Staying in Stow on the Wold..three days of daytripping

Good morning, all! We have secured a room at the Stuart House in Stow on the Wold, arriving in Southampton on Thursday, May 7 and driving up. We will be in the area until we depart via Heathrow on Sunday morning.

Having never stayed in or toured this region, we would appreciate any and all advice on must see/do things in the vicinity. Being from Texas, we aren't afraid of a little OR A LOT of driving. Any advice on what we could possibly hit on the drive up would be great!

We will celebrating our 27 wedding anniversary, and spring in the English countryside sounds just perfect!

-Theresa

Where do I start?! What sort of things do you enjoy/want to see? Obviously you are ideally placed for pottering around the Cotswolds, taking in the scenery, stopping for tea, having a gentle walk. Plenty of grand houses around, such as Chastleton, a very well preserved Jacobean mansion that features in the current TV series Wolf Hall, and beautiful gardens - Hidcote is a personal favourite, or Batsford Arboretum. Snowshill Manor is home to one of the most extraordinary eclectic collections of artefacts from around the world you could ever hope to see. Get off the beaten track and discover some of the roads less traveled and villages less visited, many of which have fabulous churches.

Stow puts you in easy striking distance of Stratford upon Avon, if the Bard takes your fancy, Warwick if you want to see a proper castle or Oxford for looking round the colleges (calling at Blenheim on the way, to see one of the great English houses). Bath is a little further, but still only 90 minutes away. If art is your thing, look up Compton Verney, an art gallery in a country house. Antique and art shopping right on your doorstep, other 'signature' Cotswolds destinations such as Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden (home of the finest High Street in England) and Broadway are a few miles away.

Stow is a pretty Cotswold town with rather too many antique shops and I have been there many times. You should look through their website http://www.cotswolds.info/places/stow-on-the-wold.shtml to see the local attractions.

I checked and it looks as if the horse fair is on the following week so you may see them starting to set it up.

Most of the best known Cotswold towns and villages are within a half-hour drive - Moreton in Marsh, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Bourton on the Water, Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bibury and Burford to name but a few. (My mother lived in Burford for many years.)

Driving will be no problem so long as you have a good map or, better still, a sat nav (GPS). Most roads are fairly narrow and winding - if you see a bend sign, take it seriously - and you really need to get out of the car at every opportunity to see the countryside at its best. parking can be difficult at busy times, but in May I think you will find a space in most places.

I think that you should research online, but your hosts at the hotel will be only too happy to give you advice on what to visit.

Do pop in to the rather unlikely, but splendid, Cricket Museum in Stow - they naturally do cream teas :)

Out of curiosity I had a look at Stuart House. It is certainly in the middle of things and looks very nice. Just a shame that they don't do breakfasts.

As I thought, the horse fair is the following Thursday so you may well see a lot of travelling folk around, together with their horses and various carts. I guess that the nearest thing you would have in Texas is a rodeo, although the main purpose of this event is to buy and sell ponies and generally have a good time. It does tend to snarl up the traffic though.

We stayed for a month in Stow several years ago and just love the place. A driving tour of the many Cotswolds villages is delightful stopping for tea and antique shops along the way. if you enjoy walking/hiking, there are some wonderful short walks that originate from Stow. you can get a map at the local Tourist Information centre. if you enjoy theatre, do take an evening and go into Straford upon Avon for a Shakespeare play and dinner at one of the many lovely restaurants there. Or go early and do the town walking tour; starts from the Swan fountain by the river near the Shakespeare theatre. We loved Snow Hill Manor--beautiful gardens and an ecletic house/collection or tour Blenheim, where Churchill was born. So many things to do in this area, that your three days will simply fly by. Spring is lambing season, so watch out for the babies while driving through the countryside. Enjoy!!!!

You asked about things on the way up. It's only a couple of hours, so plenty of time to stop off - maybe in the New Forest or Winchester or Salisbury early in the journey (we need JB for this bit!). Or you'll be passing Oxford/Blenheim once you are towards our neck of the wood.

And I should add the Cricket Museum in Stow is dedicated to the very English sport, not insects :)

On the way up to the Cotswolds you could stop in Salisbury and see the Cathedral and then head out to Stonehenge, where there is a new Visitor's Center. Another option would be to stop off in Bath for a quick tour of the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey and take the delightful Town walking tour. Lots of options that I'm sure the locals can suggest--just sharing some of our favorites from traveling in England.

