Friday, 23 February 2018

FAMILY: Exploring Bibury in the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is well-known for being such a beautiful part of the English countryside with it's quaint villages, cosy cottages and rolling hills. Despite growing up just down the road from the Cotswolds I don't remember visiting very often and if we did it was to Cotswolds Wildlife Park. So, last weekend we decided to have a road trip and spend the day exploring the Cotswolds. Prior to visiting I looked around at some of the most recommended places to visit because if you've only got a day there then no time can be wasted thinking about where to go.

Bibury was one of the most recommended places, mainly due to there being a very cute row of old weaver's cottages which are apparently in the most photographed street in the Cotswolds. Arlington Row can be seen from the road going through the village, as they are set looking out across fields, streams and a river. A truly stunning location to live, except for all the tourist wanting to take pictures in front of your house!

As we drove into Bibury I was explaining to my husband why the place had been recommended so much and joked that there would probably be coaches of people visiting. A joke it was not. Bearing in mind we visited on a cold winter's day in February there were no less than three coaches full of tourists, as well as every car parking space being taken. Bibury is only a small little village, so that number of visitors really does seem like a lot. I can only imagine how busy it gets there in the summer, so it is worth considering when you're planning a visit. We arrived around 11am, so perhaps a really early start or try to research when the coach tours run so you can try and avoid them. We ended up driving almost out of the village and parking on the side of the road, which wasn't a problem as there was a path all the way back down into the centre of the village. There is on-road parking and public toilets almost parallel to Arlington Row, but when we arrived all the spaces were taken. All I'd say is if you're on a tight schedule make sure you plan in some extra time for finding a car parking space.

Walking down into the village is beautiful, as you can wander through the smaller back lanes past the cutest houses and cottages. Right in the centre (opposite where the coaches were parked) there is a Trout Farm, random you may think but even on this cold winter's day the place was very busy. It is a fun places to visit with children because there is a play area, you can watch the trout leap out of the water trying to get food from the visitors and a café for refreshments. It is one of Britain's oldest Trout Farms, so worth a visit if you want to spend a bit more time in Bibury.

Crossing the bridge and following the river along the path you come to another little bridge, which leads you straight into Arlington Row. After a wander past the houses (and the challenge of trying to take photos without anyone else in the background!) we carried on walking up the hill, which curls back down enabling you to do a little loop. Though Arlington Row is the main attraction house wise in Bibury, there are a lot of other stunning houses that are steeped in history. It is so relaxing to take a little stroll through the streets, taking in the architecture and history.  

We then headed back to the car and drove to Bourton-on-the-Water, which you can read all about in my next blog post.

Where is your favourite 'pretty' place to visit for a day out?


Helen x

I'm linking this post up with That Friday Linky


  1. This is a part of the UK I've never been to but it looks so pretty!I'd happily stroll around there and have a pub lunch somewhere cosy!

  2. We’ve never been to the Cotswolds but it looks truly beautiful, I think we may been to plan a trip x

  3. oh it looks so pretty and peaceful too - ideal break away from everything! - Deborah Nicholas

  4. What a stunning place to visit! That little row of cottages is just so beautiful!

  5. Oh wow! I love quaint little villages... although hard to believe how many visitors were there in the winter! I live in an area where there's no end of quaint villages, although with 5 children we tend to fill them without trying haha!

  6. I have heard so much about The Cotswold. It looks beautiful in your pictures.

  7. I've never been to that part of the UK before. It looks absolutely beautiful.

  8. Oh we have driven near here but didn't know about it. It's do pretty

  9. I used to live in the neighbouring village to Bibiry, COld St Aldwyns, and whilst Bibury is beuatiful, like you say it is seriously over touristy. Likewise Bourton on the Water and for that reason I would always recommend visiting some of the less well known villages. They are just as beautiful and much quieter.
    Oh and a funny story about Arlington Row - there is a picture flying round Pinterest/Twitter of Arlington Row in the snow. Gorgeous picture but it states it is in Normandy France ... which is incidentally where I live now! Nice to see you were definitely in Bibury, not Normandy, although you could always come and visit Normandy one day to see what is is really like ;)


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