Cotswolds and Stratford

Day 1 Arrive Moreton-in-Marsh.

You arrive in the 13th century market town of Moreton-in-Marsh which you will have time to explore.

Day 2 Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Campden 30 miles.

Your cycling for the day starts with a visit to the Rollright Stones, a lesser-known stone circle. From the Rollrights its a lovely ride to Hidcote Manor Garden, one of England’s finest formal gardens, before reaching the ancient wool town of Chipping Campden, thought by many to be the most beautiful of all Cotswold market towns.

Day 3 Round trip to Stratford 27 miles.

From Chipping Campden it’s a short ride to Stratford-upon-Avon, home of William Shakespeare, his sweetheart Ann Hathaway and John Harvard founder of the American University. Visit Shakespeare's birthplace, and then take advantage of our exclusive free admission into a second "Shakespeare" property before returning to Chipping Campden for your overnight stay.

Day 4 Chipping Campden to Stow-on-the-Wold 25 or 36 miles.

Today you will explore the area surrounding the beautiful Broadway, once a busy staging post and now home to many art galleries. Winchcombe is a Saxon settlement and neighbouring Sudeley Castle, once home to Catherine Parr (wife of Henry VIII), has a thousand years of history to uncover. The ride criss-crosses over exposed fields before making the gradual climb into Stow-on-the-Wold, “where the wind blows cold”!

Day 5 Rest day with route options.

Your rest day is in Stow-on-the-Wold, a bustling market town, easy to explore on foot. For those unwilling to spend a day out of the saddle, there are two optional rides: a long ride to the fascinating ruins of a Roman Villa at Chedworth and a short ride to the pretty neighbouring village of Kingham.

Day 6 Stow-on-the-Wold to Moreton-in-Marsh 24 or 40 miles.

You will descend through the picturesque villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter to Bourton-on-the-Water where the River Windrush is the outstanding natural feature of the village, before winding your way slowly back to Moreton-in-Marsh.

Day 7 Round trip from Moreton-in-Marsh 18 miles.