UK reserve B&B's as you go?

Please be more specific about the regions/areas of the UK you're asking about.

After London, already reserved, we will go to visit Salisbury, Bath, Exeter/Dartmoor, Cotswolds, perhaps York, Oxford. This a second time to visit most of these areas 20 years later and to share with 18 y/o daughter.
Still sketching out the details. 2 1/2 weeks starting end of June. Open to recommendations of villages off the beaten path! Farm house experiences too.

Thanks for responding and requesting more info!

"and would prefer to find B&B's in the villages as we go."I'll answer for only one of your destinations: Bath. First, though, you've used the word villages twice but then listed destinations many of which are towns or cities, including Bath. So I'm confused about whether your question asks only about reserving ahead in villages, or did you mean to ask about reserving ahead in places like Bath? Assuming the latter, here's what Rick recommends in his book England about reserving ahead for accommodations in Bath (you might want to get the book):"Bath is a busy tourist town. To get a good B&B, make a telephone reservation in advance. Competition is stiff. Friday and Saturday nights are tightest, especially if you're staying only one night, since B&Bs favor those staying longer. If staying only Saturday night, you're very bad news to a B&B hostess."

I would be a bit wary about not booking ahead. Popular areas can get booked up very quickly. I regularly visit the West Country and often find that I have to ring endless B&Bs before I can find one that might possibly have a vacancy. Finding accomodation in Bath can be a problem in the tourist season, especially if you want something that is reasonably priced.

I'll make 2 points

1. As with anything you need to decide what type of people and travellers you are. If you are the type that would be disappointed or frustrated with ending up 5 miles away from where you want to be, taking less than ideal, or paying more than ideal because a room wasn't available then you probably want to book ahead. If you are content to take what comes your way and that flexibility supercedes any potential pitfalls leave it open. There are loads of B+B's and travelodges. They just may not be where you want, at the price you want, or the exprience.

2. The fact that you are a threesome would lead me to make the reccomendation to reserve some rooms. Not only do you have to find a vacancy in most cases. You also probably either need to find a special room (triple) or two rooms which will lower your probability.

If you were traveling with only 2 people it would be more feasible but still dicey.By taking a chance and not booking you will primarily be stuck with 2 types of places; the really crappy place and the really overpriced ritzy place.

But you would miss out on those unforgettable places that have rotten eggs for breakfast, cat doo on the coverlet or semi-psycho hosts. Not to mention the daily time that will be wasted looking for a place (or did I just mention it?)

Off season it might work, but height of the season, its probably more of a hassle than foregoing your spontaneity.

I emphasize that weekends Fri and Sat nights) should be reserve as far in advance as possible. Brits like to take their weekends in Bath, the Cotswalds, and other places where you might want to go. Sun thru Thur nights, you might be ok waiting to find housing.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses. This is my first experience with R. S. travel posts. What a lovely community of travelers. I enjoyed the favorite museum posts responding to Kent's query.
Barbara