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Stratford on Avon to Bath

[Return to the Heart of England Index]

This touring route will take you through one of England’s most popular attractions, the
picture-perfect chocolate-box-top villages of the Cotswold Hills. The Cotswolds form a
steeply-sided spine that stretches from just south of Stratford to just south of Bath, thus
they will be your constant companion on this journey.

Mellow, honey-coloured stone buildings are the enduring image of the villages in this famous
region. William Morris described the Cotswolds village of Bibury as the most beautiful in England
but it is only one of a number like it. Stow-on-the Wold makes a great base to linger for at least a
day among these quintessential English towns.

Attractions along the way

Hidcote Manor Gardens

Hidcote Manor gardens are regarded as one of the top 10 gardens in all England.

“Hidcote comprises of a series of small gardens within a garden, but also with long avenues
bordered by different plantings. The garden is famous for rare shrubs and trees as well as its
outstanding design features. There are water features, wild flower areas and pools with plenty of
places to sit and take in the atmosphere.” From Great British Gardens.

You can take a side trip to it if it appeals.

For details on the Cotswolds villages click here . . .

Westonbirt Arboretum – a collection of over 15,000 trees from all around the world Set in 117
acres. Originally started in 1829 by the the squire of Westonbirt, Robert Stainer
Holford. Particularly beautiful in autumn when the trees turn colour There’s also a large planting
of rhododendrons which are at their blooming best in spring.

BATH

Bath is a city so beautiful and special that it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is the only place in the UK where you can bathe in naturally hot spa water, making it the ultimate
spa break destination for thousands of years.

The spa became popular in the Georgian era when fashion leader Richard “ Beau” Nash presided
th
over the city’s social life in the early 18 century.
That gave rise to a building boom that has left a legacy of outstanding architecture. The Royal
Crescent, The Circus, The Pump Room and The Assembly Rooms reflect their creators’ ambitions
to make Bath into one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, with architecture and landscape
combined harmoniously for the enjoyment of the spa town’s cure takers.

It was however, a wild lifestyle for the rich, famous and titled who came here to gamble, drink, and
have affairs. A BBC doco called “Outstanding Britain” used a phrase that captured that lifestyle
perfectly – they said the city had a “fur coat and no knickers personality”.