Name: 8 Day Beautiful Bath Self-Guided Cycling Holiday in England, UK
Brand: Bainton Bikes
Price: 2189 GBP
Availability: InStock

Accommodation

Burford (Oxfordshire) – Night 1
Bibury (Gloucestershire) – Night 2
Tetbury (Gloucestershire) – Night 3
Corsham (Wiltshire) – Night 4
Bath (Somerset) – Nights 5 & 6

During this cycling holiday, you will stay in the best and very carefully selected the accommodations along the route. Bainton Bikes has used independent and award-winning hotels wherever possible which all provide a luxury overnight stay.

You will settle in the historic Burford on night one. Enjoy a night of excellence as your Burford accommodation will also be at a central location and ideal for exploring the wonderful market town.

Get some good sleep in "the prettiest village" of Bibury on night two. You will have a chance to relax in the peaceful location and additionally, enjoy the native fish from the village trout farm.

Unwind in Tetbury on night three. Tetbury features a picturesque Seventh Century market town and a fantastic selection of pubs, shops, and restaurants.

Doze off in Corsham on night four. Corsham is a historic town retaining a village style atmosphere where home peacocks roam the streets freely. You can visit the famous weaver’s cottages during your stay.

Have a well-earned rest in the beautiful Bath on nights five and six. The accommodation is a fantastic family-run bed and breakfast in a great central location to explore the city.

Program

This is a 7-night holiday with 5 days cycling and a free day in Bath on day 6 without a bike – a travel guide with suggested itinerary and map is supplied for the 6th day.

Night one – Oxford (non-cycling day)
Night two – Burford (Oxford to Burford)
Night three – Bibury (Burford to Bibury)
Night four – Tetbury (Bibury to Tetbury)
Night five – Corsham (Tetbury to Corsham)
Night six – Bath (Corsham to Bath)
Night seven – Bath (non-cycling day)

Tour Itinerary

Excluding the non cycling days

Day one

Your first day cycling will take you through the wonderful city of Oxford. Sharing with you the extensive history and some secret sights, we will explore the historic city, visit the University buildings, and marvel at the views of the dreaming spires. We leave the city along one of the tranquil waterways and ride through some of the villages outside of the city, some dating back to Saxon times.

A hearty cyclist's lunch can be enjoyed at one of the fantastic country Inns along the way.

Your day will close as you enter the Cotswolds, and the evening will be enjoyed in a town quite often referred to as one of England's prettiest medieval towns: Burford.

Key Facts Distance:

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 26 miles/42 km
Elevation: 1068 foot / 325 meters

Day two

Awake to the beauty of the Cotswolds, and as we cycle further into this area of outstanding natural beauty, the famous stone-walled architecture will take you back in time. We will ride through beautifully preserved and maintained villages as we head towards the town of Northleach, which was first established as early as the 1st century. It is here that we will stop for lunch in this celebrated market town.

After a delightful lunch, we head out along the calm country roads towards Chedworth 4th-century Roman Villa. With its fine mosaics, bathing pools, and temples, it is one of the largest Roman remains in Britain. Your day will come to a close as we follow the river towards the tantalising village of Bibury.

Key facts

Distance: 23 miles / 37 km
Difficulty: Medium
Elevation: 1622 feet / 494 meters

Day three

As we continue deeper into the Cotswolds, enjoying the charming villages, you head towards the Roman town of Cirencester. Today, more of a metropolis than a sleepy village, you will discover why the town was so important to the Romans and visit remaining Roman sites, including an amphitheatre.

After lunch in Cirencester, we slip out of the bustle of this lively town through off-road bridleways before entering peaceful and secluded countryside, allowing plenty of time to reflect on the past ancestors of this country. With only the interruptions of the local wildlife, we experience the customary agricultural side of the Cotswolds and finish the day in the Anglo-Saxon era market town of Tetbury.

Key facts

Distance: 25 miles / 40 km
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 1077 feet / 328 meters

Day four

The fourth day follows in the footsteps of the ancient Romans. Bainton Bikes will cycle along the lower south side of the Cotswolds while exploring the towns and villages within the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Never veering far from the historic Roman road, The Fosse Way forms the boundary between these counties. In the afternoon, you will discover some of the rarely visited hidden gems of the area, easily accessible by bicycle. Later on, you will head towards the peaceful town of Corsham, which, with its Court House and free-roaming peacocks, offers a memorable experience.

