Cotswolds - National Trails

Explore the 

Cotswolds 

by public transport 

l Places to see, things to do 

l Bus and train route maps 

l Great taster days out 

l Cotswold Way National Trail 

access points and route plan 

2012 

Save money with our new Cotswolds 

Discoverer bus and rail ticket - see page 8 

Check out our new online timetables at: 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk

Enjoy the Cotswolds 

This is the thirteenth issue of this popular and widely acclaimed series of 

‘Explore the Cotswolds’ guides. Published by the Cotswolds Conservation 

Board, they are designed to promote sustainable transport for visitors and 

the local community, using the network of trains and rural buses that serves 

most of the Cotswolds throughout the year. 

NEW online timetables accompany this guide covering the northern, central 

and southern parts of the Cotswolds, which can be viewed at: 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk 

Most of the Cotswolds can be reached using public transport, and travelling 

by bus and train is a great way to see more of the beautiful countryside and 

fascinating towns and villages of this area. 

The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is the largest of 

46 AONBs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland covering 2,038 sq km/787 

sq miles and is the second largest protected landscape in England after the 

Lake District National Park. 

The Cotswolds Conservation Board works to conserve and enhance the 

natural beauty of the Cotswolds as well as to increase understanding and 

enjoyment of the area. The Board’s Voluntary Wardens organise a programme 

of free guided walks throughout the area – look out for details in the 

Cotswold Lion newspaper or visit: www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk. 

The area attracts 

visitors all year round 

and is a fascinating 

place to explore. 

Charming villages, 

historic towns, 

impressive churches 

and rolling countryside. 

It is ideal for walking, 

cycling and riding with 

a mixture of short, 

circular and long 

distance paths, country 

roads and bridleways. 

Look out for locally 

produced goods including a wide range of food which you can buy from 

farmers’ markets and farm shops. You can choose from many local arts and 

crafts, and visit historic churches, country houses and glorious gardens. 

Further information: visit www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk for full details 

of walking, cycling and visiting the Cotswolds including downloadable routes, 

guided walks and events listing. 

Cotswolds Conservation Board 

Fosse Way, Northleach 

Gloucestershire GL54 3JH 

Tel: 01451 862000 Fax: 01451 862001 

Email: info@cotswoldsaonb.org.uk 

Website: www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk

Places to see, things to do 

This is a list of just some of the places to see and things to do in and around 

the Cotswolds AONB, when travelling by public transport. Contact Visitor 

Information Centres (listed in this guide on the final fold in page), or the 

place you want to visit, for more details including opening times. 

Find out more about attractions, places to visit and things to do in the 

Cotswolds AONB by visiting www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk 

These symbols are used on the following pages – 

Parks/gardens Special interest Historic house/building 

Museum 

Ancient site 

Refreshments Toilets Restaurant Gift/plant shop 

National Trust Wheelchair access Limited wheelchair access 

Colours of number circles relate to areas of the AONB and timetable 

information pages on www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk – 

Northern area Central area Southern area 

Numbers within circles refer to locations shown on maps. 

1 

Kiftsgate Court Garden – The gardens at Kiftsgate Court offer a wonderful 

combination of vivid colour and heady scent in the summer borders, 

gentle white blooms in the tranquil sunken garden, and a pretty foursquare 

garden edged with 

box. The gardens were 

planted in the late 19th 

and early 20th Centuries 

and continue to evolve. 

The bluebell wood is a 

breathtaking sight in early 

May. Getting there: nearest 

train station – Moreton-in- 

Marsh. Take the 21/22 bus, 

alight at Mickleton. 4.8km/3 

mile return walk to the 

gardens. www.kiftsgate. 

co.uk Chipping Campden, 

Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01386 438777. 

2 

Wellington Aviation – This small museum is dedicated to those who 

served or passed through RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, on the RAF bomber 

command courses. Memories are kept alive with the vast range of 

artefacts from the war years and beyond. Propellers and wheels are lined 

up outside the building, along with a casing tail section showing the 

Barnes Wallis designed geodetic structure responsible for the aircraft’s 

strength and ease of repair. 

Many ex-personnel call today for information on those who served there 

over sixty years ago. The museum has numerous prints for sale including 

a view of the market square on Normandy Embarkation day 1944. Getting 

there: 21/22, 23, 801 or 855 bus, alight at Moreton-in-Marsh. 

www.wellingtonaviation.org Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01608 650323. 

1

3 

Hidcote – Hidcote Manor Garden has its 

origins in the Arts and Crafts movement 

and is regarded as one of the most 

influential gardens of the 20th Century. It 

is designed as a series of outdoor rooms 

divided by clipped hedges and walls. 

Each area has its own character, whether 

devoted to a particular species, colour or 

mood, or as a profusion of cottage-style 

planting. Getting there: 21/22 bus, alight 

at Mickleton. 4.8km/3 mile return walk to 

the gardens (route is uphill and steep). 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote 

Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01386 438333. 

