Can you join a Go Cotswolds tour from Bath?

We are often asked about the best way to join a Go Cotswolds tour from Bath. It’s certainly possible – read on, and I’ll explain more!

The Royal Crescent is one of the most famous architectural landmarks in Bath

Why visit Bath?

The beautiful city of Bath is located in south-west England, and is less than 1.5 hours by train from London. It’s a popular destination for visitors from all over the world. Gorgeous Georgian architecture, the stunning Bath Abbey, historic Roman baths, literary links… it’s no wonder that Bath is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site!

Bath is also at one end of the famous Cotswold Way – a 102-mile national trail through the glorious Cotswolds. So, if you want to take your own, self-guided Cotswolds tour from Bath, it’s a great place to start (or end!) your walk!

Strictly speaking, Bath is NOT in the Cotswolds. However, it is very close to the southern end of the Cotswolds National Landscape. Therefore, as well as being a wonderful tourist destination in its own right, Bath is also a popular gateway for visits to the Cotswolds.

The pretty village of Castle Combe lies in the southern Cotswolds, and is therefore more easily accessed from Bath

Bath makes a great base for the south Cotswolds

Broadly speaking, the Cotswolds is divided into the ‘northern’ and the ‘southern’ Cotswolds.

The southern Cotswolds is typically flatter and more spread out, with great stretches of countryside in between small, sparsely scattered villages. Meanwhile, the northern Cotswolds is hillier, and has many more pretty villages all within close proximity.

Bath is located at the very southern end of the Cotswolds, making it a great base for trips into the southern Cotswolds. From Bath, you can more easily reach popular villages such as Castle Combe, Malmesbury, Painswick and the ‘capital of the Cotswolds’, Cirencester.

However, Bath’s southerly location means it can be tricky to access some of the most beautiful villages in the northern Cotswolds, especially if you don’t have your own car. But there is a solution – read more!

Stow on the Wold is one of the best loved towns in the northern Cotswolds - visit on a Go Cotswolds tour from Bath!

How to take a northern Cotswolds tour from Bath?

We (Go Cotswolds) are based in Stratford-upon-Avon, slightly north of the Cotswolds. Therefore, we have pick up points for our small group tours in Stratford-upon-Avon, and in Moreton-in-Marsh in the northern Cotswolds.

The northern Cotswolds is where you’ll find many more of the most popular and prettiest villages, such as Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden, Broadway, Stanton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford.

If you’re staying in Bath and would like to take a tour with us, then you can! It requires a little forward planning, and a bit of an early start – but trust us, it’s worth it! Simply “let the train take the strain”.

From Bath Spa station, take a train to Reading, and from Reading, take a train to Moreton-in-Marsh. Our small group tours (Cotswolds in a Day, Secret Cotswolds and Cotswolds Walks & Villages) depart from right outside Moreton-in-Marsh station at 9.30AM, so make sure you arrive before then!

To book train tickets, we like The Trainline*. The Trainline makes it easy to check train times, book tickets, and get the best price.

Stratford is a fantastic alternative base for your Cotswolds tour, instead of Bath

Try Stratford-upon-Avon as base for the northern Cotswolds

It’s possible to take a Go Cotswolds tour from Bath as a day trip by train. One minor drawback, however, is that the train journey is not direct, and it takes around 2.5 hours each way.

If you would prefer to be less rushed, then why not stay a few nights in Stratford-upon-Avon? We have a choice of day tours you can take from Stratford-upon-Avon (including one to Bath!):

Like Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon is also not quite in the Cotswolds, but it’s a popular visitor destination in its own right, with plenty to see and do. Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the greatest writer of all! Here, you can visit the places where the ‘Bard’ was born, lived, loved and was buried. You can also watch a play at one of the famous Royal Shakespeare Company theatres in Stratford.

Since we (Go Cotswolds) are based in Stratford-on-Avon, we can also pick you up here for our small group tours of the Cotswolds! Pick up for our small group tours is from Shakespeare’s Birthplace Coach Terminal, right in the centre of town.

There are good accommodation options in the small Cotswold town of Moreton-in-Marsh

Moreton-in-Marsh is another option instead of a Cotswolds tour from Bath!

The small but pretty Cotswold market town of Moreton-in-Marsh is another pick up point for our tours. So, instead of meeting us here by taking the train from Bath, you could stay in Moreton-in-Marsh itself. There are several great accommodation options here.

A guided Cotswolds tour from Bath is possible!

Ready to take a Cotswolds tour from Bath?

Our best-selling Cotswolds in a Day tour operates all year round. So does our Secret Cotswolds tour (launching Easter 2024) and our Bath & Stonehenge tour (launches May 2024)! If you’re visiting between May and September, check out our Cotswolds Walks & Villages tour too!

Private tours for groups of up to 16 people are also available.

Just need group transport, without a guide? Then, check out our minibus hire options.

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