A Cotswold Scenic Drive (Car Tour)

This is my favourite short drive through the Cotswolds. I hope you can follow the directions, simultaneously available in my new Cotswold Map-Guide @ £5.99.

The Directions, hitherto:

BURFORD – TAYNTON – BARRINGTONS – SHERBORNE – NORTHLEACH – HAZLETON – WITHINGTON – CHEDWORTH – FOSSEBRIDGE - COLN ST DENNIS – ABLINGTON – BIBURY - COLN ST ALDWYNS - EASTLEACH-SOUTHROP - FILKINS-SHILTON - SWINBROOK-BURFORD

ABOUT 60 MILES

This route follows two small river valleys which feed the River Thames; the Rivers Windrush (Sherborne Brook) and Coln. The landscape is rich in imagery rolling, galloping country”, dry-stone walls dividing sweeping sheep pastures, trickling trout streams and quaint hamlets undisturbed by coach, sightseer or time itself. The villages en route are fine examples of the English domestic architecture so typifical of the Cotswolds.

DIRECTIONS MILES (APPROX) – Between Centres

BURFORD. Pass through traffic lights, and over River Windrush at the bottom of the High Street, L at mini-roundabout (SP Stow), then in 150 yards left again (SP Taynton). 1.5

TAYNTON. Straight on.

2 GREAT BARRINGTON. Turn L at War Memorial, and downhill to River Windrush. (Detour L after Fox Inn for Little Barrington). Route continues R after Fox Inn for

1 WINDRUSH. Bear R at Village Green opposite Church.

1.5 SHERBORNE. Straight through to, and over, X-rds (SP Farmington). Route runs beside picturesque wooded valley.

3 FARMINGTON. Pass church and bear L at Village Green (Memorial) (SP Northleach/Turkdean).

1.6 NORTHLEACH. Turn R at T-junction (SP Cirencester), continue along High Street to traffic lights, and turn R (SP Stow/Cheltenham), then almost immediately L (SP Hampnett).

1.3 HAMPNETT. Straight through. Shortly reach A40 X-rds, directly over and immediately L (SP Hazleton).

2 HAZLETON. L at T-junction, and bear L through village. At A40 junction, turn R (SP Cheltenham), then immediately L (SP Compton Abdale/Withington).

1.7 COMPTON ABDALE. Turn R at T- junction (SP Withington/Chedworth), and bear L at fork (SP Withington).

2 WITHINGTON. Enter village, and take first L turn (SP Roman Villa/Yanworth), or continue into village for the Mill Inn and church. In 1 mile pass beside Cassey Compton farm on LHS. Then shortly, straight over X-rds. In 11/2 miles the road swings left and ascends to Yanworth (Turn R here for detour to Roman Villa).

5 YANWORTH. Just before entering village turn R (SP Fossebridge), and in 1 mile turn R at X-rds (SP Chedworth).

1.5 CHEDWORTH. Into village. Turn L (SP Lower Chedworth) after the Seven Tuns Inn, and after a few hundred yards bear L at fork. Shortly to bear L at telephone box (SP Yanworth). In 1 mile, turn R at T-junction (SP Fossebridge).

3.5 FOSSEBRIDGE. Turn L at T-junction (A429), then almost immediately R (SP Coln St Dennis). Hazardous junction. Good pub. After 400 yards bear R at junction (SP Coln St Dennis). Straight through Coln St Dennis bearing R at church. And straight through Coln Rogers. 2.5

WINSON. Turn L at junction (SP Bibury).

1.5 ABLINGTON. On outskirts of village turn L at junction (SP Ablington/Bibury). Continue through, bearing R at T-junction (SP Bibury).

1.5 BIBURY. Bear L at Swan Hotel. In 1/2 mile, turn R on sharp bend (SP Coln St Aldwyn). In 2 miles, turn R at T-junction.

2.5 COLN ST ALDWYNS. Bear L at X-rds to continue route (SP Hatherop). (Straight over X-rds for village pub, recce of village and meandering River Coln).

2 HATHEROP. Turn L at T-junction (SP Westwell/Burford). In 1 1/2 miles on LHS Macaroni Downs, and shortly bear R (SP Eastleach), and R again in 1/4 mile. Continue for a further 1/2 mile, then turn L (SP Eastleach).

4 EASTLEACH. Straight through. Victoria Inn on LHS. Cross the River Leach and turn R at church (SP Southrop). After 1 mile, bear R at fork (SP Southrop).

2 SOUTHROP. On outskirts of village the route bears L (SP Filkins), (turn R here to explore Southrop). In 2 miles, turn L at X- rds (A361), then almost immediately R (SP Filkins).

4 FILKINS. Straight through until you reach the main road (A361). Turn R (SP Burford). In 2 miles, turn R at X-rds (SP Shilton) (or turn L for the Cotswold Wildlife Park).

5 SHILTON. Straight through. Rose & Crown Inn. At end of village, over X-rds (Unsigned). In 1 1/2 miles, turn L at T- junction (SP Swinbrook/Witney). In 1/4 mile, a major T-junction (A40). Turn R, and in 1 mile, L then L again. Straight through Asthall. In 1 mile, X-rds, (detour R for Swinbrook village and The Swan Inn) continue straight over for Burford. In 1 mile, the road has a right of way from the L, bear R here (SP Burford).

8 BURFORD. Turn R at T-junction and continue down High Street to traffic lights and River Windrush.