©NTPL/Paul Harris 

4 

Court Barn Museum – A celebration of the 

talented designers and craftspeople who 

have worked in Chipping Campden and 

the north Cotswolds since the beginning 

of the twentieth century. This is a story 

of the Arts and Crafts movement and its 

legacy. Find out how a small town became 

a gathering place for designers and 

craftspeople of national and international 

reputation, including C.R. Ashbee, Gordon 

Russell, Hart Silversmiths and Robert 

Welch. Events and exhibitions are held 

throughout the year. Getting there: 21/22/ 

608 bus, alight at Chipping Campden. 

www.courtbarn.org.uk Chipping 

Campden, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01386 

841951. 

5 

Mill Dene – RHS 

recommended. Mill Dene is 

an ancient Cotswold watermill 

surrounded by a 2.5 acre 

garden. The garden is in a little 

valley which follows a stream, 

passing willows and a grotto 

on its way. The terraces of the 

garden start at 500’ and rise to 

550’, from a Rose Walk passing 

a tiny cricket lawn to the Herb 

garden at the top. The village 

Church is the back drop to the garden. Lunches and teas can be enjoyed 

by the mill pond watching the trout and the kingfisher. Getting there: 

21/22 bus, alight at Blockley. www.milldenegarden.co.uk Moreton-in- 

Marsh, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01386 700457. 

6 

Sezincote House and Gardens – www.sezincote.co.uk 

Bourton-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01386 700444. 

7 

Broadway Tower – www.broadwaytower.co.uk 

Broadway, Worcestershire. Tel: 01386 852390. 

2

8 

Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Railway – www.gwsr.com 

Toddington, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01242 621405. 

9 

Hailes Abbey – www.english-heritage.org.uk 

Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01242 602398. 

10 

Winchcombe Folk and Police Museum – www.winchcombemuseum.org.uk 

Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01242 609151. 

11 

Winchcombe Railway Museum and Gardens – 

www.winchcomberailwaymuseum.co.uk Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01242 609305. 

12 

Sudeley Castle – www.sudeleycastle.co.uk Winchcombe, 

Gloucestershire. Tel: 01242 602308. 

13 

Cotswold Motoring Museum and Toy Collection – 

www.cotswold-motor-museum.co.uk Bourton-on-the-Water, 


14 

Model Village – www.theoldnewinn.co.uk Bourton-on-the-Water, 


15 

Birdland Park and Gardens – A natural setting on the River Windrush 

with over 500 birds from around the world and the only group of King 

Penguins in the UK. Flamingos, cranes, pelicans and storks can be seen 

in this natural water habitat, with over 50 

aviaries of parrots, hornbills, kookaburras, 

ibis and many more. Many form part of 

European breeding programmes. Visit the 

Desert House, Discovery Zone, Encounter 

Zone, Penguin Café, picnic areas, play areas 

and gift shop. 

The 2.5 acre Marshmouth Nature Reserve, 

supported by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, 

was opened this year. Otters and water voles 

inhabit the site and over 60 species of bird 

have been recorded. 

Get involved with special event days such 

as: Feed a Penguin/Keeper for the Day/Bird 

of Prey Days/Reptile Awareness Days/Meet 

a Keeper. 

Getting there: Alight at Bourton-on-the-Water 

via the 801 or 855 bus. A five minute walk. www.birdland.co.uk 

Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01451 820480. 

16 

Bourton Model Railway – www.bourtonmodelrailway.co.uk 

High Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01451 820686. 

3

17 

Dragonfly Maze – Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01451 822251. 

18 

Blenheim Palace – The 

birthplace of Sir Winston 

Churchill – a masterpiece 

of English Baroque 

architecture, designed by 

Sir John Vanbrugh. See 

gilded state rooms and 

the elegant Long Library. 

The Palace is set in 2,100 

acres of spectacular 

parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown and surrounded by sweeping 

lawns and formal gardens. Getting there: Take the S3 bus to the gates of 

Blenheim Palace on Hensington Road in Woodstock. Please ask the driver 

to identify the appropriate stop. The bus runs every 30 minutes. 

www.blenheimpalace.com Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Tel: 0800 849 6500. 

19 

Gloucester Cathedral – A warm 

welcome awaits you at Gloucester 

Cathedral. This glorious sacred 

space has been a place of Christian 

worship for over 1,300 years. It is 

one of the finest medieval buildings 

in the country, the burial place of 

royalty and the city’s main heritage 

attraction. 

Trace 1,000 years of architectural 

styles from Norman through 

Perpendicular to the present day, including magnificent stained glass, 

royal tombs, and the spectacular medieval fan-vaulted cloisters. Getting 

there: Take the 12/91, 14, 852 or 853 bus, alight at Gloucester. 

www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk College Green, Gloucester. Tel: 01452 528095. 

20 

Holst Birthplace Museum – The 

museum is a memorial to Holst, 

one of England’s most respected 

composers, best known for his work 

The Planets. The story of the man 

and his music is told alongside 

a fascinating display of personal 

belongings including his piano. It is 

one of only two composer birthplace 

museums in the country (the other 

being Elgar’s). Visitors may learn more of Holst’s life, his music, his 

family and friendships, whilst being reminded of domestic life at the end 

of the 19th Century. See website for opening hours. Getting there: located 

in the centre of Cheltenham which has many regular bus services. 

www.holstmuseum.org.uk Clarence Road, Cheltenham. Tel: 01242 524846. 

