A Local's Guide
Glebe Cottage is around 9 miles — a 20 minute drive — from Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the Cotswolds' most-visited villages, with a much quieter spot to return to afterwards.
Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most photographed villages in England — the River Windrush runs shallow and clear through the centre, crossed by a row of low stone footbridges, which is how it earned the nickname "the Venice of the Cotswolds." It's a genuinely lovely spot, and also one of the busiest, so it's worth knowing what you're walking into.
The village itself is the main draw — the river, the bridges, and Cotswold stone buildings either side, with plenty of tearooms and independent shops along the main street. Beyond that, three attractions worth building time in for:
Bourton-on-the-Water is around 9 miles from the cottage, about a 20 minute drive through some of the prettiest lanes in the North Cotswolds.
Worth being upfront about: Bourton is genuinely busy, especially through July and August, and particularly at weekends when coach parties arrive alongside everyone else. Parking is limited in the village itself — the Rissington Road car park is free before 10am and after 3pm, which lines up well with an early or late visit. Arriving before 10am or after 4pm, or coming in spring or autumn rather than peak summer, makes for a much more relaxed visit and the classic photos without quite so many people in them.
If you'd rather skip the crowds altogether some days, our own village of Bledington has its own stretch of the same River Windrush, with the Kings Head Inn — a genuinely lovely, much quieter alternative — and our dog friendly guide covers walks straight from the cottage door.
Bourton sits close to Stow-on-the-Wold and the Slaughters, so it's easy to combine with a wider loop around the North Cotswolds — see our Stow-on-the-Wold guide and full local guide for more of the area around Bledington.