United Kingdom

Cotswolds - Bourton-on-the-Water

Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

5 days

Prices from

£1,025 P.P.

E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

This tour is well-suited to both regular bikes and pedal assist e-bikes, and you can choose to hire either when you book your tour with us. Confident cyclists will enjoy the boost from a battery for those cheeky climbs, and with less effort required on the bike, you’ll have more energy at the end of the day for off-the-bike activities. You may choose to hire an e-bike on a group or supported tour but bear in mind that the pace will be set to riders without an e-bike.

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5
As quintessentially English as countryside comes, the Cotswolds are a great destination to explore by bike. Meandering lanes and rolling hills offer up the perfect location for this cycling holiday. Picturesque villages, historic churches and thatched cottages make this holiday one not to miss if you're looking to take in some picture post-card views. 
Staying at historic Harrington House, you will enjoy beautiful rolling countryside and picturesque golden stone villages on our leisurely rides.
There is a delight around every corner, and beautiful architecture which spans the centuries: from Tudor through to Georgian and beyond, all to be found in charming market towns along the way.
Over the course of three rides from our base in Bourton-on-the Water, we’ll really get to take in all that the Cotswolds have to offer - heading south for a loop to the wool-working centre of Bibury, north to the timeless towns of Winchcombe and Broadway, and east through the delightful Stow-on the Wold.
Cycling in the Cotswolds is not without its challenges, but for every short climb, there are beautiful views across the rolling and unspoilt ‘wolds’.
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Holiday Highlights

  • Staying at Harrington House, a comfortable HF Country House in the centre of picturesque Bourton-on-the-Water
  • Three days guided cycling with an experienced leader
  • Enjoying leisurely rides through beautiful rolling countryside
  • Visiting the famous Cotswold market town of Stow-on-the-Wold
  • Visiting the historic village of Bibury, famous for its stone cottages which once housed weavers
  • Cycling through beautiful chocolate box villages

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Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival Bourton-on-the-Water
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  • Meals: Dinner

Today is set aside to allow you to arrive into Bourton-on-the-Water at your convenience. You will meet your leader and the rest of the group, and enjoy a leisurely evening meal at Harrington House.

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Day 2
Bibury Loop
27 Miles / 43 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 490 Metres Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Ascent: 490 Metres Approx.

Our first ride takes us south via the village of Northleach, with its lovely wool church, to the peaceful Coln valley. The key attraction here is the much photographed village of Bibury, whose honey-coloured 17th century stone houses are typical of the area’s rustic settlements.

In the Middle Ages, the Cotswolds were known for the quality of wool produced in the area, and many merchants became rich, building many impressive houses and churches as signs of their wealth. Bibury was built to house cloth weavers who supplied woolen cloth for nearby mills and was described by William Morris as “the most beautiful village in England”, a bold claim you can verify yourself!

Your return to Bourton-on-the-Water is equally picturesque, as you pass through more chocolate box villages and ride past stately homes.

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Day 3
Adlestrop and Stow-on-the-Wold
31 Miles / 50 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 575 Metres Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Ascent: 575 Metres Approx.

Today we’ll head east, crossing the Cotswolds to Shipton-under-Wychwood in the Evenlode Valley. We’ll continue north, passing the sleepy quaint village of Kingham to the village of Adlestrop, made famous by Edward Thomas’ poem.

After lunch in another of the Cotswolds’ picturesque villages surrounded by honey-coloured cottages, we ride into the charming market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, renowned for its independent shops and cafés, and the impressive St Edward’s medieval-built Church.

Our final stop on today’s ride is in the small but characterful village of Lower Slaughter, situated on the upper reaches of the River Eye. It’s well worth a visit to the 19th-century water mill with an undershot waterwheel, surrounded by limestone cottages on the banks of the gently flowing river. With our ride nearly complete, its only a short distance along the back roads to Bourton-on-the-Water.

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Day 4
Winchcombe & Broadway
35 Miles / 56 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 690 Metres Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Ascent: 690 Metres Approx.

Today is a slightly longer day in the saddle with a bit more climbing, but you’ll be raring to go by now! We’ve got a great ride planned, that takes us into villages off the beaten track as well as the well-known villages of Winchcombe, Broadway and Snowshill, and many more interesting places to explore along the way.

A hilly start, up and then down to Sudeley Castle for our coffee stop is followed by a flatter ride from Winchcombe, passing through the beautiful grounds of Stanway Estate, riding along the base of the Cotswold escarpment, but it’s not long before we’re climbing again, up to the quaint village of Snowshill for lunch. We then follow quiet roads and a ride down our well-earned descent back to Harrington House in Bourton-on-the-Water. You might want to go for a final ice cream or relax with a drink on the banks of the river watching the world go by before our final meal together.

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Day 5
Departure Bourton-on-the-Water
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  • Meals: Breakfast

Today we’ll have a leisurely breakfast together, and with plenty of miles in our legs and memories made, you’ll set off on your onward journeys home.

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Understanding Profiles

Use these profiles to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • Ascent / Descent in metres (vertical axis)

Click 'see gradient' to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • % Gradient (vertical axis)

Please check the scales on both graphs, and both axes as they both may differ from day to day.

White vertical lines indicate unpaved sections or slightly rougher terrain. Using both graphs, alongside the grading and terrain information provided, will give you a full picture of how flat, bumpy or steep the climbing on your particular tour is going to be. Please keep in mind this is an indicative guide and GPS units and software produce different statistical information.

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The Cycling

Terrain

The Cotswolds is renowned for an extensive network of rolling country lanes and whilst we do occasionally have to cross slightly busier roads, the only times we really venture off the quiet lanes are when we visit some of the region’s lovely small towns and villages or when our route takes us onto occasional designated cycle paths.

