England

We have taken 22 trips with VBT and we have high expectations. This is a new trip and we were on the second trip of the season. It was the first time our leaders lead this trip and there were some issues that needed to be improved upon. We had quite a bit of rain but the leaders and our fellow riders remained in good spirits. Both Lauren and Nick were knowledgeable and pleasant throughout the trip. The scenery was gorgeous and the riding was so fun; particularly on an e-bike. This trip is quite hilly and unless you are a very strong rider, I would strongly suggest you get an e-bike. We enjoyed both the pre and post trips.

A great trip in a lovely part of the country. Well chosen routes with great views/vistas. E-bikes let you enjoy all of it - including Honister Pass! Castlerigg Stones, Hardrian's Wall and Vindolanda (Roman Fort ruins and museum) let's you feel like you have traveled back in time. Our guides, Dan & Carolina, were excellent in every way. Such a pleasure to experience this trip with them. On a VBT trip - just show up and have fun. 10th trip and counting - 2 more booked for 2026.

I am an infrequent bike rider (but in generally good shape) and used E-bike (with power on) throughout the trip given the hilly terrain. I participated with spouse and 6 other friends; our overall tour had 19 riders and two guides. Most riders used E-bikes (including myself); a few used road bikes. Had rain during a couple days – using rainproof gear made these conditions quite bearable. Pros: Beautiful scenery. Bikes worked smoothly. Very energetic and helpful guides (quickly fixed a flat and chain problems). Enjoyable socializing with other riders during rides and mealtimes. Tasty food options and very comfortable hotels. Cons: Some roads are very narrow (one lane width with 2-way travel) with cars sometimes passing at relatively high speed, and particularly challenging when two opposing cars had to navigate passing each other and bikers. Significant stretches of road were in poor condition (potholes and uneven pavement edges) that required vigilant maneuvering. The riding schedule was busy and riders were asked to all meet up periodically, which slowed things somewhat when road bike riders progressed slower. The time allotted to explore at some stops (e.g. Blenheim Palace) was short and allowed only a very quick oversight of the location; would have preferred more flexibility.

Bike riding through the Cotswolds was one of my favorites!

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.