)
Last week, Bibury was already overrun with tour buses. Although this was the only place that had this problem. If you are going in summer months, expect crowds.
The drive from Cardiff to Conwy is really easy to follow as you stay on the A470 all the way driving up through the middle of Wales. Virtually the whole of this route is very scenic so it is regrettable that you will drive to Conwy from the Cotswolds. If you can, I would visit The Cotswolds prior to going to Cardiff. If you are going to drive to North Wales from the Cotswolds, I suggest you read the following post which will tell you more information about routes. (A route planner will probably tell you to stay on the motorways via Birmingham)https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/wales/gps-unit-vs-using-an-iphone-for-navigation-in-northern-wales
and :>https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/wales/north-wales-itinerary
(More info on Wales in the Wales forum).
If I was driving from Cardiff to the Cotswolds:> M4 over the Severn Bridge then M5 up to junction 11a near Gloucester. Then A436 to Bourton-on-the-Water and Lower Slaughter. (Cardiff to Bourton-on-the-Water should take about 1 hour 30 minutes). Then A429 to Stow-on-the-Wold > A424 to Chipping Campden > visit Hidcote Manor Gardens > Broadway > Stanton > Stanway. This covers the best of the Cotswold villages which are all in a relatively tight cluster. Any of these places would be suitable for accommodation but Stow could have a problem with traffic noise. Other places mentioned such as Painswick and Castle Combe are well out of this cluster.
If you are in Cardiff in summer, you may well like this place - which is in a valley just west of the city:> https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyffryn-gardens
Ohhhhh......Might have to change our route if the drive from Cardiff to Conwy is so pretty.
So if we leave Cornwall and head to Bath. then the Cotwolds then go to Cardiff then onto Conwy then head to the lake District????
I might have to add a day to our trip.....Might be worth it......I can't. we are already at 30 days on the ground.
Thank you all for the help. That map and description of the loops in the Cotswolds will be so helpful.
Awesome info. I appreciate it.
So, you are coming up from Cornwall. You wish to see Bath, The Cotswolds and Cardiff before heading up to North Wales. One idea could be to have a central base near the Severn Bridges - possibly near Chepstow. From here, you could take a train into Bath from Severn Tunnel Junction or Bristol Parkway. You could easily do a day trip down to Cardiff and another for a loop around the Cotswold villages. (All of these paces would be within about 50 minutes of Chepstow/Severn Bridges. Trains also go frequently into Cardiff). Then, having spent your time in a base in this area, you could head up to north Wales via Abergavenny > A40 > to eventually join the A470 for the run up through the middle of Wales. This map shows the area where you could have base:> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6003749,-2.6680361,23618m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1
Can you see Tintern at the top of the map? That is the Wye Valley of Outstanding Natural Beauty.http://www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk/index.php/explore
http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/tinternabbey/?lang=en
If going to Cardiff and planning to visit St.Fagans, it will be more convenient to drive - leaving the M4 at junction 33 for A4232. Beware of sharp turn off from the expressway into St.Fagans museum approach road.https://museum.wales/stfagans/
Trains = www.nationalrail.co.uk (For short trips of say up to 1 hour, it is usually best to buy a return ticket on the day).
If you think that it is too much to include Cornwall, don’t forget that Wales also has an attractive coast. Here is Tenby -an attractive coastal town in Pembrokeshire, SW Wales.https://www.visittenby.co.uk
The Welsh press has listed some of the best Welsh beaches:>http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/23-hidden-welsh-beaches-12802266
Great info James. Thanks for sharing all those links. Will look into it. I knew a one month trip was going to have a lot of parts but wow. Thankfully people like you help so much.
