Uncover Woodstock stayanightortwoin‘theclearinginthewoods’ orWoodstockasitisbetterknown!spendtime inthisdelightfulmarkettown,withitsindividual shopsandfascinatinghistory,beforeexploring themagnificenceofBlenheimandbeyond… day1 Wheretostay Pop into one of the galleries or craft shops Whether you choose a coaching inn in the market square in Woodstock , before dating from 13th or 15th century visiting the Oxfordshire Museum to get (The Bear or The Marlborough an insight into the history of both town Arms ) or a 17th century townhouse and county. On the same site is the Soldiers like The Feathers to rest your head, of Oxfordshire Museum , fascinating for you will find all the mod cons you historians and families alike with its interactive need, in a historic, atmospheric exhibits. Stop for a coffee in the garden café setting. And great dining too! (look out for the dinosaurs!) or at one of the other coffee shops in the town. Feeling a bit hiddengems peckish? You are spoilt for choice – pick up St Mary Magdalene Church has a local speciality at the deli or stop for lunch more than 200 hand-embroidered at one of the many pubs and restaurants. kneelers depicting subjects from wildlife to local history. The church clock plays a tune four times a day – and a different tune for each day of the week. The Water Meadows provide a haven for birds, small animals and aquatic plants. Extend your town walk with a stroll through this tranquil spot. Woodstock has a long history stretching back to King Henry I’s reign, when the Manor of Woodstock was a royal hunting toptip lodge. Henry II spent time on the estate Follow Woodstock’s Historic Wall with his mistress, The Fair Rosamund, Plaque Trail to learn how Simon and Elizabeth I was imprisoned here by Hatley inspired Coleridge’s her sister Mary Tudor. More recently, Ancient Mariner and about the Winston Churchill was born at towns’ earlier industries of glove- Blenheim Palace , the former site of making, printing and bell-making. the Manor of Woodstock. Every stone tells a story. www.cotswolds.com hiddengems Rousham Gardens is one of the best-kept secrets of this part of the Cotswolds. Completely unspoilt and uncommercialised, there isn’t a tea or gift shop in sight. But you are welcome to bring your own picnic and savour the beauty of the 18th century landscaping. Not surprisingly this is one of Monty Don’s favourite gardens. day2 Walk to the top of Park Street and you will see the Triumphal Arch that marks one of the entrances to Blenheim Palace . The magnificent grounds were landscaped by ‘ Capability’ Brown and the palace is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Allow at least half a day to explore the house, gardens and gift toptip shop. After stopping for lunch in one of the restaurants, it’s time to explore further Woodstock is a foodies’ delight. afield. Visit the grave of Sir Winston Churchill in the village of Bladon or venture down Don’t miss out on a visit to the road to Hanborough where The Oxford Bus Museum is open on Wednesdays and Killingworth Castle , an award- Sundays. If you’re lucky you might get a free ride on a vintage bus. Or book yourself winning pub in nearby Wootton in for a rural craft experience at Combe Mill on the banks of the Evenlode. for more tasty treats. I m Perrshorshsho UptonUptp on a 7a g IlmingtonIlmingtngtn on e Evesham MickletonMiccklkletton s ToTo To SStratfotratfo rd-upon- Avvonon © R k BBirminghami rm in gh am A44 J ShipstonSShipston on StourStoour A EbringtonEbringgtg