21 

The Bird and Deer Park, Prinknash – www.thebirdpark.co.uk Cranham, 


4

22 

Painswick Rococo Garden 

– The sole surviving garden 

in the English Rococo style. 

Planted as a flamboyant 

pleasure garden in the 

1740s the garden has 

been the subject of a 

remarkable restoration 

project. It features long 

vistas, geometric patterns 

and intriguing architectural 

garden structures. The woodland is carpeted with a spectacular 

display of snowdrops early in the year. Electric assist bikes 

available for hire to explore the surrounding Cotswolds 

countryside: www.painswickpedals.co.uk Getting there: Take 

the 46 bus, alight at Painswick. Just north of Painswick opposite 

Golf Course Lane, just off the Cotswold Way www.rococogarden.org.uk 

Painswick, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01452 813204. 

23 

Chedworth Roman Villa – www.nationaltrust.org.uk Yanworth, 

nr Northleach, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01242 890256. 

24 

Keith Harding’s World of Mechanical Music – 

www.mechanicalmusic.co.uk High Street, Northleach, Gloucestershire. 

Tel: 01451 860181. 

25 

Bibury Trout Farm – One of 

Britain’s oldest, and certainly 

most attractive, trout farms, 

spanning 15 acres in one of 

the most beautiful valleys 

in the Cotswolds, the Coln 

Valley. 

Children will delight in 

seeing the trout leap out of 

the water in their quest for 

food thrown by visitors – be 

careful not to get splashed! 

In the summer, our ‘Catch 

Your Own’ fishery is an ideal 

opportunity for the more adventurous of all ages to catch some supper 

or try a new hobby. 

A large variety of other wildlife can be seen – cygnets and ducklings are 

a very popular sight. Getting there: Take the 860, 861, 865 or 866 bus to 

Bibury, stops right outside. www.biburytroutfarm.co.uk 

Bibury, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01285 740215. 

26 

Cotswold Woollen Weavers – www.naturalbest.co.uk 

Filkins, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01367 860491. 

27 

Corinium Museum – www.cotswold.gov.uk/go/museum Cirencester, 


5

28 

Cirencester Park – www.cirencesterpark.co.uk Cirencester, 


Chavenage House – www.chavenage.com Tetbury, Gloucestershire. 

29 

Tel: 01666 502329. 

30 

Tetbury Police Museum – www.visittetbury.co.uk/police-museum 

Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01666 504670. 

31 

Cotswold Water Park – Britain’s 

largest water park with 140 lakes 

– lakeside nature walks, trails, 

bird watching, cycling, angling, 

sailing and swimming. Call into 

the Gateway Centre for local 

information and maps. Open 7 

days a week. Getting there: 51/151 

bus. Alight at South Cerney. 

www.waterpark.org 

Tel: 01793 752413. 

32 

Westonbirt Arboretum – www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt 

Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Tel: 01666 880220. 

33 

Abbey House Gardens – www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk Malmesbury, 

Wiltshire. Tel: 01666 822212. 

34 

Athelstan Museum – www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk 

Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Tel: 01666 829258. 

35 

Malmesbury Abbey – www.malmesburyabbey.com 

Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Tel: 01666 826666. 

36 

Dyrham Park – www.nationaltrust.org.uk Dyrham, nr Chippenham, 


37 

Chippenham Museum – www.chippenham.gov.uk 

Chippenham, Wiltshire. Tel: 01249 705020. 

38 Bath - Roman Baths – www.romanbaths.co.uk Tel: 01225 477785. 

39 

Prior Park Landscape Garden – www.nationaltrust.org.uk Bath. 

Tel: 01225 833422. 

40 

Barton Farm Country Park – www.wiltshire.gov.uk Bradford-on-Avon, 


6

Cotswold Way National Trail 

The Cotswold Way National Trail has 16 places where it is practical to start 

and finish your walk using public transport from nearby towns and covers 

just over 100 miles of quintessentially English countryside. 

The illustration below shows how the Cotswold Way is split across three 

areas in this booklet and on the new online timetables at 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk. 

Days out and short break information sheets for the trail are downloadable 

at www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Cotswold basing yourself in Bath, Stroud or 

Cheltenham, starting from and returning to these places. 

9.6km/6 miles 

10.5km/6.5 miles 

BROADWAY 

CHIPPING 

CAMPDEN 

Northern area 

Central 

area 




PAINSWICK 

CLEEVE HILL 

LECKHAMPTON 

KING’S STANLEY 

BIRDLIP 

WOOD STANWAY 

WINCHCOMBE 

9km/5.6 miles 

DOWDESWELL RESERVOIR 

9km/5.6 miles 




DURSLEY 


Southern area 

WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE 

HAWKESBURY UPTON 

TORMARTON 




COLD ASHTON 

BATH 

16.5km/10.2 miles 

7

TASTER DAY OUT – by bus/on foot 

A trip across the North Cotswolds 

Public transport makes it possible to spread an 

enjoyable and busy day across 

several centres in the north 

Cotswolds. 

Getting there: Allow a full day to give you 

adequate time to take in three to four towns 

and villages interlinked by the 801 and 855 

services operated by Pulhams Coaches (www. 

pulhamscoaches.com). This service is included 

within the Cotswolds Discoverer ticket – see 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/discoverer 

for more information. 

