England

We had a marvelous time. The leaders (Mick and Hattie) were so knowledgeable about the area. The cycling here is tough but do-able.. we were very thankful to have e bikes. We loved seeing Hadrians wall and that was definitely a highlight. The people in this area are so friendly. The question of the day is when you have a scone would you rather have jelly first or clotted cream first? Everyone wanted to know how you felt about this.The pre-trip in Liverpool and the Post trip in Edinburgh were delightful. The food was great and all the towns we stopped and were so interesting.

First class all the way! Wonderful leaders, new e-bikes, great hotels, and amazing scenery.

We really lucked out with the weather, signed up for the trip in Sept. the year before. Lovely scenery for bike riding, we choose E-Bikes after reading other reviews, a first, usually ride road bikes or Hybrids, glad we did, it has some punchy hills, made for an enjoyable ride I think 17 out of 20 guests also rode e-bikes. Also with an e-bike you have some suspension, which came in handy as some of the road surfaces are chunky or bumpy. The Hotels and Inns were charming with smallish rooms and good dinners and breakfasts offered. Dining out in the smaller towns was limited, lots of choices suggested by VBT were very good. Oxford and Bath were fun towns with lots of history and good pubs.

This was my 6th trip with VBT and once again they have the BEST tour guides. Conor and Mick were incredible. Knowledgeable, friendly and always there to assist with any issue. They each took the time to get to meet and know everyone on a personal level. We had great weather too. Only one day with a few sprinkles, otherwise in the high 50's and 60's. Scenic views every day of the rolling countryside. Lush fields, quiet villages and farm life blended with stops at Blenheim Palace, a farmers market and our final destination in Bath did not disappoint. Out of the group of 20, only three of us were on road bikes (which were great bikes by the way!). Unless you ride on a regular basis, some of the hills were a bit challenging. The accommodations were quaint, though sometimes a bit tight for two people. I was glad we were there in the Spring as most of rooms had no air conditioning. The meal choices were somewhat limited/standard at some of the Inns we stayed at, but we were able to make some requests to change things up. Don't be afraid to ask! All the staff at all the Inns were very friendly and helpful. Definitely go out and explore the local bakeries, pubs and markets. The food is incredible. So fresh. Yes, we tried all the local favorites (Steak & Ale Pie, Toad in the Hole, Gregg's sausage rolls, cream tea, blood pudding, etc.) and were not disappointed. Roads are a bit narrow at times but drivers are always courteous. We've already planned our next VBT trip!

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.