Visit Bourton on the Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is famous for its honey-coloured stone architecture and idyllic village scenes. It is a vibrant village, buzzing with many community groups, Local Events and great small businesses.
Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops, restaurants, cafes and tea rooms. Or simply the space for you to enjoy some pleasurable time engrossed by the movement of the sparkling waters of the River Windrush, spanned by its five arched bridges.
Things to do:
Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum
The Cotswold Motoring Museum is a fascinating journey through the 20th century that the whole family can enjoy. The Museum is bulging with great cars, quaint caravans, precarious motorcycles and an intriguing collection of motoring curiosities.
Cotswold Motoring Museum is open 10am – 6pm, seven days a week from mid-February to early December. Please visit the museum website for the latest admission prices. Great value family tickets available.
Greystones Nature Reserve Home to the wildflower meadows
Open to public all year round with a free entry, Greystones is home to wildflower meadows, Iron Age ramparts, a replica Iron Age roundhouse, working organic farm, and an interactive Discovery Barn. Situated just 300m from the main car park in Bourton, it provides very easy access. Need a break from your explorations or a place to meet friends and family to relax? Why not enjoy lunch, afternoon tea, or a cuppa and slice of cake in the Greystones courtyard café.
The Model Village:
A one-ninth scaled replica of the village containing all the buildings from the Old Water Mill (now the Car Museum) down to the Old New Inn and the ford.
The village was created by a previous landlord of the Old New Inn, taking local craftsmen five years to build. It was officially opened on the Coronation Day of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother) in 1937. The village is such an accurate replica of Bourton-on-the-Water that is has a flowing river with water wheel, two singing churches and even a model village within the Model Village.
Cotswold Brewing Company – A Tour and Tasting Experience:
A family owned and run business was established in 2005, brewing modern Craft keg beers using traditional methods. The craft brewery is open to the public every weekend and for occasional week day tours which need to be booked in advance; Booking can be made on the website or by calling 01451 824488.
Pains Wick
This historic wool town, known as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’, is one of the finest and best-preserved Cotswold towns surrounded by some of the most gorgeous countryside
New Street contains the oldest building in England to house a Post Office, the country’s oldest bowling green and the famous parish church of St. Mary sitting amongst 99 yew trees – this is one of the most memorable churchyards in the country.
The world famous Rococo Gardens, Painswick Beacon and the picturesque villages of Sheepscombe, Edge and Slad are all within a mile or two of the centre.
Things to do:
Painswick Rocco Garden:
This unique garden was designed in 1740’s an English country gentleman’s pleasure garden, a place for holding intimate garden parties, the Garden is now the country’s only complete surviving rococo garden. The garden is famous for its snowdrops in the winter.
You can drink in the vista from the Eagle House, sit in the Doric seat, climb the narrow steps to the octagonal Pigeon House and have your photo taken in the Gothic Alcove.
There are beautifully-framed views throughout the year, the chance to battle to find the centre of the unusual maze – and of course delicious homemade food in the cosy cafe afterwards.
Tickets for this gorgeous garden can be purchased online on their website.
Parish Church of St. Mary
A medieval church with tower of 14 bells, and over 300 embroidered kneelers depicting biblical scenes, local scenes, animals, birds and memorials to local people.
The two acre churchyard is particularly fine with a splendid collection of 17 and 18C tombs and in their midst is a large pyramid tomb. The churchyard is famous for its yew trees, alleged to be 99 in number with legend declaring that if a 100th were planted the devil would destroy it.
The church is free for admission.
The Falcon Painswick
Its a beautiful Georgian townhouse based in the heart of historic pains wick. It has stunning, newly renovated characterful rooms. This place is the ideal cotswold retreat. Weather you stay a night or or more, you leave completely rejuvenated.