OXFORD AND BLENHEIM TOURS

TOUR INFORMATION

PRICES
Usually single-day tours, but 2 -3-day tours available upon request at a discounted price.
Full-day Tour from as little a £525/day depending upon the time of year. All tours are fully inclusive but do not include lunch tea or admission to attractions or sites.

Full Payment by card is requested on day of Tour.

DURATION
8 Hours

STARTING LOCATION
From your Hotel, train station, B&B or wherever you are staying in the Cotswolds.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

Oxford, with a population of 170,000, is the city of “Dreaming Spires”. Oxford University, for some, is a temple of learning and elitism. Some 26 Prime Ministers have studied at Oxford, along with many heads of State and Government from around the world, and some notable alumni include Stephen Hawking, Oscar Wilde, J.R.R Tolkien and Hugh Grant. The university has 38 colleges, 24000 students and 70 research faculties. The acceptance rate is 17%. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English speaking world. It grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry 11 banned students from studying in Paris. The University is very much part of the town, and unlike most other universities, it does not have its own campus..

OXFORD- THE CITY

Oxford was first settled in Anglo-Saxon times and was initially known as Oxenaforda, meaning ford of the oxen. In the 10thC Oxford became an important military frontier town between Mercia and Wessex. The city centre is relatively small and is centred on the CarFax Tower. Blackwell’s bookshop is the largest single room devoted to book sales in the whole of Europe, the Norrington Room. Oxford has attracted many filmmakers because of its beauty, with probably the most notable being Harry Potter, Inspector Morse, Brideshead Revisited, and Abba, “Here we go again.”

OXFORD BY RIVER

The River Cherwell is the place for punting and provides almost rural views of Magdalen College, founded in 1458, one of Oxford’s richest and spacious college and set in its own deer park. The University rowing crews train here. Oxford Botanic Garden, founded in 1621, is the oldest garden of its kind in Britain. Travel through this you can reach Christchurch meadow either on foot or by renting a punt from Magdalen Bridge or the Cherwell Boathouse..

OXFORD ARCHITECTURE

Beautiful honey-coloured buildings populate the “city of dreaming spires”, among them the Museum of History and Science, The Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Ashmolean, England’s oldest museum. Founded in 1638, it houses a huge collection of priceless art and antiquities. The famous and lovely Bodleian Library and Sheldonian theatre nestle nearby in an enclave of 17th C buildings. If you walk from Oxford’s high street, down Queens’ lane through New College lane emerging under The Bridge of Sighs, you will have walked from neoclassical architecture along a medieval passageway, under an Edwardian Bridge in front of another neoclassical building, The Sheldonian. By doing that, you will have experienced some 600 years of architectural history..

BLENHEIM PALACE

Home of the Duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill’s birthplace, Blenheim Palace is an English Baroque masterpiece to rival Versailles. Fine furniture, sculpture, paintings and tapestries are set in magnificently gilded staterooms overlooking sweeping lawns and formal gardens. Capability Brown landscaped the 2000 acre park open to visitors and provides pleasant walks and beautiful views. Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough live in the Palace.

BLENHEIM GARDENS

Containing some of the finest formal and Baroque-style gardens in Britain, the gardens of Blenheim Palace is a “must-see” for students of garden history and those who enjoy gardens with plenty of “wow”. The scale and grandeur of both the palace and the garden lift it into a class of its own. Blenheim’s creator Sir John Vanbrugh and the garden’s designer Achille Duchene both considered Blenheim to be their greatest triumph. Water terraces, fountains, Pools, box knots, and yew topiary and a folly bridge over the main arch give the visitor the feeling of a very grand garden indeed.

BLENHEIM ESTATE

While The Grand Bridge was designed by Nicholas Vanburgh, the 2000 acre estate was landscaped by Capability Brown. He created the two large lakes through which the River Glyme, a tributary of the River Evenlode, flows. The footpaths across the Great Park give outstanding views of the palace and lakes. Many events such as concerts, light shows, and vintage car rallies are organised in the Park every year.

BLENHEIM HISTORY

Colonel John Churchill married Sarah Jennings in 1678, a great friend of the then Princess Anne who later came to the throne in 1702. In 1704 the Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill) defeated Louis XIV at the battle of Blenheim and was given land at Woodstock in recognition. The Palace designed by John Vanburgh and Nicholas Hawksmoor, and the grounds by Capability Brown. Work stopped in 1712 after a major row, and the Duke was exiled. George 1st. pardoned the Duke in 1716 after Queen Anne’s death, and the palace was completed in 1722 at a total cost of £180m..

