Cotswolds Villages Private Day Trip

This is a full-day trip by private car from London to a group of villages in the Cotswolds. The standard route covers Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury, with time to walk around each. Your driver waits at each stop. Expect a day of about 10 hours, including around four and a half hours of driving.

The Cotswolds is a National Landscape, a protected area of hills and limestone villages spread over parts of six counties. Burford is about 120 km from central London by road, reached via the M40 and A40. From there the villages are 10 to 30 minutes apart.

Burford has a long, sloping high street. Stow-on-the-Wold is a hilltop market town built around a square. Bourton-on-the-Water has low stone bridges over the River Windrush, and nearby Lower Slaughter can be added as a short stop. Bibury's Arlington Row is a terrace of former weavers' cottages owned by the National Trust. They are private homes, viewed from the lane and riverside.

Castle Combe, in Wiltshire, lies further south. It can replace one or two villages, but it adds about an hour of driving. The return to London is then via the M4.

Walking around the villages is free. MisterFare runs private trips only, so the vehicle carries your party alone, with no shared seats. The driver is not a guide.

Approximate plan for the day

• Pickup in Central London — Collection from your address or hotel.
• Drive to Burford — About 120 km via the A40, M40 and A40.
• Burford — Walk the High Street.
• Stow-on-the-Wold — About 16 km. Market Square and lunch stop.
• Lower Slaughter (optional) — Short stop by the River Eye.
• Bourton-on-the-Water — River Windrush and village centre.
• Bibury — About 23 km. Arlington Row and the River Coln, seen from public paths.
• Return to Central London — About 134 km via the A40/M40. Traffic varies.

Timings are agreed with you when the booking is confirmed and depend on traffic and your chosen ticket times.

Before you book

• Villages are public places and open all year; individual shops, cafes and attractions set their own hours, which are shorter in winter.
• Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury are busy at weekends and in summer; car parks fill up.
• Arlington Row cottages are private homes owned by the National Trust and let to tenants; viewing is from public areas only.
• Daylight is short in December-January; the itinerary may be shortened to fewer villages.

Accessibility and walking

Village centres are mostly paved but include uneven pavements, kerbs and slopes (notably Burford High Street). The National Trust describes a level tarmac route in front of Arlington Row. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are not part of the current fleet. Walking level: moderate.

What to bring

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Waterproof jacket
• Cash or card for lunch and any attractions
• Phone to contact the driver

Vehicles

Saloon or Executive Saloon for 1-3 passengers with up to 2 bags; SUV for up to 4 passengers with 4 bags; MPV for up to 6 passengers with 6 bags; Van for up to 8 passengers with 8 bags. Minibus and coach are not offered, so a party of more than 8 would need two vehicles.