Oxford has always been on my bucket list to visit. Being a Cambridge girl you naturally hear about Oxford due to the university ties and want to see what the differences are. Since we were gifted a Bumble Camper for the weekend we decided to pop down to Oxfordshire and The Cotswolds for a mini UK holiday. Oxford was only an hour and a half drive away which could’ve been done in a morning but it was actually nice to already be in the area and we really enjoyed the camping aspect. We also wanted to do more of The Cotswolds as we had visited years ago and wanted to see more of it.
So here’s our guide to a weekend in Oxford and The Cotswolds…
Exploring Oxford City Centre
We actually got to the city centre by parking at the Oxford Parkway Park & Ride just outside of the city. You can easily park at their car parks which only cost £6.80 for two adults (and includes two children and parking) which is a bargain and so much cheaper than parking in the city centre. This was only a few miles from our first campsite so this was a perfect way to get straight into the city without loads of driving or travelling.
Sightseeing in the city
We hadn’t researched our city day out, it was actually quite refreshing to just walk around and decide where to go based on what was around rather than have a plan of place a,b and c. We followed some of the obvious trails such as the main high street which was full of every shop you could think of including some independent gift shops and clothing stores and even a department store I hadn’t heard of before.
We also followed the high street down towards the Botanical garden and the universities. I could’ve been in the wrong place and missed it but it was quite refreshing to be by the river and not being asked ‘Punting today guys’ like you always get in Cambridge!
The university buildings and history is huge. It feels like there’s more architecture and history to Oxford’s buildings compared to Cambridge but you can see some real similarities in the set up of town and the integration of the education buildings.
Looking up!
The buildings and architecture throughout the city is impressive. We walked a full circle from the shops where the bus dropped us off to the botanical gardens, down the high street where we grabbed a cup of tea and cake and then past the Trinity college. This took us back to the main centre and past the beautiful building and tourist attraction, Radcliffe camera which is a reading room and looked incredibly fancy and clever!
These buildings are very popular destinations to visit as there were loads of tour guides operating in various languages too. One of the best things about going for the day and walking about aimlessly allows you to look around, look up and check out what is around you. Yes we could’ve googled, researched and instagrammed but it was nice to make decisions on our own.
The 1770’s indoor covered market
One of my favourite places to walk through was the indoor market. It reminded me of the little London markets you get and felt so old school, there were all sorts of traders in here including a florist, chocolatiers and even a bakery that was full of people decorating and preparing cakes that you could watch from the window which felt so magical and put some joy back into shopping. It was like watching a show seeing the icing being made. This was such a treasure trove of sellers and I recommend just walking through to see it all.
Food!
Whilst we decided to keep this holiday more casual than most we didn’t go searching for the best restaurant in town. We had a Wasabi when we arrived as we were hungry and needed something quick then we went into the Rose Cafe on the high street for tea and cake.
For once it was nice to not have to search out the best food but enjoy whichever took our fancy. I saw SO many outlets to chose from so you would not find it hard to get a nice tea room, meal or restaurant.
Over all impressions of Oxford…
Oxford was such a lovely day out, I think if it was a sunnier day I would’ve loved it even more but it was just such a beautiful city to explore. It didn’t feel busy despite the crowds of people and there were loads of hidden streets and bits to look at. As a instagrammed there was so many nice things to capture and I loved the houses and streets. It’s got a lot of charm and history that hasn’t changed which is really refreshing to see for a city centre.
I would definitely come back to Oxford for shopping alone and would love to see more of the food scene next time as well.
Heading over to The Cotswolds
Our second campsite was in Bourton on The Water which is apparently one of the most popular Cotswolds destinations. We figured out this was actually a bit of a tourist trap location but it was beautiful nonetheless and had all the charm you’d expect from this countryside town. We also made a stop on the way back to Stow on the Wold which we’ve covered below too!
Bourton on The Water
This is a small town full of pubs, shops and tea rooms at every corner. My idea of heaven as I love a good tea room! Our campsite was just off the main high street so we could walk into town which was really convenient for a drink and despite some rain it wasn’t too far to walk.
There’s also a load of tourist attractions here such as a maze and wildlife centre which would be good for young families to keep the children occupied. We didn’t go in these but they looked busy even late in the day.
We went into town and had a few G&T’s in the pubs. They didn’t have all that much atmosphere which was surprising but I think more goes on here during the day and the day-time activities such as the tearooms are the main attraction. We found it quite difficult to find somewhere to dinner as the pubs felt a bit basic for food but the restaurants were either fully booked or a bit too fancy, you know when you want that in-between!
The Cotswolds Distillery
There was a shop Dan was really interested in visiting which was The Cotswolds Gin Distillery. Whilst the actual distillery was in the next town which you could do tours around, the outlet shop allowed you try tasters of their local gin. We’ve become big gin fans recently and whilst I have mine with lemonade, it’s the one spirit we’re happy to both have which is rare.
We picked up a bottle of their dry gin for our collection at home which was a great momento from our trip away. We actually picked up some new gin glasses from a store in Oxford on this trip so the collection was definitely complete after this purchase. The girls in the store were so helpful and really chatty. They told us that Bourton is a big tourist place so recommended some quieter places to go to including Stow on the wold and the Slaughters.
Heading to Stow on the Wold
After breakfast and a bit of a mooch around Bourton, we headed back in our camper for the journey home. We decided to make a stop in Stow on the Wold which is actually where we stayed and visited on our last trip to The Cotswolds two years ago. It was pre-wedding and one of our nicest weekends away so it was nice to return.
We didn’t do much here apart from look around and grab a drink but the beauty of these areas is just exploring is a good activity and it makes a refreshing change from the busy towns around me.
From our previous visit we would highly recommend The Old Butchers for a date night meal, their charcuterie board and langoustines are to die for and incredibly fresh and we also love The Sheep on Sheep Street for a drink and bite to eat as it’s a huge pub/restaurant with a fantastic menu and decor.
My favourite parts about The Cotswolds
I love the old style of buildings, shops and the abundance of tea rooms. It’s such a slower pace of living and makes for a great holiday destination. You can see why international visitors come to the area as it is quintessentially British but you do need to find those hidden gems that make it less touristy.
Oxford was great for a city break and we would probably return for a day trip if we got up early enough for the 1.5 hour – 2hr drive. I love The Cotswolds at this time of the year as its a little quieter and as some of the shopkeepers said, the area was like swimming ants the previous weekend due to the hot weather. So I’m glad we missed that.
What part of The Cotswolds have you been too? Have you found any hidden gems?