What place comes into your mind when you think of the UK? London England, Wales, Dublin Ireland? Of course, they’re three of the most known areas in the UK, but they’re not the only areas you can visit. Somewhere in west-central England are a series of Cotswolds towns that are perfect destinations for tourists who want a feel of England’s nature scenery.

What are Cotswolds?

The Cotswolds are a range of hills that lie within Glouchestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Bath & Northeast Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. It’s a rather unusual name, as it comes from the twelfth century word Codesuaalt, which means “Cod’s wold” or “Cod’s high open land”. Unusual name or not, we can’t deny that the Cotswolds is a beautiful place.

Back in 1966, this entire landscape earned the title of Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a designation given to natural areas that take up significant space in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. This designation is very significant, because the primary purpose of an area being called an AONB is for conversation of that particular landscape. No building of gigantic skyscrapers or factories is allowed near these areas, Cotswolds being the largest of them in England.

This means that you won’t have to worry about any form of modern development when visiting Cotswolds towns and you can enjoy all the benefits of 790 sqm of little towns, meadows, river valleys and, most of all, hills. The Cotswolds are completely unspoiled, and will probably never be touched by modern architecture.

How to get there?

Traveling to the countryside is not as difficult as you think, and you have several options of getting there – train, taxi, coach or even hired cars. There are also train lines and coaches from Heathrow airport in London that will travel directly towards Cotswolds. If you think getting there would take a while, don’t worry. Travel time to your destination would take just a few hours, depending on your starting point in England.

It’s highly recommended that you plan out your travel route and take note of the travel times on your chosen method of transportation. You wouldn’t want to get frustrated before getting your real trip started.

What’s to do at Cotswolds?

A lot! At Cotswolds, people are very receptive to tourists, and there are several tourist centers set up, offering the latest news, travel guides, and even tour guides to the various Cotswolds towns.

If history is on your list of interests, the Cotswolds area is home to several castles, towers, churches and other old structures and museums that are sure to keep your attention for hours. If you’re an animal lover, Cotswolds is home to places such as the Cotswold Wildlife Park. It’s similar to a zoo, but visitors are allowed to get up close and personal with the animals. You can ask about being a keeper for a day, or adopt an animal for a year and help fund for its feeding and care.

As long as you look closely, there are many things available to you. Golfing, horse racing, rock climbing, nature walks, sky diving, pottery workshops, and so much more.