Attractions: Each town is individual and offers 

plenty to do. 

Walk: Circular walk of 7.3km/4.5 miles. Allow 

two hours. Easy with some stiles. 

Refreshments: Wide choice in main towns. 

THE 

Cotswolds 

Discoverer 

It’s just the ticket! 

Discover the beauty and attractions of the Cotswolds 

by bus and by train – and save money too! 

From just £10, you can enjoy unlimited* 

travel by bus and rail around the Cotswolds 

– one of the UK’s most beautiful landscapes. 

Adult 1-day: £10 (£8.30 with Railcard) 

Adult 3-day: £25 (£20 with Railcard) 

Half price for under 16s 

Tickets can be bought 

at any UK rail station 

and on participating 

bus services. 

* not valid on rail 

services before 08.50, 

Mondays to Fridays 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/discoverer 

8

WHAT YOU’LL SEE ON YOUR JOURNEY: 

You could start with coffee and a wander through Moreton-in-Marsh with its 

wide main street and pretty back lanes. Visit on a Tuesday and you have the 

added draw of a rich and lively market. The oldest building is said to be the 

16th-century Curfew tower which rang out over the High Street nightly until 

1860 to remind people of the risk of fire. 

A scenic bus ride gives the option to hop off in Stow-on-the-Wold or to carry 

on to Bourton-on-the-Water. The Windrush flowing through the centre 

makes Bourton the “Little Venice” of the Cotswolds, with ample shopping 

opportunities, coffee stops and eateries. Things to do include a model of the 

village as it was in 1937, a perfume factory, plus Birdland park and gardens. 

The surrounding countryside begs to be walked. The Jubilee Walk route 

suggested here takes you through the Greystones Farm Nature Reserve, 

allowing you via superb interpretation aids, to trace a story that stretches 

back 6,000 years when dense woodland was first cleared as pasture. Pressure 

for modern farming methods has been substantially resisted and you can 

enjoy glorious early summer flowers. 

The walk takes in the timeless village of Wyck Rissington with its long 

village green, pretty duck pond and 

church where composer Gustav Holst 

was resident organist at the age of 17. 

Back past the old Rissington corn mill, 

then skirt round lakes created by gravel 

extraction which are now popular for 

fishing and bird watching. 

A final short bus hop takes you on to 

Northleach. Once famous across Europe 

as a vibrant centre for the Cotswolds 

wool trade, it has a fine 15th century 

church built with stone from the local 

quarry, with carvings and memorial 

brasses telling the story of benefactors 

made rich by sheep. A collection of small 

independent shops offers everything from 

fresh bread and cakes, to specialist wines, 

fine quality meats and cheese. There are 

even dolls houses and music boxes in this 

calm little treasure of a town. 

For further details and a map of the walk mentioned here visit 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk and click on “walking”. 

See Northern area rail and bus timetables online at: 


9

TASTER DAY OUT – on foot 

Miles without stiles 

Badminton: woodland and parkland 

One of a series of Cotswolds walks to commemorate 

the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Walk the Duke 

of Beaufort’s estate, across a grassy airstrip and past 

castellated barns and cottages. 

7.5km/4.5 miles. Allow 2.5 hours. Grade: a gentle climb and descent of 

60m/200ft but parts may be muddy. 

Getting there: bus no. 41 (Andybus & Coach), frequent daily service 

between Malmesbury and Yate. Alight at Badminton (near Chipping 

Sodbury). 

Attractions: two very small castles, the distinctive Slait Lodge, Little 

Badminton church, Badminton Park estate and deer park and Park Pond, 

amongst a wealth of other sights. 

Refreshments: Drinks, ices and snacks can be purchased at Badminton 

village post office where you start your walk (closed on Sundays). 


Begin at the post office and take the 

road out of the village towards Little 

Badminton. Pass the distinctive Slait 

Lodge, walk alongside the wood and 

towards a distant black and white barn. 

It is the hangar of the landing strip used 

for the Badminton Horse Trials, held 

every spring. 

Climb briefly and head onto a signed 

bridleway – this takes you to Seven Mile 

Plantation. Go through trees, follow a 

permissive bridleway, pass bird boxes 

and in spring a wealth of woodland 

flowers. 

Go past a farm and head into Little 

Badminton. The churchyard is large but 

the church is small. Follow round the 

rough green and an old dovecote, past a small pumping station. 

Just before Upper Slait Lodge head into Badminton Park. It is a deer park so 

dogs should be on a lead. Carry on up the hill and you’ll see Park Pond, with 

a glimpse of the big house beyond. 

Approaching a lodge with a crest, carry on between stables and farm 

buildings to the estate office, and then head back to the post office. 



See Southern area rail and bus timetables online at: 


10

Taster day out – on foot 

A walk from Marshfield 

Marshfield is one of those often unexplored villages in 

the south Cotswolds where turning off the main road 

for a well earned break in the small centre can be really 

rewarding – and a great opportunity for a walk. 

Getting there: bus no. 

635 (Faresaver) regularly 

operates between 

Bristol and Chippenham 

– see the Southern 

timetable pages of 

escapetothecotswolds. 

org.uk, visit 

www.traveline.org.uk 

or call 0871 200 2233. 

