When I first moved to the UK, there was a list of places I wanted to visit. But, I put my exploration of the English Countryside on hold to hop around Europe instead. Part of the reason why was because I didn’t want to have to take a tour to be able to see the countryside, and I was too afraid to drive (as it is on the other side of the road!). So when Mazda asked me what my Driving Ambition would be, I knew immediately. I wanted to take a road trip through the Cotswolds. To me, the Cotswolds embodies the quintessential English countryside and it’s an area of the country where having a car is to your advantage. A road trip through the Cotswolds is perfect because you can stop at all of the cute little towns along the way.
And, there are so many adorable towns to choose from! Depending on which part of the Cotswolds you’re exploring and how much time you have, you can choose a handful of quaint towns to take a stroll through. And if you need to rent a car to get there, I couldn’t recommend the Mazda CX-5 more. You’ll be riding in style in no time.
A Road Trip Through The Cotswolds
The Car
You can’t go on a truly epic road trip without a car! Mazda provided us with a brand new CX-5 for our road trip through the Cotswolds. And it was the perfect car for the job. I’m used to driving a big car at home, so I was happy with this SUV. Not only is it super comfortable and spacious, but the features are incredible. As soon as I got in (I was the passenger for the first half of the trip), I connected my iPhone via Bluetooth with ease. We entered our final destination into our GPS and hit the road.
Special Features
My favorite part about the Mazda CX-5 was the dashboard. It was really helpful for me as I was driving in a foreign country. When you’re in the passenger seat, you can’t even see this part of it, so it was cool to see it when I stepped into the driver’s seat. There’s a little reflective area, called the Color Active Driving Display, that tells you the speed limit of the road, directions if you’re using the GPS, and tells you if you’re getting too close to the side or middle of the road. It definitely put me at ease while driving for the first time on the opposite side of the road for me!
The Route
You could spend several days taking a road trip through the Cotswolds. Since we only had two full days, we kept the towns we visited close to our final destination in Broadway. While on the road, I was lucky enough to be in the passenger seat for a bit so I took the time to map out or plan. After departing London, it took us about an hour and forty-five minutes to get to the Cotswolds Region. Our final destination in Broadway would be about another hour drive. So, we chose four or five towns to stop in along the way.
Burford
Our first stop was in Burford, which was a cute little town filled with antique shops. We took the time to stroll around the town and soak up the fall colors.
Bourton-on-the-Water
Next, we decided to stop in Bourton-on-the-Water, which is known as the Venice of the Cotswolds. It was really lovely to get out fo the car to stretch our legs and take a stroll along the canals.
Upper and Lower Slaughter
Afterwards, we stopped off in both Upper and Lower Slaughter. They’re only about a mile away from each other, and one is more of an actual town with a church and houses while the other is home to an old mill and is a bit more touristy.
Broadway
Our accommodations were located in Broadway which has the most adorable High Street in town. This is where we stopped off for a bite to eat at The Swan. I enjoyed a delicious serving of fish and chips and an ice cold cider!
The following day we continued our exploration of Broadway and headed to Broadway Tower, which is actually the second highest point in the Cotswolds and offers sweeping 360-degree views. It cost about 4.75 pound to get inside and climb to the top of the tower. The price was definitely worth it for the views!
Chipping-Campden
Our final stop during our road trip through the Cotswolds was in Chipping Campden. We took a really nice stroll through the main square where the old market house is, as well as through the church!
Where To Stay
We checked into The Fish Hotel in Broadway for one night. I don’t think we would have been able to stay here if we didn’t have our Mazda with us as it was out of the main town and on Farncombe Estate.
The Hotel
The Farncombe Estate is made up of three hotel properties, Fox Hill Manor, Dormy House, and The Fish Hotel. Each property is different and I hope to explore the other two at some point! During our stay at The Fish Hotel, we were lucky enough to stay in one of their Hilly Huts. It was the most adorable accommodation I have ever stayed at.
The Hilly Huts
Each Hilly Hut comes with heated floors, en suite bathrooms, a lounge area (both inside and outside), a wood burning stove, and a private hot tub. It’s the perfect place to lay your head down for a night or two while taking a road trip through the Cotswolds.
*Tip* Order your breakfast to your room in the morning and enjoy it on your porch!
Dinner Time!
Because you’re staying on the Farncombe Estate, it’s much easier to eat on site. We dined at Hook by Martin Bruge and the food was actually unreal. I enjoyed the mussels as a main and they were cooked to perfection in the most delicious broth. The restaurant is beautiful and the staff took care of us so well!
This post was sponsored by Mazda, but as always all opinions are my own!
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