The Romantic Road

A: North Cotswolds Circuit 

Exiting Cheltenham to the North, this route takes you along majority B roads, meandering to take in some of the best and most beautiful towns and villages in the north Cotswolds. The route begins with a climb up Cleeve Hill – the highest point of The Cotswolds - which is worth a stop at the viewpoint, or a walk up to the beacon to enjoy views over Cheltenham and as far as The Malvern Hills. Continue through the village of Winchcombe where you can visit Sudeley Castle, before continuing to the picturesque villages and market towns of Stanway, Stanton, Broadway (pop and see Broadway Tower) Chipping Campden, Blockley and Moreton-in-Marsh. Turn south on the circuit and return via The Fosse Way, Stow-on-the-Wold and Lower Slaughter on your descent back into Cheltenham.  

B: East Cotswolds & West Oxfordshire Circuit 

This route takes you east out of Cheltenham, heading towards the Oxfordshire border of The Cotswolds. First stop is the village of Northleach, followed by Burford which is halfway between Cheltenham and Oxford. A key feature of the day will be the valley and villages of the Windrush river which winds through the countryside in this area, continuing to Lechlade, Fairford, Bibury and Arlington Row. Fairford is home to an RAF base where the internationally acclaimed Air Tattoo is held every year, meanwhile Bibury and The Arlington Row are some of The Cotswolds most internationally famous sites. The return to Cheltenham takes you through the stunning market town of Cirencester which has plenty of bouitique eateries for a pitstop, before continuing to Painswick to approach Cheltenham from the south. On the way down the hill into Cheltenham, watch out for Cooper’s Hill – the very steep slope where competitors chase a wheel of cheese down the hill every May. 

C: The Malvern Route 

Departing Cheltenham to the west and leaving The Cotswolds behind, this route takes visitors to another nearby Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – The Malvern Hills. The Malverns are located to the northwest of Cheltenham and on a clear day can be seen on the viewpoints of the Town. First stop will be the medieval town of Tewkesbury, which is famous for its Abbey and is situated at the confluence of the River Severn and River Avon. From there, continue northwest through Upton-upon-Severn continuing north to the town of Malvern. Malvern marks the northern-most point of this route and is the gateway to the Malvern Hills – a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Ascend and descend at your own pace, stopping to enjoy the many viewpoints and pitstops along the way, before reaching the town of Eastnor with its world-famous castle. The route continues to the historic City of Gloucester, whose Cathedral was used in the filming of the Harry Potter movie series and is definitely worth a few hours' exploration. Finally, a return to Cheltenham marks the end of the day.  

D: The Wye Valley and Royal Forest of Dean Route 

To the west of Cheltenham is the extensive and beautiful Forest of Dean in England and The Wye Valley across the border in Wales. First waypoint on the route is Ross-on-Wye, which acts as the gateway into the forest proper and the point where you turn south. Head to Symonds Yat with its fantastic viewpoint of the River Wye and its valley gorge – there’s nothing quite like it. Descend to Coleford where we recommend a visit to the very unique Puzzlewood – site of filming for Star Wars, Doctor Who, Snow White (live action remake) and Merlin among others. On to Clearwell with its stunning cave system before simply enjoying the amazing tree-lined road through the remainder of the Forest. Emerge at Chepstow with its castle which is the oldest surviving post-roman stone fortification in Britain. Here visitors have a choice – to return to Cheltenham via roads to the northwest of the River Severn, or to cross the river via the Severn Bridge, taking a detour to Bristol or Bath before returning to Cheltenham via the motorway. Client preference.  

Key details about The Romantic Road driving tour:

• All routes are based from Cheltenham and clients can choose their preferred routes. The four-night tour will allow clients to complete 3 or 4 routes depending on arrival and departure times
• This tour has a variety of durations from 2 nights to 4 nights
• The driving tour starts and ends in the town of Cheltenham

The Romantic Road showcases many excellent spots in the Cotswolds including:

• The cultural capital of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham
• Views from Cleeve Hill (where Wales can be seen on a clear day)
• The saxon village of Winchcombe
• Iconic Cotswold villages such as Stanway, Stanton, Broadway & Chipping Camden
• Filming location of Father Brown in Blockley
• The village of Lechlade on the River Thames
• The village of Bibury with the most photographed scene in the Cotswolds, Arlington Row
• The Court Barn Museum in Chipping Campden

Getting to the Cotswolds

By Rail: Great Western Railway operate regular connections to London with approximately hourly Cheltenham Spa to Swindon services which extend to through to Didcot Parkway, Reading & London Paddington. 

By Car: Cheltenham can be easily accessed via major UK roads and motorways. Cheltenham's direct approach is via Junction 11 of the M5, follow signs for the town centre. 

For more information on getting to the Cotswolds please visit The Cotswolds website.