Attractions: An historic 

village where all the stone houses in the High Street are over 100-yearsold 

and with parish church from the Middle Ages. 

Walks – 4km (2.5 miles), 5.6km (3.5 miles) or 7.2km (4.5 miles). Easy in the 

town, steep in places beyond. 

Refreshments: Take a break at one of the popular local inns or at the 

Sweet Apples tea shop. 


The A420 by-pass that skirts Marshfield gives it an essentially peaceful 

High Street with a small selection of local traders – everything from a 

homewares shop to householders offering free range duck eggs. 

Start at the church which was restored in the 1880s to celebrate Queen 

Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Admire in particular some 130 hassocks made 

by villagers over a period of ten years. Going west, you will pass the old 

National School which was built in 1861, and eight almshouses dating 

from the early 1600s and incorporating a small chapel. 

From here, you can follow bridleways south down the picturesque valley 

and take your pick from return journeys to give you total walking distances 

of about 4km (2.5 miles), 5.6km (3.5 miles) or 7.2km (4.5 miles). 

If you want to go a bit further outside the village, you might be tempted 

by two establishments that have earned it wide fame. Marshfield Bakery 

(near the M4) sends its speciality cakes and biscuits across the UK and 

beyond, and has a shop. The nearby family-run Marshfield Ice Cream 

might tempt you with 26 flavours all produced from its own dairy herd. 

But farm visits need to be organised in groups so ring first (01225 891221). 

You can also buy your ice cream in the village. 



See Southern area rail and bus timetables online at: 


11

Northern bus routes 

18 

For the latest timetable information and route maps, go to www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk 

BUSES Route Operator Frequency 

C1 Charlbury Milton-under-Wychwood RH Transport ] 

S1/NS1/S2/NS2 Oxford Carterton Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

S3 Oxford Charlbury Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

X8 Chipping Norton Ascott-under-Wychwood RH Transport ]D 

X9 Witney Chipping Norton RH Transport ]]] 

21/22/23 Stratford-upon-Avon Moreton-in-Marsh Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel ]] 

50/50A Stratford-upon-Avon Banbury Stagecoach in Warwickshire ]] 

233 Witney Milton-under-Wychwood Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

233 (route extension - Sundays only) Milton-under-Wychwood Chipping Norton Stagecoach Oxfordshire ] 

488/489 Banbury Chipping Norton Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

527 Cheltenham Gotherington Pulhams Coaches ]]] 

540 Cheltenham Evesham Veolia Transport/Astons ]]] 

559 Willersey Evesham Castleways ]] 

606 Cheltenham Willersey Castleways ]] 

801 Moreton-in-Marsh Cheltenham Pulhams Coaches ]] 

853 Oxford Gloucester Swanbrook Coaches ] 

855 Moreton-in-Marsh Cirencester/Kemble Pulhams Coaches ]] 

12 

Frequency – Monday to Saturday daytime: ]]] Frequent (one or more buses per hour per day) ]] Regular (buses every one to three hours per day) 

] Infrequent (three or less buses per day) D = Also operates as a demand responsive service at times 

trains

Northern bus & train route map 

Buses and trains 

to Worcester 

For the latest timetable information and route 

maps, go to www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk 

Broadway 

A beautiful village, 

typical of the area. 

Charles II and 

Cromwell rested at 

the Lygon Arms 

4 

Moreton-in-Marsh 

An ancient market 

town with a wide 

market street 

7 

11 

Blockley 

5 

Stow-on-the-Wold 

Highest of the 

Cotswold towns 

with an impressive 

market square 

6 

Chipping Norton 

An old wool town with 17th 

Century stone buildings. Look out 

for the Guildhall windows with 

their Tudor origins. Beautiful 

church – St Mary’s 

12 

Warden’s Way and The 

Windrush Way 

Two excellent walks between 

Winchcombe and Bourtonon-the-Water 

Charlbury 

A rural town, small 

museum. Brunel railway 

station. Once a centre of 

the glove making industry 

15 

18 

Northleach 

An ancient wool town. 

Some cottages date 

from the 17th Century. 

Beautiful wool church 

TO CIRENCESTER 

Bourton-on-the- 

Water 

Beside the River 

Windrush with its 

five bridges 

1 

2 

Key 

Access to the Cotswold 

Way National Trail 

Kiftsgate Court Garden 

Wellington Aviation 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

Hidcote 

Court Barn Museum 

Mill Dene Garden 

Sezincote House and 

Gardens 

Broadway Tower 

8 

9 

10 

11 

Gloucestershire- 

Warwickshire Railway 

Hailes Abbey 

Winchcombe Folk and 

Police Museum 

Winchcombe Railway 

Museum and Garden 

12 

13 

14 

15 

Sudeley Castle 

Cotswold Motoring 

Museum and Toy 

Collection 

Model Village 

Birdland Park and 

Gardens 

16 

17 

18 

Bourton Model Railway 

Dragonfly Maze 

Blenheim Palace 

13 

14

Taster day out – on foot 

Tetbury town and country 

It’s hard not to be tempted by all that historic Tetbury 

has to offer. This walk takes in both the elegant town 

and a swathe of the lush surrounding countryside. 