on P Lower BBrraiilesles Banburya nb ur y RIVER 8 WillerseyWWillersersey h AVONAVVONN ChippingCh ip pi ng CampdenCa mp de n o Stretton-on-FosseStS retton--onn-FoFosse t o c 1 g TwyningTwywyningyynnniing CondertonConCo derton BroadwayBroa dw ay A429 r a LedburyLLee db uuryr y p ch ewkesburyk bury DumbletonDDumbmmbbletonb BlockleyBloB ocklec y h M40 y , A44 G reatreat WolfordWolford R 9 SnowshillSnowshill o o AldertonA 2 u s r Swerford TewkesburyTeewewkesburyw ke sb ur y ToddingtonToddington Bourton-BourBourton-ton- eton-in-Marshet on -i n- Ma rs h h StanwaySStanway on-the-Hillonn--the-H-the-Hill a WoolstoneWoolsoooolol tone m t CorCorserse Lawnn Great Rollright , M50 LongboroughLongboorougho LittleLLittle ComptonCompompmmpton S DeerhurstDeerhurhuurst FordFord ChastletonChChahastletletont o e WinchcombeWi nc hc om be FarmcoteFarmcote G reat Tew Templlee GGuitiuiting 10 p DonningtonDonnoonnnningtn on Southcombe h y s BishopsBBisishopps CleeveCleevve KinetonKineton L UpperUUpper SwellSwell B roadwellroadadwadwelldwd RIVER CleeveCleC eeveevvee HillH o OddingtonOOddOddingtington Chipping Norton CHERWELL 3 n v 10 PostlipPPostlipip g Stow-on-the-Wold Enstone SouthamSouuthamha GuitingGuiting PowPowerer MaugersburyMaugersbury A44 Rousham Twigworth Down HatherleyHatheratath ley Kingham Churchill P restburyresstbttburyur Icomb d NauntonNaunton Station StavertonStaverton Thee SlaughtersSlaugghhtterserss SandhurstSanddhursh t BledingtonBledington CCheltenhamh el te nh am SpaS pa Bould o CharltonChaChC rlton KingsKKingngs A40 WhittingtonWhiWhittinttintt ngtonn NotgroveNotgrovevee Bourton-on-the-Water Charlbury TheT RissingtonsRissssingngtonsgtons Charlbury Station o 9 Milton-under-Wychwood Wootton To Bicester c GGloucesterl ou ceestst er UllenwoodUUlUlleennwooodd Shipton-under-Wychwood A436A43A 6 Woodstock RIV ER WitcombeWiti combo be NorthleachNo rt hl ea ch North Leigh o SEV ERN The Barringtons Hanborough UptonUUptptptop on Station n CowleyCowC ley SStt LeonarLLeonaeonaeon rds A417A417 A40 FossebridgeFosF sebridge CranhamCranham ChedworthChedworrth RIVER Burford Minster Lovell Arlinghamhamm WIN DRUDRUSH Swinbrook Asthall A40 PainswickPa in sw ic k W U A429A429 A40 Witney Eynsham Shilton A40 AldsworthAldsA wort h Frampton-on-SeveFrampton-onpton-on-onn-Seveveve MiserdenMisiserdenn North CCerneyerney Ducklington 13 Bibury Carterton Oxford TheT DuntDuntisbournesuntntiisbournes St oudou d Filkins BarnsleyBarnsleley Standlake SouthrSouSSoo th rop SlimbridgeSlimbridgegeg CamC & DursleyDDurslesley BrimscombeBrimscombem ombe Ampney CrucisCrucis Bampton Northmoor FramFFramptonptonptp n MinchinhamptonMinchinhampton Poulttonon MansMansellell Ci rencesterren ce st er P restonreston NympsfieldNymN psfieldld FairfordFFairfaairir fo rd BerkeleyB ey NNailswortha il sw or th COTSWOLD RIV ER WAWATTERER PARKPARKRKK LechladeLe ch la de HorsleyH ley Kelmsscottccototttt THA MES Rodmaartorton KemKembleblebl SouthSSouth CerneyCCeerney Buscotuscot NorthNNororth NibleyNibbbley SomerfordS merf d KeyneKeyness FaringdonFaringdon WWotton-under-Edgeootton-undet to n- un de r-E dg e 14 Ashtonhton KeynKKeyneses CricklaCr ic kl ade C TetburyTeetburyt bu ry COTSWOLDCOTOOTTSWOLD CrudwellCrudwell ARK M To BBristolris tol a p WWestonbirtestonbirt © A419 C o t s MalmesburyMa lm es bu ry w o l d To BBathath M4 TToo HHeathHeathre at hrow s T o u r i s 15 m shareyoUr X /CotswoldsInfo [ the_cotswolds formoreinformation experience Y @CotswoldsInfo www.cotswolds.com/woodstock Withothers #uncoverthecotswolds.