Posted on March 25, 2022
With many no longer bound by daily commutes as flexible working has become the norm, buying that dream home, set in your idyllic surroundings has become a little easier! The Cotswolds is beloved for its slower pace of life paired with culture, rolling countryside and fantastic connectivity.
If you already know that The Cotswolds is your place to call home, whether you fell in love with its storybook architecture and want a cottage of your own, or just want to be surrounded in gorgeous nature, we’ve pulled together this guide to find the right area for you.
Where to live for easy access to Nature and Outdoor Adventures
If you enjoy being outdoors, you’re generally spoilt for choice with activities across the whole Cotswolds. However, there are a few areas we think really stand out and you’ll never tire from exploring.
The Cotswold Way offers 12 different gentle walks from 3-6 miles. Towards the south of the trail, sits Bath which is an excellent access point for all of these walks that trail across spectacular views. Our favourite view points are definitely Broadway Tower and Dovers Hill!
For night sky enthusiasts, look to homes around Chipping Norton in the North Cotswolds. While on a clear night you can enjoy sparkling night skies, nearby there are also two official Dark Sky Discovery sites for opportunities to gaze upon the Milky Way: Rollright Stones Ancient Monument and Aunt Phoebe’s Recreation Ground in Long Compton.
For the adventurous, look to base yourself within easy distance to Cotswold Water Park. You can’t go wrong with looking at homes around The Cotswold’s capital, Cirencester. At Cotswold Water Park you can go for a wild swimming dip, paddle boarding and even sailing! For those looking for other adventures, you’ll also find golf, clay pigeon shooting and horse riding in the area.
The best area for Culture
Cheltenham is the place to be for all things culture with its variety of festivals, artisan cafes and shops, not forgetting the beautiful period architecture.
History lovers are also surrounded by some of the best preserved monuments that bring the legacy of this area to life. Close to Cheltenham is Chedworth (Yanworth) Roman Villa, considered to be the most complete and extensive Roman Villa in England. Nearby is also Arlington Row, built in 1380 in the village of Bibury and the most picture perfect English cottages you can find.
We also recommend looking around Cirencester. As the largest town in The Cotswolds, the streets thrive with independent shops and restaurants. It's also rich in Roman heritage and charm and is home to the Corinium Museum where you can explore a nationally important collection of Victorian, Roman and early Neolithic finds from the area.
Where to live to find traditional Cotswolds architecture
An abundance of character architecture can be found across The Cotswolds with most villages and towns made up of honey hued stone cottages set within stunning hills and tranquility.
Broadway has a beautiful mix of period houses and Cotswold stone cottages and is full of independent shops and eateries, making it the perfect base for modern country living.
Painswick is also one of our favourites with its picture-perfect honey-stoned properties, ancient yew trees and nearby Rococo Garden. Known as 'The Queen of the Cotswolds’, it offers a great mix of independent eateries, characterful charm and beautiful walks in the surrounding countryside.
Best areas in The Cotswolds for commuting to London
These days, more people are working from home or commuting to work for a few days a week. The Cotswolds are ideally located with great transport links to London and other major cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. If you’re looking for homes in a city but with easy access to The Cotswolds’ countryside, look to either Oxford, Bristol or Bath.
For London specifically, yes, country living with reasonable commute times really do exist. Train services from towns and villages such as Kemble, Kingham, Chalbury, Moreton-in-Marsh and Stroud run frequently and directing into London Paddington.
With travel times from an hour to an hour and half, that’s plenty of time to sit back and relax before or after work with a book or podcast, without also having to get up at the crack of dawn or arrive home past dinner time.
Where to live in The Cotswolds for a little peace and quiet
Cotswolds residents certainly know how to relax and switch off whether that's in one of the tranquil spas or through forest bathing walks across the Wolds.
Burford is one of the smaller towns in The Cotswolds, making it the perfect location for those seeking the quiet ways of country living. From the sloping high street with all your essential shops, you can easily go for peaceful walks across open countryside or along the willow-fringed river Windrush.
For some meditative forest bathing, we're fortunate to find two beautiful arboretums in The Cotswolds. To the north of the Cotswolds you will find Batsford Arboretum, not too far from Broadway and to the south, Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury. Both offer spectacular seasonal colours with footpaths for endless wandering among the most beautiful collection of trees.
Areas with the best schools in The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is known for being home to some of the best schools in the UK.
Independent schools can be found across the region, all set within gorgeous acres of Cotswolds countryside, making them idyllic places to grow, learn and play. Cheltenham is home to the renowned Cheltenham Ladies College, Cheltenham College and for children of prep school age, there’s Beauseart Park. You will also come across Berkhampstead School offering education from nursery through to sixth form.
Malmesbury and Tetbury are great options for being near the wonderful Westonbirt School and Prep School. Around Cirencester you can find Hatherop Castle Prep School and Rendcombe, both offering education from 3-18 years of age.
There are also three grammar schools across The Cotswolds. Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham won The Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year 2020, and the high-achieving Marling School and Stroud High can be found in Stroud.
The Cotswolds boasts two comprehensive schools that have received ‘outstanding’ judgements from OFSTED. Balcarra Academy in Cheltenham is one and happens to also be The Sunday Times Southwest State Secondary School of the Decade.
The second is The Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water, which was awarded the International Schools Award 2019-22 by The British Council.