Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
On the banks of the tiny River Coln, 7 miles northeast of Cirencester on the
B4425, Bibury is especially noted for
Arlington Row.
Built in 1380 as a monastic
wool store, it was converted into a row of weavers' cottages in the 17th century. Today
these houses are Bibury's biggest and most photographed attraction, but it's rude to
peer into the windows, as many do, because people still live here.
To get a view of something a bit out of the ordinary for the Cotswolds, check out
St. Mary's Parish Church.
Much of its original Romanesque architecture has been
left intact, as well as the 14th-century Decorated-style windows. The so-called
“Decorated” style was the second period of English Gothic architecture, mainly from
the late 13th to the mid-14th centuries, when adornments became more elaborate
and stone construction lighter and more spacious.
It's also worth visiting the
Bibury Trout Farm
(
&
01285/740215;
www.bibury
troutfarm.co.uk), in the heart of the village, where visitors can stroll around the fish
ponds as rainbow trout are fed. You can buy fresh or smoked trout at the farm shop.
Admission is £3.95 for adults, £3.50 for seniors, and £2.95 for children 5 to 15 (free
for children 4 and under). The farm is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, and
Sunday 10am to 6pm (it closes at 4pm Nov-Feb).
The
Swan Hotel
(
www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk
;
&
01285/740695;
£160-£280 double; £250-£325 suite) offers the finest accommodation, tearoom, and
restaurant in the village. It originated as a riverside cottage in the 1300s, but most of
what you see today dates from the 17th century. Rooms are outfitted in a traditional,
warm-toned design evocative of a discreetly upscale stately home, with tartan and
flowered fabrics and fall-inspired colors. A three-course dinner in the
Gallery Res-
taurant
is normally £33 per person; full afternoon tea set is £18.
With no connecting buses into Bibury, you'll need to drive or take a taxi from
Cirencester. For more information visit www.bibury.com.
11
CHELTENHAM
99 miles NW of London; 43 miles W of Oxford; 9 miles NE of Gloucester
Once the spa capital of England, Cheltenham boasts some of the nation's best
examples of Regency architecture, excellent restaurants, and extensive 19th-century
gardens. Cheltenham owes its size and position to the discovery of a mineral spring
in 1716. King George III arrived in 1788 to take the waters (thought to have curative
powers), launching a boom that lasted well into the 1800s. The spa is still here, but
these days more people visit for the
Gold Cup,
the premier meet of British steeple-
chase horse racing.
Cheltenham is also a major cultural center, with a decent roster of museums, live
music venues, and numerous festivals in addition to its lauded architecture. Indeed,
the main street, the Promenade, is one of the most beautiful thoroughfares in the
Cotswolds.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
Great Western trains depart twice an hour from London's Pad-
dington Station for the 2
1
⁄
2
-hour trip (£38-£84). You may have to change trains at
Swindon. Trains between Cheltenham and Bristol take an hour, with continuing
service to Bath.
If you're driving from London, head northwest on the M40 to Oxford, and continue
along the A40 to Cheltenham.
