Travel bucket list idea:

Cycle the Cotswolds Line

The Cotswolds, United Kingdom (UK)

A man cycling down a pathway surrounded by fields.

Last updated: 28 May, 2023

This relatively new trail, developed by local cyclists, follows the route of the Cotswolds Line railway – meaning you can cycle as far as you like, and then conveniently hop on the train back.

The route cobbles together quiet, back-country lanes with off-road stretches, taking you through 75 traffic-light, scenic miles of idyllic countryside, with stops in pretty Cotswold villages including Moreton-in-the-Marsh and Kingham.

Logistics

Price: Free

Minimum age: Any

Age suitable: +

When: All year around

Duration: Up to 2 days

Getting there & doing it

The trail runs from Oxford to Worcester, alongside the railway line. There are stations at regular intervals along the cycling route, meaning you can get on or get off as you wish. The full route can be printed or downloaded from the Cycle.travel website.

Cotswolds Country Cycles offer self-led guided tours and can help with bike hire.

If you don’t want to do the whole 75-mile trail (allow 2 days), Sustrans website has a 43-mile route through the best part (it takes about 3.5 hours). Or for something even shorter, try the 8-mile route between Moreton-in-Marsh and Kingham is easy, flat and takes in the pretty villages of Evenlode and Adlestrop. It includes a lovely stretch of bridleway that snakes past a cricket pitch and through gently wooded countryside.

About halfway along the trail, so good for a stop-over, the Plough at Kingham is a fine gastropub-with-rooms. There are seven cosy bedrooms above the pub if you want to stay the night.

When to do it

The trail can be cycled all year round, but try to avoid the the high summer months (July to August) – even the country lanes become heavy with traffic.