England

Everything about this trip was what I expected --magnificent countryside, small picturesque villages, nice bike lanes/paths with almost no traffic. The group that we were with was very compatible and most were strong bikers and very adventurous. The guides were perfect, which has been our experience with each of out 13 VBT trips. The lodging was lovely, but kind of warm since the weather was warmer than normal this June. I am a landscape designer so I particularly appreciated seeing Hidcote Manor Garden. And exploring Bath was a highlight

This was our first VBT tour and it won't be our last. The GPS directions were easy and amazing. The logistics were flawless making each day a new, exciting and carefree adventure. Will and Dan were superb guides keeping us safe and informed throughout the trip. This was a great way to explore the Cotswolds.

Self-Guided tour with my friend, it was amazing, Ride-with-GPS was perfect, did not get lost anywhere. Ride Inn to Inn, picturesque villages, stone houses, just like Downtown Abbey. Felt very safe every day, Pubs and food were delicious. We had no problem with our bikes, it was a perfect trip! Note there was no leaders on this Self-Guided tour but the VBT local host that set up our bikes and make sure our luggage was delivered at every Inn was great, very helpful and friendly.

This is a difficult review for me. This was my 10th VBT tour but first self-guided. I had 2 friends join me on this tour. This was the first tour for one and the 2nd tour for the other. The biking on the first day out of Oxford on the "tow paths" was not a good experience. The group should have been transported out to the Blenheim Palace area to start biking. The path from Oxford to our first paved road was terrible. Many walkers, path overgrown with bushes (very hazardous), decrepit house boats along the canal, fishermen who would not move. I have never experienced this on a a VBT tour. There were no mirrors on the bikes which caused problems. There were problems with the rear rack coming down on the rear wheel and locking it. Several people had this issue. We lost 3 hours on the first day because of this (waiting for someone to come help us with the bike) and lost our tour of Blenheim Palace which we had tickets for which we had paid for. Because we had no mirrors I could not watch my friends and it was impossible to stop along some of the roads. I lost them and they arrived at the hotel around 8 p.m. One of my friends bike battery died so she had to bike about 8 miles with no power. We did not bike the next day because the one bike needed to be fixed because of the rear rack and my friends were so exhausted from being lost the day before. The VBT guides who helped us were fantastic but busy with a guided tour. We would not consider a self-guided tour in the future. . VBT really must consider eliminating the ride out of Oxford, it is absolutely dreadful and one of my friends fell due to the overgrowth. Please consider biking people out near Blenheim Palace to start the tour.

Great trip, having ebikes made it work, the numerous climb segments would have been challenging for most of us.

Itinerary needs some refinement. Sold start but needs to set what's physically possible and enjoyable at the same time.

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.

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.

In the company of my sister, who believed I could accomplish the walk, we embarked on what turned out to be a beautiful experience. We did it all. We had lovely landscapes, villages, walks, wonderful places to stay, food and most of all the English people. I want to do another trip very soon. June 2022

The experience of being outside everyday, walking in this beautiful part of England, and retiring to super comfy and well-located accommodation each evening, made this a Top 3 trip for me. I especially valued waking-up each morning knowing that the day's schedule was mine. Country Walkers had great recommendations for eating and visiting. The customized guidebook had all the information that I needed in one place. All details were taken care of. Thanks for making it so easy. A truly remarkable vacation, in a charming and welcoming part of the world.

We have just returned from our trip to Cornwall, one of the most beautiful and unique world sites. We are a couple aged 87 and 80. We wish we would have hiked the area earlier but still so glad we did it. CW provided fabulous itinerary and hotels. We took the option of driving with our luggage to each site. We will also admit to shortening the hikes. But, no doubt, this is an exceptional trip and we loved it.

This was a wonderful experience. To be outside enjoying the beautiful Cornwall coast, having the perfect CW guidebook in your hand, returning to your lovely hotel and a great meal. So much thought has gone into making this tour just right. I didn't do all the walks due to a foot problem (not blisters-I had great hiking boots) but did get to enjoy just walking around the villages, eating fish every day, chatting with the locals. Be sure to try a Cornish pasty! This is a self-guided tour and I hiked alone, which I prefer.