small group touring company from Oxford?

We'd love to see some of the Cotswolds with a small group touring company (maybe 2 days worth of visiting various villages). But we think we'd prefer to be based in Oxford. I'm hoping that people can recommend a company that does this sort of thing (mini-van). Or does it make no sense at all staying in Oxford, i.e. a waste of too much time coming and going?

Many thanks.

Cotswold Exploring runs tours from Oxford:

https://cotswoldexploring.co.uk

An alternative is to take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh (40 minutes) and pick up one of the tours that collects from the station there. I know of these three. (There are also various guides/drivers who will do a private tour):

Go Cotswolds - https://www.gocotswolds.co.uk

Secret Cottage Tour - https://www.cotswoldtourismtours.co.uk/cotswolds-tour/

Cotswolds Guided Tours - https://www.cotswoldsguidedtours.co.uk

It’s difficult to say if staying in Oxford makes sense or not without understanding your motivation. There aren’t a huge number of hotels in central Oxford and they can be quite expensive. But you are in a city rather than a small town or village in the Cotswolds, which can be a bit limiting without your own transport.

I don’t know Cotswold Exploring’s routes, but you will be in countryside, if not quite the Cotswolds themselves, fairly quickly after leaving Oxford, but leaving and returning to Oxford will be on quite busy major roads (that is a relative term - we are not talking highways). They may head to Burford (‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’) to start, which is about 40 minutes drive.

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Thanks very much, Mr. Cotswold. The full day Cotswold tour from Cotswold Exploring sounds exactly like what we hoped to find — except that it seems only to go on Fridays, which is the day we fly home to the States. Since we're both academics, staying in Oxford pleases us, and some years ago we had a pleasant short stay at Old Bank Hotel. Somehow I can't find anywhere that seems really comfortable to stay in, say, Moreton, which would certainly enlarge our opportunities for touring. Back to the drawing board!

Btw, are you able to tell me when Oxford graduations take place? Our cruise finishes in Southampton on June 1, and I think that if the 3 days following happen to be especially busy/crowded ones in Oxford, we'd change our plans.

Thanks again for all your help on this board.

Oxford degree ceremonies take place throughout the year. But the last one for 2018/9 will be early May and they won’t start again until July. There will still be a couple of weeks of Trinity term left when you are here, so lots of undergraduates enjoying the pleasure of Schools (exams).

As I say, easy to stay in Oxford and take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh - the tours I mentioned coordinate with meeting an early train from London (which comes through Oxford, so would be the one you are on) to pick up (and drop off after the tour) guests at the station.

This post from my favourite travel blogger might help you explore the Oxford Colleges. She gives links so that you can check the opening hours.

https://www.thewanderblogger.com/colleges-to-visit-in-oxford/

A few years ago, while on a pre-cruise road trip, we headed to Oxford after spending a 3 nights in the Cotswolds. Knowing that parking and crowds would be a potential issue, we left the rental vehicle at a car park, and took a bus into the city. The three of us headed to Broad Street where we joined a student lead walking tour. This had to be one of the highlights of our 10 nights on the road. We had a highly motivated, dynamic student lead our tour. Adding to the enjoyment of the tour, was the timing - it was exam weeks and students engaged in University traditions running through the streets in their designated year robes, some covered paper streamers and what resembled green slime.

Our tour guide pointed out various pubs with long histories, too. We had lunch at a pub near Old Tom, [a bell tower] did a little shopping at a leather gallery and at an official Oxford logo store. Later in the day we had a drink at an old pub, known to cut the neck ties from men wearing them. The pub had a massive collection from schools and colleges throughout the Empire - after searching, DH found the colors of his prep school handing on a beam.

Oh, the tours are free, but the three of us agreed that 20 GBP each was an appropriate gratuity for such a wonderful two hour + tour of the university.

Darcy

Thanks to all.

Darcy, where did you stay in the Cotswolds? Did you enjoy the place very much? What were your favorite towns? (I envy you being able to drive yourself through that handsome country.)

tore. Later in the day we had a drink at an old pub, known to cut the neck ties from men wearing them. The pub had a massive collection from schools and colleges throughout the Empire - after searching, DH found the colors of his prep school handing on a beam.

 

That would be The Bear. I understand the ties are in display cases now - in my day they were just randomly pinned up, but maybe some started to disappear! The tradition of a free half pint in return for the end of your tie has also gone.

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Thanks to all.

Darcy, where did you stay in the Cotswolds? Did you enjoy the place very much? What were your favorite towns? (I envy you being able to drive yourself through that handsome country.)

We stayed at Jury's, in Cheltenham, it was OK. The chain is usually good, but this time we were disappointed. They didn't clean the room after the first night. We returned from our day trip to find breakfast coffee cups still on the counter and all the bath towels piled on the floor. Then for the next few days, they were experiencing a gas service problem and claimed they could not provide a hot breakfast something that was included in the cost of our room. I asked for a price adjustment and would have had better luck spending the night at Buckingham Palace! Adding insult to injury, I said to charge in GBP and the woman at the front desk ran the credit card through after converting to US$.

Hotel aside, we loved our time in the Cotswolds, visiting quaint villages, stopping for food and beverage, took a short train ride, visited cathedrals, and did a lot of unnecessary shopping. Favorite towns: Bourton-on-the-Water is the all time classic, Stow-on-the Wold and Chipping Campden. We drove off the main roads and stopped in small villages walking by picturesque sites, can't remember specific names.

Driving on the left isn't all that challenging, though rules of the road are a bit different. I've driven on the motorways, but not comfortable in major cities. DH learned to drive in Nairobi and Seychelles, and somehow reactivated that part of his driving history from memory. Luckily, a very close friend, more like a daughter, lives in England and joins us for part of our travels. Last trip, we picked up the rental car in London and let her drive, keeping clear of the congested zone. however, driving the narrow roads through Wales is a different story.

Darcy

Thanks so much, Darcy! And glad your travels were so enjoyable.

And I love the stories about the ties. Thanks to Darcy and Mr C.

 

...visited cathedrals...

 

Darcy

There aren’t actually any cathedrals in the Cotswolds, although we have several abbeys. That said, many of the ‘wool churches’, built with the proceeds of the trade, are as lavish and spectacular as cathedrals.

There aren’t actually any cathedrals in the Cotswolds, although we have several abbeys. That said, many of the ‘wool churches’, built with the proceeds of the trade, are as lavish and spectacular as cathedrals.

The wool churches certainly are magnificent....huge compared with what we have in our local towns in the US. We stopped to see St John in Cirencester, also St Pete & St Paul and St James. After leaving Todding Rail, we went to Tewksbury - thought it was a cathedral. Hailes Abbey was an interesting walk, trying to picture what it may have been like before it was destroyed. England has such an array of ecclesiastical wonders.

Darcy

The wool churches certainly are magnificent....huge compared with what we have in our local towns in the US. We stopped to see St John in Cirencester, also St Pete & St Paul and St James. After leaving Todding Rail, we went to Tewksbury - thought it was a cathedral. Hailes Abbey was an interesting walk, trying to picture what it may have been like before it was destroyed. England has such an array of ecclesiastical wonders.

 

 

 

Darcy

Tewkesbury is an Abbey, but one of the finest Norman churches in England and bigger than quite a few cathedrals.

Sounds like you came through Blockley (Father Brown fans?) and Chipping Campden - that’s my part of the world [emoji846]