- Walk in the footsteps of intellectual juggernauts on a tour of Oxford
- Explore the 2,000-year-old Roman spa complex in Bath
- Walk through Bibury, named the most beautiful village in England by William Morris
- Discover the riverside village of Bourton-on-the-Water, nicknamed the Venice of the Cotswolds
- Visit Bampton, where the village scenes in Downton Abbey were shot
Cycle the Cotswolds: Oxford to Bath - Private Group Adventure
New
Excl. flights
Cycling
Activity Level
Easy & Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Comfort Level
Classic
Itinerary
Oxford Bath
Oxford tour; cycle to Burford
We meet at Oxford Train Station at 11am, where you can store your luggage in our vehicle. Please wear cycling clothing but not shoes, they can be changed later.
We then take a walking tour of Oxford, where we visit one of the prestigious colleges, stop at the historic Turf Tavern pub, and watch the punt boats drift along the river. We also pause for lunch before transferring to Bampton, where the Downton Abbey village scenes were shot. From here, we cycle to Burford, gateway to the Cotswolds, a centuries-old town on the River Windrush where ancient shops line the steep main street. This evening, we get to know each other a little better over a welcome dinner at our accommodation.
Accommodation: The Prince of Burford
Circular ride from Burford via Cotswold villages
Today we take a loop from Burford into the heart of the Cotswolds. We can stop for coffee at the riverside village of Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, and visit Stow-on-the-Wold, where the final battle of the first English civil war occurred in 1646, to explore the market square. We also pass through the small, privately owned village of Daylesford – stopping at the most exclusive farm shop in the country – and the twin villages of Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter before returning to Burford.
Accommodation: The Prince of Burford
Bike into the south Cotswolds
Today we cycle to Bibury, named the most beautiful village in England by designer William Morris. We stop for a short walk past a row of 17th-century weavers’ cottages that, for good reason, has become a much-photographed tourist attraction.
We then cycle to Cirencester, where ancient Roman roads show just how important the city was to the empire. From here, we pass through Minchinhampton Common, a 452-acre (183ha) expanse of grassland and a biological and geological site of special scientific interest in Gloucestershire. From here, we head to the nearby village of Rodborough where we check into our next hotel.
Accommodation: The Bear at Rodborough
Bike into Bath
We have an earlier start this morning to give us plenty of time to explore the city of Bath. We bike through Tetbury, home to the Highgrove estate (the residence of King Charles), before heading down into Bath along the Fosse Way, built in the second century by the Romans, and a canal path. This afternoon, we visit the eponymous Roman baths to see the 2,000-year-old spa complex and view archaeological relics from the pre-Roman and Roman Britain ages.
We then have free time to explore the city. There is so much to see in Bath, including the Royal Crescent, a sweeping row of 30 flawless Georgian homes, and the Jane Austen Centre, which delves into the work and life of the celebrated writer.
Accommodation: Hampton by Hilton Hotel
Circular ride via Lacock and Bradford-on-Avon
Today we enjoy a looped ride from Bath, taking in the village of Lacock and the town of Bradford-on-Avon. In the former, we see a 13th-century abbey built by Ela, Countess of Salisbury. In the latter, we enjoy a stop among the canals and historic buildings. After returning to Bath, we head to a restaurant for our farewell dinner where we can relive our adventures.
Accommodation: Hampton by Hilton Hotel
Trip ends at Bath Spa Railway Station
We enjoy one last breakfast this morning before a transfer to Bath Spa Railway Station for our onward journeys.
Essential Info
Is this trip for you?
This trip has been graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
A reasonable level of fitness is required; however, regular cyclists will not find this itinerary challenging. There are six days of cycling, mostly on small country roads and sometimes on rolling terrain.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start point: Oxford train station
Recommended arrival time: Meet the leader at 11am
Getting to the start point
Direct trains to Oxford operate from London Paddington every hour and take one hour. If coming from London Heathrow, take the Heathrow Express train to London Paddington (20 minutes) and then the Oxford train.
Return journey
There’s a group departure transfer to Bath Spa Railway Station at 9am on the final day of the trip, where there are trains to London Paddington every 45 minutes. Alternatively, the station is just over a five-minute walk from our end hotel.
If you would like further information on these transfers, please speak to your sales representative.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Oxford
Location end: Bath
Two old inns and a contemporary hotel in Bath
Stay in a trio of accommodations on this cycling trip: two centuries-old inns and a well-positioned modern hotel in Bath.
Burford: The Prince of Burford (nights 1-2)
Begin the adventure in this 18th-century coaching inn turned 16-room hotel. It’s got a lovely spot on the northeast border of the Cotswolds, and offers English country house-style rooms, which come with rain showers and local toiletries by Bramley. Elsewhere, the gastropub serves seasonal dishes and ‘hearty pub classics’ plus award-winning beer from their own Butcombe Brewery, which you might want to enjoy post-cycle in the garden.
Rodborough: The Bear at Rodborough (night 3)
Right on Rodborough Common, this 17th-century coaching inn has a privileged spot within National Trust-owned land. Rooms are decorated in a classic English style, and come with artisan tea and coffee, plus Molton Brown toiletries. The Library restaurant serves a seasonal country menu, while the bar has a tempting selection of beers and cask ales, which can be taken into the beer garden.
Bath: Hampton by Hilton (nights 4-5)
Finish the adventure at the Hampton by Hilton; just a five-minute walk from the Roman Baths and even less to the Thermae Bath Spa, it’s ideally placed for our explorations. It also has a fitness center stocked with Technogym equipment, plus a contemporary bar with plenty of space to gather with the group.
Reviews
Add your own reviewCycle the Cotswolds: Oxford to Bath
First of all, our tour guide, Dan was fabulous! And we were impressed by the beautiful accommodations that we had, and the scenery was amazing. We liked being able to have some time to ourselves in the evenings, and explore the towns that we were staying in.
Most Inspirational Moment
Just seeing the countryside and being able to spend some times with my biking buddies.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We all loved him! he was very easy to work with and he was knew the answers to all of our questions. He was also flexible and was concerned for our wellfare.
Would you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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Cycle the Cotswolds: Oxford to Bath - Private Group Adventure
Excl. flights