England

Recommend this trip however, keep in mind the hills and potential for rainy weather. I had really looked forward to the Lake District but mother nature had other ideas and due to rain it was head down, watching the road and I cycled. All in all good scenery when available to us although no truly blue skies until the extension. I would consider something other than the hotel in Penrith at the start. Really appreciated seeing 3 differing areas and style of countryside and geology. Hattie and Dan were wonderful guides and kept us all going despite the weather. The 4 stars was due to feeling like we could have had more cultural experiences. Hattie wonderful in talking about culture although that's not quite the same.

Great trip especially if you want more challenges when you bike. Beautiful areas to bike through.

Monica and I had one of our best, if not the best vacation we ever had. Our greatest delight was how our tour group bonded. We started to believe we were riding with friends. Our Tour guides, Tony and Mick, helped to bring this about with their thoughtfulness, courtesy and hard work. They both went out of their way to keep us safe and to get to know each and every one of us. Bath & the Cotswolds were extraordinarily beautiful, and that beauty was enhanced by being on a bicycle and riding in weather conducive to cycling. (Cool, cloudy and dry for the most part). Many of the English people along the way exuded friendly cheerfulness. I saw many people working very hard to make sure we were fed well and properly taken care of in the hotels. Each hotel had many charms, with my favorites being The Francis, (elegant) and Oxford Spires (beautiful property layout). The bicycle provided seemed sturdy and fairly new. It just happened to have the exact same derailleur as the one I have at home! Many of our companions had taken several trips with VBT, and I hope I can do so in the future!

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.

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.