While I’m a city girl at heart, I love that there are myriad opportunities to escape to the countryside in the UK.
Today we’re going on a Rabbie’s Tour of the Cotswolds and Oxford, two destinations famous (and rightfully so) for their beauty and majesty and, of course, their quintessential English charm.
Our day starts at London’s Victoria Station where we’re met by our little bus (seats a maximum of 16 travellers) and our welcoming driver, Amir. Rabbie’s was started by Founder Robin Worsop in 1993 with a different type of travel experience in mind. The company (with its head office in Scotland) offers a range of tours lasting from one to five days from London and other major UK cities including Edinburgh, Manchester, Bath and Bristol. The concept is of a smaller, more intimate experience taking in must-see attractions while also offering so much more.
We’re soon settled in comfort as Amir explains our itinerary and makes introductions. We’re a pretty international bunch with people from the US, Canada, India, South Africa and Spain, all excited to see this much-talked-about part of England.
Amir regales us with tales of London, points out landmarks of interest, and offers handy tips for getting the most out of a visit to the UK. We’re heading for our first stop, Burford, known as the gateway to the Cotswolds.
The Cotswolds in the biggest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Wales. Although this was my first visit, I already had a clear picture in my mind (I’ve seen all those movies) of green rolling hills, honey-coloured stone cottages, quaint villages and hamlets with bubbling streams and arched stone bridges. And I (happily) got what I was expecting. It’s tranquil and gorgeous with the quaintest of habitations popping up unexpectedly down narrow lanes and around sharp corners.
Burford is a fairly large town with a beautiful church, plenty of those stone cottages, quirky independent shops and a lot of pubs. I mean a lot for such a small place. Sadly we were there in the morning so I didn’t have the chance to engineer some kind of pub crawl. Another time.
We ventured down narrow country lanes through the hamlets of Great and Little Rissington (AKA The Rissingtons) until we reached Bibury, often hailed as one of Britain’s most beautiful villages. So beautiful in fact that in the 1920s, visionary car maker Henry Ford reportedly wanted to buy the most picturesque section of it, Arlington Row, dismantle it and relocate it to Michigan. Thankfully his plan was scuppered and it still stands proudly where it belongs for us to enjoy today.
A journey through the Cotswolds is a picture-perfect snapshot of tranquil British country living. There’s a story around every corner and, as well as the natural beauty, you can feel the proud sense of history and tradition. As is also apparent on arrival in our final stop for the day, the beautiful city of Oxford, famed for its prestigious university, stunning architecture, grand College quadrangles and buzzing streets.
Our self-guided walking tour (map supplied by Rabbie’s) makes it easy to take in all the main attractions while still leaving time for a quick pint in one of Oxford’s famous pubs. The Turf Tavern is reached through a little alleyway, making it seem like something of a secret, and was the setting for scenes from classic British detective series, Inspector Morse. Our visit completes the perfect Oxford afternoon before we board our bus for the short trip back to London.
The Rabbie’s tour is the perfect introduction to the fairy-tale-like land that is the Cotswolds and its surrounds. It’s a great combination of a guided tour and free time to explore. It’s relaxing, convenient and educational. A lovely way to discover more of beautiful England.
Words by Sandy Cadiz-Smith