Getting there by bus: easily accessible by bus no. 881 (Cotswold Green) 

from Cirencester or bus no. 29 (Cotswold Green) from Yate – see the 

Southern timetable pages of escapetothecotswolds.org.uk, visit 

www.traveline.org.uk or call 0871 200 2233. 

Attractions: An old woollen town noted for its architectural interest and 

dominated by one of the tallest spires in the country. 

Walk: 5.7km/3.5 miles. Allow two hours. Grade: easy with short climbs 

and some stiles. 

Refreshments: A wide selection of offerings in Tetbury. 

What you’ll see on 

your journey: 

The walk starts in the 

centre of the town 

at the local icon, the 

Market Hall which 

dates from 1655 and 

has served as a market 

place, fire station and 

gaol. On its roof is a 

cupola containing a 

bell surmounted by a 

weather vane featuring 

a pair of dolphins 

which has become the 

unofficial coat of arms 

for the town. 

Take in the wider atmosphere of the town with its distinctive curving 

streets and fascinating Jacobean and Elizabethan facades by diverting 

briefly down Long Street. The Tetbury Police Museum is worth a visit. 

Back on the walk route, you will come to old weavers’ cottages along the 

graceful flight of Chipping Steps where the unemployed used to offer their 

services at Mop Fairs. Striking out on the walk route past allotments into 

open countryside takes you steadily upwards to a point where you can 

best appreciate the graceful spire on the parish church which dates from 

medieval times and was beautifully restored in the 1990s. 

If you have more time to spare, Westonbirt Arboretum is three miles south 

of Tetbury and has one of the largest collections of trees and shrubs in the 

world. 



See Central and Southern area rail and bus timetables online at: 


15

Central bus routes 


Buses Route Operator Frequency 

12/91 Gloucester Dursley Stagecoach in Gloucester ]]] 

14 Gloucester Stroud Stagecoach in Gloucester ]]] 

20 Stroud Uley Stagecoach in the Cotswolds ]]] 

40 Stroud Wotton-under-Edge Cotswold Green ]] 

46 Cheltenham Nailsworth Stagecoach in Gloucester ]]] 

51 Cheltenham Cirencester/Swindon Stagecoach in Swindon ]]] 

54/54A Stroud Cirencester Cotswold Green ]] 

74/77 Swindon Lechlade/Cirencester APL Travel ]] 

93 Cirencester Malmesbury Andybus ]]] 

210 Dursley Cam & Dursley Station Cotswold Green ]] 

224 Bristol Dursley Mikes Travel ]] 

309/310/311 Bristol Dursley First in Bristol ]] 

504 Wotton-under-Edge Stroud Stagecoach in the Cotswolds ]] 

801 Cheltenham Moreton-in-Marsh Pulhams Coaches ]] 

852 Gloucester Cirencester Pulhams Coaches ]] 

853 Oxford Gloucester Swanbrook ] 

854 Cirencester Yanworth/Winson Pulhams Coaches ] 

855 Bourton-on-the-Water Kemble Pulhams Coaches ]] 

865 Lechlade Cirencester APL Travel ] 

881 Cirencester Tetbury Cotswold Green ] 

16 


] Infrequent (three or less buses per day) 

Trains

Central bus & train route map 



Frequent trains and buses 

between Gloucester and 

Cheltenham 

TO WORCESTER 

Painswick 

Queen of the 

Cotswolds – 15th 

Century church 

with 99 yew 

trees. Originally 

a wool town and 

centre for cloth 

dyeing 

22 

21 

27 28 

23 

25 

24 

Bibury 

Visit Arlington Row, a group 

of 17th-Century weavers’ 

houses. Exceptionally 

beautiful church, part Saxon 

Burford 

An ancient wool town on 

the River Windrush. Visit the 

Norman and Gothic church. 

Tolsey Museum of local 

history in the 16th Century 

merchants’ meeting place 

26 

29 

Tetbury 

Busy, charming old 

wool town. Antiques 

centre, specialist 

cheese shops 

TO MALMESBURY 

Cirencester 

Capital of the Cotswolds 

and the second largest city 

in Roman Britain. Visit the 

Corinium museum. Fine 

parish church, the largest in 

Gloucestershire. Cirencester 

Park has 3,000 acres of 

parkland, woodland and 

farms 

Key 

Access to the Cotswold Way 

National Trail 

Access to the Thames Path 


19 

20 

21 

22 

Gloucester Cathedral 

Holst Birthplace Museum 

The Bird and Deer Park, 

Prinknash 

Painswick Rococo Garden 

23 

24 

Chedworth Roman Villa 

Keith Harding’s World of 

27 

28 

Mechanical Music 

25 Bibury Trout Farm 

29 

26 Cotswold Woollen Weavers 

Corinium Museum 

Cirencester Park 

Chavenage House 

17 18

Taster day out – by bike 

Northleach Hazleton on and off-road 

This cycle ride takes you around the high wold with 

its open fields and secret valleys. It also dips down 

into the upper Leach and Coln valleys giving you 

both contrasting landscapes and good descents, 

plus ascents too! Please try to get to it on your bike if 

possible. 

