cirencester accommodation
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Cirencester is called the capital of the Cotswolds. In Roman times it was called Corinium and was the second biggest town to London. Now it is a small market town with a relaxed and peaceful way of life. It is a very popular tourist destination due to its history. The newly refurbished corinium museum is popular with holidaymakers as is Chedworth Roman Villa where there are many re-enactments staged during the summer months. Chedworth is situated less than ten miles from Willow Pool on The Old Fosse Way (A429) a very straight Roman Road.
After visiting Chedworth it is worth continuing north on the A429 where you can visit many of the villages the Cotswold are famous for. The honey coloured stone walls and houses have certainly stood the test of time. A few miles further on is Northleach home to the museum of mechanical music. Beyond Northleach is Bourton on the water probably one of the most popular of the villages. The pretty river runs right through the centre of the village which is also home to a motor museum, a perfumerie, birdland and a maze for the children. Leaving Bourton it is worth taking a detour to look at Upper and Lower Slaughter two tiny but very quaint villages.
Your next stop is Stow on the Wold a larger town but again very popular with visitors. Stow is situated at the top of a hill and at almost 800feet is the highest town in The Cotswolds and and must be approached uphill from all directions. It is renowned for all of its antique shops although in earlier times hosted some of the areas largest sheep fairs.. This is one of the market towns for which the Cotswolds is famous. The large market square is surrounded by shops, houses and inns. These are all constructed in the honey coloured limestone which has been quarried locally. You can learn the art of drystone walling on numerous courses held throughout the year. Continuing along the Fosse Way you reach Moreton in Marsh at the northern edge of the cotswolds.. This is another market town and on Tuesdays it still holds the biggest market in the Cotswolds which is well worth a visit.
All the towns and villages boast appealing churches where visitors are always welcome. Refreshment can be taken at any number of pubs and inns whether you want a simple bar snack or a cordon bleu meal. This can be washed down with either locally brewed beer or cider. Today many artists, historians, bird watchers, fishermen, cyclists, walkers and historians are drawn as if by magnet to the area. There are numerous galleries displaying both traditional and more contemporary arts and crafts.
Visitors who are keen gardeners are in their element with numerous National Trust properties and outstanding gardens to visit. These range from the formal gardens of Hidcote manor, and the Painswick Rococo gardens to the Malmesbury Abbey gardens approximately 10miles south of Willow Pool. The abbey gardens are the home of The famous Naked Gardeners and clothes optional days are held throughout the summer!
Staying in and around Cirencester is ideal for touring this area of outstanding natural beauty. The Cotswolds straddles AONB covers nearly 800 square miles with the majority being in Gloucestershire. Bath, Bristol, Oxford and Stratford upon Avon are all about an hour away making Willow Pool an ideal base for exploring Cirencester and the rest of this world famous destination.