The rural lanes are often very narrow but are, when away from the towns and villages, generally low on traffic, making for a peaceful and relaxed riding experience.

Whilst the roads can be described as “mainly rolling” our routes do take in occasional steeper climbs but these are few and far between and are never particularly lengthy.

It is possible to use an e-bike on this holiday. Although there are no significant climbs or long passes on the route, an e-bike could be beneficial to get you up some of the short, steep climbs if you are after a bit of a boost. Please note, e-bikes are generally heavier than standard bikes, so it is worth considering when handling the bike over any rough / uneven terrain.

For more information about riding an electric bike on our holidays please click here

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Leisure Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
Grade 2-3: Gentle/Moderate

Aspects of both our grade 2 and 3 holidays

Suitable for those looking for some cycle friendly routes

Features some modest climbs

Possibly sections of varying terrain (eg. forest tracks, gravel paths etc).

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

Holidays that are graded as a 2-3, will have aspects of both our grade 2 and 3 holidays. These tours are still suitable for those perhaps who have recently got into cycling, and offer an array of accessible, cycle friendly routes, cycle paths and quiet roads, however there will be some days / sections where you may have to tackle some ups and downs, the occasional steeper climb and perhaps some varying terrain (forest tracks, gravel paths etc). Suitable for those with a decent level of physical fitness, looking for some leisurely rides with occasional (achievable!) challenges along the way.

For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.

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Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

Book now with a £300 deposit and nothing more to pay until 30 days before departure. Choose a date to start your booking and see all prices, including bike hire and single room supplements.

Select a date to view prices and book
Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
14/04/2025 Last Spaces
Return Date
18/04/2025
Duration
5 days
Price
£1,025.00
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Start Date
16/06/2025 Fully Booked
Return Date
20/06/2025
Duration
5 days
Price
£1,095.00
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Late Availability

We want you to know which holidays are coming up soon, so you don’t miss out! If a trip has this symbol beside it, it means you don’t have long to snap up your place.

Whats Included Tick

A) Shared twin (or double) room (single room may be available on request, for a supplement)

B) Full tour service including guides and a back-up vehicle carrying spares, snacks and extra equipment not needed on your bike

C) At least one leader qualified in First Aid

D) Full-board including picnic lunch and en route refreshments

E) GPX files available on request

F) Secure bike storage and bike wash facilities

G) Group train station collections / drop-offs on scheduled arrival and departure days

H) Financial Protection through ABTOT

What's not Included Cross

A) Bike and helmet rental (available if required)

B) Travel or flight costs or charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Meals not stated in the itinerary

D) Single room (available if required)

E) Travel insurance

F) Personal clothing and equipment

G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

H) Entrance fees to cultural or historical sites and visitor centres

I) Other optional activities

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Private Departures

Private Departures

Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.

The Essentials

Travel Options

Your destination is Harrington House in Bourton-on-the-Water. If you intend to drive we will provide directions. Parking is available at the accommodation where vehicles can be left at the owners risk.

If you prefer to travel by train the most convenient station is Moreton-in-Marsh. Group train station transfers are included in the holiday price and there will be a Skedaddle transfer at 16.00 from Moreton-in-Marsh train station to Bourton-on-the-Water.

On your departure day, there will be a Skedaddle transfer from Bourton-on-the-Water to Moreton-in-Marsh train station at 09.30. Please do not book any return trains from Moreton-in-Marsh prior to 10.30.

Please check with us before making any travel arrangements to make sure we have reached the minimum number required to guarantee your holiday and to ensure your arrangements fit with our scheduled transfers and logistics.

Please note If you make alternative travel arrangements, which fall outside of the planned train station transfers, there may be an additional charge for individual transfers.

If you are travelling to the UK from overseas and are not a British or Irish national, you will need to apply for either an ETA or a visa depending on your nationality. Please check the relevant state department or foreign office guidance for your country or you can find more information here

Accommodation

On this holiday, you will be based at an HF Country House. HF Holidays run a number of Country Houses around the UK, which are all within National Parks or National Landscapes, and which offer the perfect comfortable environment to return to after a day out on two wheels.

Dating from the Tudor period, and of considerable historic interest, Harrington House mirrors the mellow architectural style of the Cotswolds. Its peaceful atmosphere and proximity to the charming centre of Bourton-on-the-Water make it ideal for those who want to relax after a ride, and explore this charming corner of England.

In the main house there is a small lounge, an attractive dining room and a cosy bar.

At the rear of the house there is an attractive walled garden with a large croquet lawn. This is a perfect spot to relax after a great day in the saddle, assuming that the sun is shining!

Please note – single rooms can be very limited. You are however welcome to share a room with another solo traveller if you’re joining the tour alone.

Bike Hire

If you would like to rent a bike we have both hybrid and electric bikes available.

The hybrid bikes are generally Giant Roam (male frame) or Liv Rove (female frame) with a wide gear range suitable for the route and terrain, semi-slick tyres, hydraulic disc brakes and a relaxed riding position.

Our electric bikes are generally Giant E+ pedal assist bikes with batteries suitable for the daily distances on this holiday and hydraulic disc brakes. E-bikes come with step through frames as standard but some cross bar frames may be available if preferred. Please let us know if you have a preference.

A rack and two panniers, and one bottle cage are provided with all our rental bikes, along with an emergency repair kit in a seat-post bag containing a puncture repair kit, a multi-tool, a spare innertube and a bike pump.

We are also able to provide helmets, if you’d like one to be provided, please request this at the time of booking.

You are welcome to bring along your own saddles, or own pedals if renting a hybrid bike, but please let us know if advance if you plan to do so.

If you are planning to bring your own e-bike, please let us know the make and model of your bike and we can check its suitability.

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