Looking For A Great UK Family Holiday
The Cotswolds is often described as the heart of England. With its huge amount of history, rolling hills and natural beauty it has become a popular tourist destination. With out doubt the Cotswolds must be one of the most quintessentially English parts of of the UK. Its is officially designated the countries largest area of outstanding natural beauty covering a staggering 790 square miles of the upper Southwest of England.
In many of the surrounding villages its looks as though time has almost stood still for the last 300 years. These historic market towns are particularly quaint and typically English.
As you would expect with the Cotswolds being an exceptionally popular destination for holidaymakers there are plenty of bed and breakfasts and hotels catering for all budgets.
A village favoured by many that come to the Cotswolds is Bourton on the Water. Situated 4 miles from the Stow-on-the-Wold this picturesque village is often described as the 'little venice' of the Cotswolds. The river Windrush runs through the village and has eight bridges which cross it to shady tree laden banks on one side and shops and cafes on the other.
A great place to visit for a lazy day in the sun but if your after something a little more to do with the kids when you come to Bourton then there is the ever popular Birdland housing a unique collection of exotic birds from around the world. There is also a model village of Bourton itself as it was in 1937 and a perfume factory and model railway exhibition. There are plenty of Bed and Breakfasts in Bourton so if you need somewhere to stay for a few days then there is plenty of choice.
Moving away from Bourton but continuing with the bird theme a great place to visit is the Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust located in Dursley. If you have the kids with you and are looking for somewhere to take them out whilst visiting the Cotswolds then this is a really great choice. The reserve consists of 325 hectares of protected wetlands and there a year round programme of events, walks and workshops to keep the family entertained. Admission price is £6.70, there is plenty of parking, a restaurant and picnic areas which makes for a great family day out.
One of the best know parts of the Cotswolds is Cheltenham. It first began to gain public attention when healing waters were discover in the Town. But it was not until 1788 when King George III visited the town to see if the waters would be able to treat his infirmities that its fame really gre. With a recommendation from the King the waters became increasingly popular and became know as Cheltenham Spa Town.
These days the town is more famous for horse racing than its waters with thousands visiting the town every year to watch the races and place a few bets!
Visitors to the town can still sample the waters at Pitville pump rooms. The pump rooms were designed by the architect John Forbes and are a popular destination situated right next to Pitville park.
The town has a beautiful regency centre and was voted in the 'Top 5 best shopping streets' in Britain, with several parks, hundreds of shops and boutiques and huge number of restaurants and pubs.
Every year Cheltenham hosts the international Festival of literature and music, held in to the town centre. Many literary and arts icons come to speak every year proving a popular draw for people from all over the country.
For those looking for a bit more excitement then you might like to head down to the Wychwood festival. It is now in its ninth year well known for its family friendly atmosphere, wide range of activities and music. Held at the racecourse it has grown every year being nominated for Best Family Festival award by UK festival awards since it has started.
There is so much to do in the Cotswolds. If you haven't visited the are before then it is definitely worth a visit. Whether you are after a relaxing few days to get away from the busy life or you are after a family holiday then the Cotswolds offers a fantastic environment for all to enjoy whatever age and whatever interest you have.
About the Author
Dave Jone has lived in the Cotswolds for over twenty years. Its great place to visit jsut for the day or for a family holiday. To find out more about staying in the Cotwolds check out http://trevonebb.co.uk/
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