5.63km/16.5 miles, shorter mini 

ride also available. Grade: varied 

- sections on and off road, can 

be muddy when wet, with good 

ascents/descents. 

Getting there: easily accessible by 

bus no. 801 or 855 (Pulhams Coaches) 

or 853 (Swanbrook) although you 

will need to double check if they 

are happy to carry bicycles – see 

the Central timetable pages of 

escapetothecotswolds.org.uk, visit 

www.traveline.org.uk or call 0871 

200 2233. 

Attractions: Escape to the Cotswolds discovery centre, open fields, secret 

valleys, great views, bridleways, woods, dry stone walls and some great 

off roading. 

Refreshments: many excellent places to eat, drink and rest along the 

way. 

You can cover a fair bit of ground in a ride and still find the secret places 

inaccessible to cars and public transport. It’s also great fun! You may find 

you have to get off for short stretches. 

Please wear a helmet and be aware of changing conditions. Off-road 

riding is much easier in frozen or dry conditions than when the mud is 

wet, but not necessarily more fun! Riding a bicycle is permitted on public 

roads, byways, restricted byways and bridleways but not footpaths, please 

be considerate of other users. 

What you’ll see on your journey: 

A circular route, starting from the ‘Escape to the Cotswolds’ discovery 

centre at the Old Police Station, Northleach, passing through Turkdean, 

Cold Aston, Notgrove, Hazleton, Compton Abdale, Yanworth and back 

to Northleach. There is a shorter mini loop by taking a cut through on 

a restricted byway between Turkdean and Hazleton which is not only a 

good ride in its own right, but it creates an almost completely off road ride 

when combined with the northern loop. 

For detailed downloadable map and directions, visit: 

www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk and click on ‘Cycling & Riding’. 

See Central area rail and bus timetables online at: 


19

Southern bus routes 


Buses Route 

27 Tetbury Old Sodbury Cotswold Centre for Voluntary Services ] 

29 Yate Tetbury/Stroud Cotswold Green ]] 

41 Swindon Malmesbury/Yate Andybus ]] 

51 Cheltenham Cirencester/Swindon Stagecoach in Swindon ]]] 

79 Bath Marshfield Faresaver ] 

84/86 Yate Wotton-under-Edge Wessex Connect ]]] 

91 Malmesbury Chippenham AD-Rains Coaches ]] 

92/93 Chippenham Cirencester Andybus ]]] 

210 Dursley Cam & Dursley Station Cotswold Green ]] 

20 


620 Old Sodbury Bath Wessex Connect ]] 

626 Bristol Dursley Wessex Connect ]] 

634 Wick Tormarton Faresaver ] 

635 Bristol Chippenham Faresaver ]] 

881 Cirencester Tetbury Cotswold Green ]] 


] Infrequent (three or less buses per day) 

Trains

Southern bus & train route map 



Dursley 

Busy market town 

with good walking 

opportunities and on 

the Cotswold Way 

Wotton-under-Edge 

A busy town and former centre 

for the woollen industry. 

Heritage centre 

Tetbury 

Busy, charming 

old wool town. 

Antiques centre, 

specialist cheese 

shops 

30 

31 

32 

33 34 

35 

TO SWINDON 

Westonbirt 

Year round 

delight from 

bluebells in 

the Spring to 

Autumn fire 

in the maple 

glade 

36 

Key 





37 

30 

31 

Tetbury Police Museum 

Cotswold Water Park 

32 

Westonbirt Arboretum 

33 

Abbey House Gardens 

34 

Athelstan Museum 

Frequent buses and 

trains between Bristol 

and Bath 

Bath 

A beautiful 

city and World 

Heritage site – visit 

Prior Park with its 

own bus link 

38 

39 

Bradford-on-Avon 

Attractive riverside 

town. Ancient bridge 

over the Avon. Historic 

Tithe Barn 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

Malmesbury Abbey 

Dyrham Park 

Chippenham Museum 

Roman Baths 

Prior Park Landscape Garden 

Barton Farm Country Park 

21 

40 

22

Gateways to the Cotswolds by bus, train & coach 


Buses Route Operator Frequency 

FROM WORCESTERSHIRE 

540 Evesham Cheltenham Veolia Transport ]]] 

550/551 Worcester Evesham First Wyvern ]]] 

559 Willersey Evesham Castleways ]] 

FROM WARWICKSHIRE 

21/22/23 Stratford-upon-Avon Moreton-in-Marsh Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel ]] 

801 Moreton-in-Marsh Cheltenham Pulhams Coaches ]] 

16/X17 Coventry Stratford-upon-Avon Stagecoach in Warwickshire ]]] 

FROM OXFORDSHIRE 

S1/NS1/S2/NS2 Oxford Carterton Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

X8 Chipping Norton Milton-under-Wychwood RH Transport ]D 

50/50A Banbury Stratford-upon-Avon Stagecoach in Warwickshire ]] 

853 Oxford Gloucester Swanbrook Coaches ] 

X9 Witney Chipping Norton RH Transport ]]] 

233 Witney Milton-under-Wychwood Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

S3 Oxford Charlbury Stagecoach Oxfordshire ]]] 

C1 Charlbury Milton-under-Wychwood RH Transport ] 

