Often called the Venice of the Cotswolds, this is a village built around water: the River Windrush flowing broad and shallow through its centre, crossed by a sequence of low, flat stone bridges that have been drawing visitors for centuries.
The charm of Bourton lies in its simplicity: honey-coloured stone, water, and grass. The Windrush runs right along the high street, flanked by wide greens where children paddle on warm afternoons and ducks patrol the shallows with proprietorial calm. It is a village that photographs beautifully but feels even better in person, especially early in the morning before the day-trippers arrive. Among its more curious attractions is the Model Village, a one-ninth scale replica of Bourton built in the 1930s, complete with a tiny model of itself inside. Birdland Park and Gardens houses penguins, flamingos and parrots in a riverside setting, while the Cotswold Motoring Museum is home to Brum, the little car from the television series, alongside vintage motorcycles and curious automobilia. The Dragonfly Maze, tucked away behind the high street, is a fine diversion for children and adults alike.
For refreshment, Bourton has no shortage of tea rooms and ice cream shops. The Old Manse is a reliable stop for lunch, and the Kingsbridge Inn, with its garden overlooking the river, is a lovely spot for a pint on a summer evening. The village can get decidedly busy in high season, so it is worth visiting early in the day or, better still, in the quieter months of spring and autumn when you can enjoy the place almost to yourself. Bourton-on-the-Water sits about thirty-five minutes from Well Cottage by car, making it an easy and thoroughly enjoyable day out.
All of this on the doorstep, and your own thatched cottage to come home to. Sleeps seven, less than a mile from Soho Farmhouse.