LOCAL COTSWOLD PRODUCE

There are many good food outlets in the Cotswolds, whose farming traditions go back centuries. The Cotswolds has a well-deserved reputation with specialties such as Gloucester Old Spot pigs, Gloucester Cattle, Gloucester Cheese, Bibury Trout and locally produced bread from The Bakery at Bourton on the Water. Some of the finest vegetables are grown locally too, in particular, Asparagus from The Vale of Evesham. Pubs restaurants and cafes are plentiful with many using the wealth of produce from the doorstep. There is an enormous choice of local seasonal and organic food that is all produced in the Cotswolds

FARM SHOPS

Selling direct to the consumer at the Farm Gate has become very popular in recent years. Farm shops are a great way to buy high-quality produce straight from the source. The Cotswolds are fortunate to have a number of Farm shops that genuinely sell their own produce, Meat, Lamb, Fruit vegetables, Bread, Ice Cream, Cheese. The most notable is Daylesford, at Kingham, Jolly Nice near Cirencester, Newton Farm shop near Bath, and Butts near S.Cerney.

FARMERS MARKETS

Due to the region’s history for the wool and cloth trades, the Cotswolds have a long tradition of markets. There are farmers markets all over the Cotswolds on a weekly basis. For example, there is one Sunday in the month at Bourton on the Water, and once a month in Stow on the Wold. Stroud’s (Saturdays) is one of the largest in the country and has featured on many television programmes. Cirencester second and fourth saturdays of the month.

WOODCHESTER VINEYARD

Woodchester Valley is a family owned boutique vineyard and winery in the South Cotswolds, with 45 acres across three sites in the Stroud valleys. Growing ten different grape varieties, they produce a range of award-winning still white, rosé and sparkling wines. Offering Tours; Tastings year round, where you can learn about English wine-making, Woodchester Valley provides a most memorable experience in the most idyllic setting.

SNOWSHILL LAVENDER

Cotswold Lavender now have 35 different varieties, with some 140 miles of rows and over 500,000 plants in total. At the peak of summers sunshine (July) the lavender is harvested and distilled by traditional methods and the oil is aged for a year before use. Produce can be bought at the shop.

DISTILLERY/BREWERIES

Cotswold Distillery, established in 2014produces Cotswolds Single Malt Whiskey and Cotswold Gin. Cotswold Brewery in Bourton on the Water produces a lager similar to a Bavarian lager. Guided tours can be booked to either. However, it is not possible to tour Donnington Mill (Brewery) perhaps one of the Mills of Broadwell Manor, which dated back to 1291. In the 16th century, it was used as a Cloth Mill which the Lord of the Manor of Donnington rebuilt and converted into two Corn Mills circa 1580. Today the brewery has 17 pubs.

COTSWOLD FARM PARK

The Cotswold Farm Park was founded in 1971 by Adam Henson, the owner’s father. The Farm Park helps to protect rare breeds of all farm animals. Adam is also an arable farmer and is dedicated to delivering all the best of British Farming, through a sustainable and authentic approach. The Farm Park is the perfect venue to visit with over 50 different types of rare breed animals on display. Visitors of all ages can interact closely with the animals and learn about farming past and present.

BEST COTSWOLD TOUR PICNIC

BAKERY ON THE WATER

This is a small family run bakery located by the River Windrush in the middle of Bourton on the Water. The bread is made using traditional methods giving the dough a long fermentation. Using locally sourced ingredients, cakes, scones, rolls as well as bread and all things
delicious are made on site.

BROADWAY DELI

Broadway Deli, located in the middle of Broadway, is a food haven sourcing a wide range of fresh, local and organic produce. From basic produce like fruit and vegetables to pastries, baguettes and cakes can all be purchased for a delicious picnic.

DAYLESFORD ORGANIC FARM

Daylesford Farms produce Organic Beef, Lamb, Vegetables, Cheese, poultry fruit on their farm at Daylesford for their Award-Winning Shops in Daylesford in the Cotswolds and Marylebone in London. Other produce is sourced from artisan organic suppliers.

D'AMBROSI DELI

D’ Ambrosi produces restaurant-style gourmet salads and meat to take away. Committed to using locally sourced ingredients all the meats are free-range. From running, Michelin starred restaurants in New York, Stow on the Wold is lucky to have, and welcomes Andrew & Jess to Digbeth Street.

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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Porters Farm, Wyck Rissington, Bourton on the Water Glos GL54 2PN