FROM WILTSHIRE 

41 Swindon Malmesbury/Yate Andybus ]] 

51 Swindon Cirencester/Cheltenham Stagecoach in Swindon ]]] 

74/77 Swindon Lechlade/Cirencester APL Travel ]] 

FROM BRISTOL, BATH AND SURROUNDING AREAS 


620 Bath Old Sodbury Wessex Connect ]] 

27 Old Sodbury Tetbury Cotswold Centre for Voluntary Services ] 

FROM GLOUCESTERSHIRE 

54/54A Stroud Cirencester Cotswold Green ]] 

210 Cam & Dursley Stn Dursley Cotswold Green ]] 

606 Cheltenham Broadway Castleways ]] 

852 Gloucester Cirencester Pulhams Coaches ]] 

855 Kemble Bourton-on-the-Water Pulhams Coaches ]] 

12/91 Gloucester Dursley Stagecoach in Gloucester ]]] 


] Infrequent (three or less buses per day) D = Also operates as a demand responsive service at times 

TrainS 

LONG DISTANCE COACHES – NATIONAL Express 

NX403 London Victoria Coach Station/Heathrow to Bath via Chippenham 

NX444/NX445 London Victoria Coach Station/Heathrow to Cheltenham, Gloucester and Hereford via Cirencester 

23 

24

Gateways to the Cotswolds by bus, train & coach 



Trains to/from Birmingham 

New Street, Birmingham 

Snow Hill and Hereford 

Trains to/from Birmingham Moor 

Street and Birmingham Snow Hill 

Trains to/from Birmingham 

New Street and Bristol 

Trains to/from 

Cardiff Central 

Bibury 

Trains to/from London 

Paddington, Birmingham 

New Street, Reading and 

Southampton 

Trains to/from 

Exeter, Cardiff, 

Birmingham 

and London 

Paddington 

Trains to/from Bristol Temple 

Meads, London Paddington, 

Weymouth, Dorchester and Yeovil 

Trains to/from London 

Paddington and Bristol 

Key 




National Trail

Enjoy the Cotswolds 

Visitor Information Centres 

Information centres in and around the Cotswolds can provide details 

about cycle hire, horse riding, guided coach and walking tours, caravan and 

campsites and other accommodation. Note: some smaller centres may 

close during the winter months and in some instances queries are handled 

by the local authority. 

Banbury Tel: 01295 753752 

Bath Tel: 0906 711 2000 

(calls charged at 60p per minute) 

Bourton-on-the-Water 

Tel: 01451 820211 

Bradford-on-Avon Tel: 01225 865797 

Broadway Tel: 01386 852937 

Burford Tel: 01993 823558 

Cheltenham Tel: 01242 522878 

Chippenham Tel: 01249 665970 

Chipping Campden 

Tel: 01386 841206 

Chipping Norton Tel: 01993 813276 

Chipping Sodbury Tel: 01454 888686 

Cirencester Tel: 01285 654180 

Evesham Tel: 01386 446944 

Gloucester Tel: 01452 396572 

Malmesbury Tel: 01666 823748 

Youth Hostels 

Moreton-in-Marsh 

Tel: 01608 650881 

Nailsworth Tel: 01453 839222 

Oxford Tel: 01865 252200 

Painswick Tel: 07503 516924 

(Summer only) or 01453 760900 

Stratford-upon-Avon 

Tel: 01789 268826 

Stroud Tel: 01453 760960 

or 01453 760900 

Stow-on-the-Wold 

Tel: 01451 870150 

Tetbury Tel: 01666 503552 

Tewkesbury Tel: 01684 855040 

Winchcombe Tel: 01242 602925 

Witney Tel: 01993 775802 

Woodstock Tel: 01993 813276 

Wotton-under-Edge 

Tel: 01453 521541 

Hostels are located in Bath, Oxford, Stow-on-the-Wold and Stratfordupon-Avon. 

For full details contact the Youth Hostel Association, 

tel: 0870 870 8808, website: www.yha.org.uk

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 

The Cotswolds is one of the most beautiful areas of England, known and 

loved by people across the world. Its distinctive golden buildings and stone 

walls, rolling grasslands, beech woods and captivating villages make it an 

outstanding landscape. 

Visit ‘Escape to the Cotswolds’, the discovery centre for the Cotswolds Area 

of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Located in The Old Prison on the A429 at 

Northleach. Open April to October, Wednesdays to Saturdays and Bank 

Holidays, 11am to 4pm. FREE admission. 

The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 

WORCESTER 

WINCHCOMBE 

MORETON 

-IN-MARSH 

BOURTON-ON 

-THE-WATER 

Online information 

available for: 

Cotswolds Conservation Board, Fosse Way, 

Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54 3JH 

Tel: 01451 862000 Fax: 01451 862001 

Email: info@cotswoldsaonb.org.uk 

Website: www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk 

Front cover & inside front cover images: copyright Nick Turner 

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this booklet but the 

Cotswolds Conservation Board can accept no responsibility for accidents, losses, delays or 

difficulties resulting from the use of the information in this guide. 

Design/production: www.publicityproject.co.uk 

CotsAONB/05.12/7.6k

Cotswolds - National Trails

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