England

What a great trip. I would highly recommend this trip. However, it should be rated as moderate because the rides are a little longer and harder than the typical rides on VBT trips. But, I wouldn't change any of the rides. They were terrific.

Well planned tour. The guides were exceptional, warm, knowledgeable and patient. Trip hotels were thoughtfully chosen. I liked that most of the rides started or ended right at the hotel we were staying in.

The tour directors, Cotswolds, and Bath were all wonderful. So my “3” rating does not reflect THEM. I’m rating the activity level rating and the bikes: this trip is not “easy/moderate” even with an e-bike. I ride at least three times per week at home and found myself struggling with the hills and daily distance. VBT advertises this trip as one with quiet roads, when many of the roads were actually very narrow, commercial, and busy. The bike design made them hard to get on and off, leading to falls. It was more stressful than the relaxing trip I’d hoped for.

This VBT tour through the Cotswolds was a little hillier than I expected, and I was so glad to have an E-Bike! The routes were good to bike on, except for a few times on very narrow roads where you would have to get off the road to let cars or trucks pass.The routes along the canals and through forests were very enjoyable. The leaders Will and Dan were very good with helping out with some difficult traffic crossings. They were also helpful in suggesting apres biking activities (food and drink). Blenheim Palace was a very good stop on the route. Both pre and post biking cities of Oxford and Bath were wonderful with many things to do. One suggestion would be to have more local/cultural experiences as are offered on other VBT trips.

What a fantastic trip this was. This was my 6th time going to England, but my first for the Cotswold region and what an extraordinary time it was. The food was fantastic, everywhere you looked the views were spectacular. It was fantastic trip which I would do again in a heart beat.

My husband and I did this self-guided tour in early September and absolutely loved it. Country Walkers did an impeccable job taking care of every detail--booking hotels, moving our suitcases between hotels, and, best of all, the "route notes" book was so detailed and had everything we needed from step-by-step directions and restaurant suggestions to history and ideas for things to do. It felt like a wonderful adventure following the famous paths through sheep pastures and little forest thickets, past gardens and ancient churches, and climbing over or around all the different gates. It was often overcast and misty in the mornings, but the mid-day sun burned it all away. Our highlights are choosing to stop for an hour to check out the Hailes Abbey Museum and rubbing elbows with some locals at the only pub in a tiny village. So many great memories! We liked the intimate experience of doing a self-guided trip and the independence (without the planning!) that it provided. We spent some extra days in London at the end of our trip...that was just icing on the cake.