THE COTSWOLDS
England’s spiritual heart is here in the beautiful villages, stately homes, wildflower lanes and lush hills. Enjoy tourist honeypots with their well-heeled incomers – Bourton, Burford, Chipping Campden – and quiet olde-worlde villages like Kingham or the Slaughters. Our base is Moreton-in-Marsh, with town facilities, mainline trains, gastropubs and accommodation.
ROUTE ONE
Village vibes 62 miles Rolling climbs in picture-postcard scenery Following parts of National Cycle Network routes 48, 442 and 57, this day of short sharp climbs (total 4000ft) and descents takes you through some of the Cotswolds’ loveliest towns and villages (haunted Minster Lovell, Naunton, Lower Slaughter and so on) on back lanes. Bourton’s your tea stop. Get the route tinyurl.com/cplus-villages
ROUTE TWO
Scenic drama 62 miles A leisurely spin through Shakespeare country After a stiff morning climb and descent by stunning Broadway and its tower, this route – with bits of NCN 41, 5 and 48 – levels out to a lovely run up to Stratford (with some surfaced railtrail) and back. All’s well that ends well! Get the route tinyurl.com/cplus-shakespeare
ROUTE THREE
Pocket Cotswolds 27 miles Culture and countryside Nowhere’s flat in the Cotswolds, but nowhere’s dull. Two spicy climbs halfway, but short distances mean time to explore history (Chastleton House), villages (Kingham), poetry (Adlestrop)... And cream teas. Lazy option: hourly trains run between Kingham and Moreton. Get the route tinyurl.com/cplus-pocket