When Theresa finally gets off the ship at Southampton, collects the hire car and loads it up, she will have a hundred mile drive to Stow by the most direct route, in an unfamiliar car and on the 'wrong' side of the road.

I think that diverting to Salisbury is too much to take on and I am not sure I would want to be too far away from the car when it's full of my luggage. Winchester is on her route and she will be ready for some refreshment or even lunch by the time she gets there but again, parking may be a problem.

After that I would head up the A34 and then to Burford, via Witney where she could take another break and a stroll around. The church and nearby almshouses are well worth a look and parking is free.

After that I would go straight to Stow to get settled in, with time to freshen up before a stroll around town and dinner in a pub.

At least, coming from Texas, she will be used to 70mph traffic. She may not be used to the kamikaze driving style of some people on our crowded roads. Theresa - I trust that you have booked an automatic car as a stick shift just adds complications. You will also need a satnav (GPS).

Pretty direct route through Salisbury too, in my opinion. But then I'd avoid any route that involves the A34 :)

I think we would both agree that Bath is too far out of the way for that first day, though.

True - the mileage is about the same. I used to drive a lorry from the Midlands to Amesbury fairly regularly and the narrow bit south of Swindon might be a bit tricky for someone just arrived from the wide open spaces of Texas.

It is a much prettier route though.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I so appreciate the wealth of advice! We love to get lost, have tea, enjoy a pint, chat with local folk in great pubs, antique shop, enjoy the beautiful countryside, walk some of the great paths if possible. We enjoyed Salisbury and Winchester last visit-would love both again but something new is always good! We avoided Stonehenge and opted for a lovely day in Avesbury-simple amazing!

So, sounds like we can't go wrong just driving around and stopping often!

Theresa

If you decide you may wish to visit any of the National Trust properties in the area, such as Snowshill Manor, you should check out the Royal Oak Foundation in the US.

I understand that by joining The Royal Oak Foundation - the fee is I think tax deductible in the US - you get free admission to UK National Trust Properties.

Www.Royal-oak.org

If you decide you may wish to visit any of the National Trust properties in the area, such as Snowshill Manor, you should check out the Royal Oak Foundation in the US.

 

I understand that by joining The Royal Oak Foundation - the fee is I think tax deductible in the US - you get free admission to UK National Trust Properties.

 

Www.Royal-oak.org

I had never heard of The Royal Oak, but it does look as if it would be cheaper to join than the National Trust. But with typical entrance fees of 10 to 12 GBP, you would need to visit at least eight to get your money's worth.

I had never heard of The Royal Oak, but it does look as if it would be cheaper to join than the National Trust. But with typical entrance fees of 10 to 12 GBP, you would need to visit at least eight to get your money's worth.

I agree, but for US citizens, friends there tell me that they can claim the whole (or most) of the membership fee against their IRS tax deductions. I wished we could for Trust membership.

You are correct. We are Royal Oak members and the annual fee is tax deductible in the US. We have used it extensively when traveling in the UK.

You asked about things on the way up. It's only a couple of hours, so plenty of time to stop off - maybe in the New Forest or Winchester or Salisbury early in the journey (we need JB for this bit!). Or you'll be passing Oxford/Blenheim once you are towards our neck of the wood.

 

Ooops, missed this thread.:o

Plenty of Cotswolds advice already from those more knowledgeable than I.

Yes, a pleasant saunter up from Southampton could include Salisbury & its cathedral (worth 60 to 90 minutes), Stonehenge (worth 60 to 90 minutes, but needs pre-purchased timed tickets), Marlborough (call into Polly's for a coffee or a cream tea), then past Silbury Hill to Avebury Ring (worth 30 mins plus) and via Swindon's Magic Roundabout if you dare (google it) and over halfpenny bridge at Lechlade (now you're in the Cotswolds proper) to Burford & on to Stow-on-the-Wold.

That turns a boring 88 mile 1hr 45 minute blast up the A34 into a mainly scenic & interesting 103 miles & 3 hrs on a mix of roads, plus mebbe 5 hours at stops.