“Thank you for such a wonderful trip yesterday. It was informative and we really enjoyed the Cotswolds. The restaurant served us wonderful food. ” Gayatri

Timothy M

1 October 2023

A Picture Perfect Day in the Cotswold with fantastic Mark Ransom My wife and I spent an absolutely fabulous sunny day touring the Cotswolds with Mark Ransom as our outstanding guide. He picked us up in his immaculately clean and comfortable van from Heathrow airport and told about the area as he drove to our hotel in Stow-on-the-Wold. The following morning he met us at the hotel at 9:30am as planned for our private tour. He drove us to the many fairytale villages we wished to see (and many more we didn’t know about!) at a relaxed and unhurried pace. As a retired farmer who grew up in the Cotswolds, his knowledge was vast and his explanations were fascinating. He took us to some special gardens, unique shops, an ancient church, and pristine ponds. The views were breathtaking, and Mark allowed plenty of time for photographs and wandering in the various villages which were as charming as he was! Mark’s own expertise in photography was an added benefit. He arranged for lunch at a lovely cafe in the country. We did not want the day to end, but had to get back to London. Mark took us to the train station in Kingham, helping us with our luggage, for an evening train to Paddington Station. Thank you, Mark, for a delightful and memorable day! We will highly recommend you to everyone we know!

bobbiehpvb

23 September 2023

Great way to see the area Our day with Mark was a wonderful way to see the Cotswolds. Even though the weather didn't cooperate, we were able to cover a lot of ground and see a lot of the sites. Having a knowledgeable guide take us around and give us the backstory and history of a lot of the places was an added bonus. Given the weather, Mark was very flexible and was able to help us make good choices to see as much as possible. Mark himself is very personable and we enjoyed the time we spent with him. We highly recommend this excursion.

kids04

17 September 2023

Great day! Mark did an amazing job of taking us around for the day. My sister coordinated everything ahead of time and he showed us everything we wanted to see, and a few extra stops as well. He picked us up on time in his new air conditioned van which was large and comfortable for the four of us. Not only did Mark show us around all the towns, but he also provided us with a lot of history and answered all the questions we had. His personality is friendly, and we really enjoyed spending the day with him. He even made lunch reservations for us! Highly recommend using Mark to show you around the beautiful Cotswold villages.

palady1

15 September 2023

Outstanding & Comprehensive Cotswolds Private Tour Our day with Best Cotswold Tours was wonderful! Mark put together an outstanding itinerary based on our requests and by including additional sights that he felt best matched our interests. It was a completely customized tour for us that went at the pace that we chose. Having lived in the Cotswolds his entire life, he is full of enthusiasm and interesting information about the area. It was such a gift to be able to experience so much of what the Cotswolds have to offer through his first hand knowledge. Thank you so much, Mark, for making our Cotswolds visit so comprehensive, enjoyable, and unforgettable!

Patricia C

15 September 2023

Day in Cotswolds with Mark Ransom Mark was amazing. On time, clean car. He was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic and entertaining we loved our entire day with him. He accommodated our very ambitious itinerary and had so much input into all we saw. I would recommend him unreservedly Patricia Calvelo

Marilyn K

7 September 2023

Hidden Gems of the Cotswolds We visited on a warm, sunny day and saw the Cotswolds at its best. Mark was super interesting and took the time to show us some hidden gems we otherwise may not have visited. Very professional, super comfortable vehicle and would highly recommend.

Andrea F

1 September 2023

Amazing Cotswolds Tour Mark from Cotswolds Tours was the most informative and knowledgeable guide. He was so easy to communicate with, tailored our tour to our individual interests and was able to share his knowledge and passion for the beautiful villages of the Cotswolds with us. We had the most wonderful day and can highly recommend Mark.

Taavi A

28 August 2023

Private and customized high end experience This was a great tour! Very customizable, and the customer service was wonderful. Our train got cancelled and Mark went out of his way to get us home after a long day. We asked for a tour with less tourist-y places, and our guide did just that, finding some hidden gems for us. We still had a wonderful time and learned a lot. We highly recommend Mark!

Nancy G

20 August 2023

Fun Guide and Fabulous Tour! Mark was a wonderful tour guide. He organized a trip that perfectly fit into our tight schedule. We traveled through the gorgeous landscape stopping for photos when requested. We had a morning coffee in a lovely village and afternoon lunch in another beautiful place. We visit a small private brewery where we sat by a picturesque pond with swans performing perfectly! Mark was so knowledgeable about everything Cotswold! He was fun and funny and knows how to handle a group of young to elderly women with all different needs! My best day in England for sure!

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