Top activities to try in the Cotswolds

Thinking about booking an English country cottage in the Cotswolds for your next holiday? I don’t blame you – this part of the UK is seriously beautiful. That said, while people often come here for the scenery, I think it’s the range of activities on offer that really makes it stand out as a holiday destination.

CotswoldsUGArdener / Foter / CC BY-NC

To give you an idea of what’s available, I’ve put together a quick list of the things that most caught my attention.

Walking with a llama

Yes, you read correctly: walking with a llama. This is a pretty unusual option, so naturally it tops my list of things to try! There’s a company based a few miles south of Stroud – Cotswold Camelids – that offers this activity all year round.

And, just so we’re clear, what you’ll be doing is walking with a llama – much as you would with a dog, I suppose – rather than riding one. Apparently they’re docile creatures that are usually very obedient, and the company offers a number of llama walks around the local countryside.

These include the two-hour long Spud’s Walk, which is mostly flat, and the three to three-and-a-half hour Woodland Walk. I’d probably choose the latter, since you get a light lunch included in the deal.

Walking (without a llama)

Of course, I appreciate that walking with your friendly neighbourhood llama might not be everyone’s cup of tea. So, if you fancy a pleasant stroll with your partner or family, or a challenging hike, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are plenty of routes you can take.

In fact, the Cotswolds is a massively popular place for walking, which isn’t surprising when you consider its amazing scenery and that it’s home to the stunning Cotswold Way. This is a 102-mile trail that begins in Chipping Camden and ends in Bath.

While tackling the whole route might not be feasible, it’s well worth dipping into it every now and then. The good news is that there are a lot of little circular trails within the route that are perfect for this, like the Selsley Circuit.

Easy to follow (it sticks to the Cotswolds Way for the most part, so it’s well signposted), this path runs for approximately 5 miles. What’s nice about it is that it takes you through some lovely countryside, including beech woodland, as well as past scenic old Victorian mills.

Adventures on the water

If you’re more of a water baby than a walker, you’ll be pleased to hear there is plenty of scope for trying lots of water-based activities, including sailing, windsurfing and fishing (though I suppose the latter isn’t actually on the water, technically!).

South Cerney Outdoor Education Centre looks to be one of the best places to go if you’re keen to learn a new sport, since it’s got a great combination of decent tuition, equipment and a great body of water to practise on.

Lessons are generally divided up by age – usually 8+ and 16+, but it does vary from one sport to the next – so if you’re travelling as a family and want to learn something together you might be best off picking one of the family activity packages. As well as having a go at fairly typical UK watersports, like sailing and windsurfing, you can also try power boating, while little ones can learn to snorkel.