The Most Scenic Cotswolds Drives

The Cotswolds is a slow drive, with all the amber-stone villages and rolling hills, those little lanes that look like postcards. Plan a day out and get the best views from these scenic drives without spending all day behind the wheel.

1) Bourton-on-the-Water to Stow-on-the-Wold

Bourton for riverside photos, back roads to Stow. This route is a short drive but encapsulates the Cotswolds – dry-stone walls, sheep fields and big skies. Once you get there, just park your car and start walking around. For Cotswolds Guided Tours, contact //cotswoldtour.co.uk/cotswolds-private-tours/classic-cotswolds-guided-tour

2) Stow-on-the-Wold to Broadway (inc Snowshill)

Perfect if you want a basic, link-detour village. Snowshill is calmer than the headline spots, and Broadway makes a beautiful approach into it. If you’re looking for a viewpoint, consider adding Broadway Tower.

3) Cirencester to Bibury (and Burford)

In Cirencester, you are afforded an accessible entry point with a café and parking facilities in which to start. From there, trot over to Bibury for Arlington Row and then on to Burford, stopping in some shops with a proper pub stop.

Some super tricks for a relaxed ride:

On summer weekends, do not bike the paths during peak times (late morning to mid-afternoon).

Plan for narrower lanes and drive the speed limit (or slower) with side mirrors retracted.

Ensure you also plan in little ‘parking breaks’ to rest, but allow the day not to just pass by in a blur of windscreen views.