If you're still ahead of the clock (you probably won't be), you can drop into Bourton-on-the-Water, only a few miles before Stow-on-the-Wold.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Southampton&daddr=Salisbury+to:Stonehenge,+Amesbury+to:Marlborough+to:Avebury+Ring+to:Lechlade-on-Thames+to:Stow+in+the+Wold&hl=en&ll=51.399206,-1.867676&spn=1.189227,2.749329&sll=51.739786,-1.494141&sspn=0.590171,1.374664&geocode=FQTSCAMdQZLq_ykJKRW-V4lzSDHwcdpMalqMpw%3BFXE_CwMdWJ7k_ym3mwA2VYxzSDEGql7ygOCjDQ%3BFYLtDAMdWCLk_yHd0tO84nCRlykR9gqFO-ZzSDHd0tO84nCRlw%3BFambEAMdqqXl_ynNdK5Uh01xSDG9iSJwEhz_IA%3BFQO-EAMdJLLj_yGq5fX4Jx4T1ikTA4CTMlxxSDGq5fX4Jx4T1g%3BFVfCFAMdRC7m_ykzAOkeyDdxSDE713uj5Ti7Mw%3BFeRoGAMdFKjl_ynbm1eisChxSDFuaoxwmob0KA&oq=Lechlade&mra=ls&t=m&z=9

JB :)

Ooops, missed this thread.:o

 

Plenty of Cotswolds advice already from those more knowledgeable than I.

 

Yes, a pleasant saunter up from Southampton could include Salisbury & its cathedral (worth 60 to 90 minutes), Stonehenge (worth 60 to 90 minutes, but needs pre-purchased timed tickets), Marlborough (call into Polly's for a coffee or a cream tea), then past Silbury Hill to Avebury Ring (worth 30 mins plus) and via Swindon's Magic Roundabout if you dare (google it) and over halfpenny bridge at Lechlade (now you're in the Cotswolds proper) to Burford & on to Stow-on-the-Wold.

 

That turns a boring 88 mile 1hr 45 minute blast up the A34 into a mainly scenic & interesting 103 miles & 3 hrs on a mix of roads, plus mebbe 5 hours at stops.

If you're still ahead of the clock (you probably won't be), you can drop into Bourton-on-the-Water, only a few miles before Stow-on-the-Wold.

 

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Southampton&daddr=Salisbury+to:Stonehenge,+Amesbury+to:Marlborough+to:Avebury+Ring+to:Lechlade-on-Thames+to:Stow+in+the+Wold&hl=en&ll=51.399206,-1.867676&spn=1.189227,2.749329&sll=51.739786,-1.494141&sspn=0.590171,1.374664&geocode=FQTSCAMdQZLq_ykJKRW-V4lzSDHwcdpMalqMpw%3BFXE_CwMdWJ7k_ym3mwA2VYxzSDEGql7ygOCjDQ%3BFYLtDAMdWCLk_yHd0tO84nCRlykR9gqFO-ZzSDHd0tO84nCRlw%3BFambEAMdqqXl_ynNdK5Uh01xSDG9iSJwEhz_IA%3BFQO-EAMdJLLj_yGq5fX4Jx4T1ikTA4CTMlxxSDGq5fX4Jx4T1g%3BFVfCFAMdRC7m_ykzAOkeyDdxSDE713uj5Ti7Mw%3BFeRoGAMdFKjl_ynbm1eisChxSDFuaoxwmob0KA&oq=Lechlade&mra=ls&t=m&z=9

 

 

JB :)

Highly recommend JB's route and itinerary. Some of our favorite parts of England, and it makes me want to change up our time in May to do exactly this route or maybe plan on this for September when we sail out of Southampton. Thanks for the great map and suggestions, JB.

Susan

Thanks again to all for the amazing help! It's almost here, and I can't wait to take in the sights and sounds of springtime in England!

Spring is definitely in the air here in the Cotswolds. We have had some lovely warm days, but today was cold, soggy and foggy. The ewes are hard at work producing the lambs for your delight in the fields :)

I was at an art fair in London and met a lady who is opening another gallery in Stow - there must be half a dozen or so, so plenty on your doorstep, if you enjoy art (as well as the obligatory antiques shops!)

I live just a few miles from Stow, so please don't hesitate to ask more. Enjoy your trip to our very special corner of England.

Ah, those precious little wiggly-tailed lambs! We are indeed art and antique fans AND we are currently building a home, so my radar will be on full alert for goodies to bring home.

So, Cotswold Eagle, name a couple of your favorite pubs. Meandering and stopping in for a pint here and there is such a great part of wandering the English countryside.

Any markets in the area I should know about? We love those too!

Theresa