The Cotswolds & Oxford - Walking Tour

After our rendezvous in Moreton-in-Marsh, we meet in Chipping Campden, a charming and unspoilt Cotswold town, for our Welcome Dinner and Introductory Talk.

We meander through the quintessentially Cotswold honey-toned stone villages of Broad Campden, Blockley to arrive at Lord Dulverton's Batsford House, once home to the infamous Mitford sisters. From the Arboretum we visit the Birds of Prey Centre where we watch owls, falcons and eagles put through their paces. After lunch we continue walking towards our hotel.

Today's walk takes us through the gently rolling hills to reach the famous Hidcote Manor Gardens, created by the American Lawrence Johnson almost 100 years ago. Here at the gardens, generally recognized as one of the world's greatest, we can stroll through the 19 'outdoor rooms' which make up this vast garden. We will be greeted by a local TV and radio garden expert who will answer any of your gardening questions. We return to the hotel on a different footpath or, for those who would rather spend time in a charming Cotswold village or visit the famous 200-year old folly, Broadway Tower, we can take to you to Chipping Campden after lunch at Hidcote. We continue to our next hotel for dinner in Bourton on the Water.

We set off to explore Stow-on-the-Wold ('where the wind blows cold') and then on through pretty Upper and Lower Slaughter. Their names are from the old word for the stream that links the two picture-postcard villages, rather than referring to any great massacre! A local farmer will tell us about Cotswold farming and introduce us to his sheep dog. After a pub lunch, we return to our hotel via a different route.

We leave the rural Cotswold hills and villages and head to historic Woodstock to walk through some of the Duke of Marlborough's 2,000 acres of parkland surrounding the awe-inspiring Blenheim Palace. We see the quiet village graveyard where Sir Winston Churchill is buried and, after a hearty pub lunch, head alongside the Thames to that 'city of dreaming spires', Oxford. We return to the 21st century when we arrive at our modern luxurious hotel where we dine this evening.

After breakfast, we set out on foot to explore this ancient center of learning, seeing aspects of both Town and Gown. We walk through the heart of the University and enjoy the views of the city spires from Christchurch meadow. Our route takes us through the university parks to our lunch at a secluded spot on the river. In the afternoon, we experiment with the traditional Oxford pastime of Punting, gliding along the river to an historic pub where we enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea. Our Farewell Dinner is held in one of the 38 prestigious colleges that make up the University.

You can depart from the hotel at your leisure; it is only a 5 minute taxi ride to Oxford Rail Station for onward connections.