Key facts

Distance: 22 miles / 36 km
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 1017 feet / 310 meters

Day five

Today, you have the fortune to visit the National Trust village of Lacock, which, with its unspoiled character, is a popular destination for tourists and film crews. With its chocolate-box appearance, it has attracted numerous film and TV productions, including Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and many more. Here, you can visit the local stores for picnic supplies and head up to enjoy them on Broughton Common, or you can stop at the conveniently located inn for a traditional English tavern lunch.

In the afternoon, you will continue through the tranquil countryside towards the fantastic town of Bradford-upon-Avon. Famed for its fascinating, quirky shops, a refreshment stop here is worthwhile. After, you will join the canal path, which, with its landscape views of the countryside and waterside pubs, offers a peaceful, traffic-free ride into the final destination—the world-renowned city of Bath.

Key facts

Distance: 26 miles / 42 km
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 1959 feet / 240 meters

Day six

The highlight for any spa lover—or in this case, worthy cycle tourists—this day is dedicated to enjoying the royal spa town of Bath. Today, you will leave your bicycle and venture into the city on foot to learn why the Romans built a world-renowned spa city on this spot.

This is an unguided day; however, Bainton Bikes provides a detailed document highlighting the essential parts of the city you must explore, places to enjoy your lunch, dinner, and drinks, and, of course, the best spa locations to pamper yourself. Please do not hesitate to enquire with Bainton Bikes if you are interested in a spa package to round off your trip on a relaxing high.

The bikes

They use high quality bikes for our excursions, with both standard or electric bikes available. All bikes are fully serviced and set up for your safety and comfort. Water bottle holders, speed / distance computers, map holders, rear pannier bags are supplied as standard as well as touring pack to help carry small items of luggage or shopping picked up along the way.

Make and model – Dawes Mojave or Gazelle Chamonix
Frame material – Lightweight aluminium
Handlebars – Butterfly comfort bars
Saddle – Comfort sprung saddle
Gears – Shimano 21 gears, with mega range (offering easy pedalling gear for hills)
Gear shifter – Shimano rapid fire
Tyres – Schwalbe Marathon, offering strong puncture resistance
Wheels – Double-wall rims with double-butted spokes, offering extra strength

Equipment

Ortlieb rear pannier bag
Rear rack pack – provided for unguided groups, contains inner tubes, tools to adjust saddle, pump, and basic tools (one per couple for unguided groups)
Cycle computer (set in kilometres)
Kryptonite or Abus D-Lock
Handlebar map holder

Location

This cycling holiday will take place in Oxford, the Cotswolds, Burford, Chedworth, Bibury, Cirencester, Tetbury, Corsham, Lacock, and Bath in England, UK.

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Food

During this cycling holiday, breakfast will be provided daily. Start your day right with a full English breakfast included everyday. Vegetarian and light options are available. The other meals will be at your own expense. You can indulge in a mid-morning “elevenses.” You can find perfect locations for the British tradition. There are great cafes to stop for tea or coffee and delicious pastries are too tempting to miss!

You can have classic pub lunches and enjoy them in country inns. There are a number of great pubs en-route, carefully selected and highlighted on the maps. There is also contemporary fine lunch dining available in selected restaurants which use local produce. After that, you may have an afternoon drink stop.

Enjoy a beer in a picturesque location with stunning scenery. There is a great selection of pubs and cafes. Meanwhile, afternoon high tea is an English institution. Tea is best enjoyed with scones! For the evening meal, you may have a traditional British pub dining. Great food in great pub locations are available. Pie is best enjoyed with pint of ale!

If you wish for a more luxe experience, you may have a fine English dining. Culinary delights await. There are Michelin-star restaurants en-route. For a more outdoorsy experience. Picnics are available to enjoy lunch with natural surroundings. There are some fantastic picnic locations with great delicatessens, offering locally-grown or reared produce.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

Additional supplements

lunches (per person, excluding drinks for 5 days) – 110 GBP per person
dinners (per person, excluding drinks for six nights) – 220 GBP per person
lunches and dinners (per person, excluding drinks) – 330 GBP
admin fees (total per group)
general admin fee – 15 GBP
lunches and dinners – 15 GBP
guided tour in Oxford – 25 GBP

Entrance fees

Chedworth Roman Villa – 10 GBP per person
Corinium Museum, Cirencester – 5 GBP per person
Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Museum and Village – 15 GBP per person

Additional services

guided tour for the morning in Oxford (includes college entrance fees) – 60 GBP
mechanical support van (equipped with spare parts, tools, and spare bikes) – 150 GBP per day
included with guided groups over 12 people
keep bikes for an additional day in Bath (includes collection) – 5 GBP per person

Half-day guided tour to Stonehenge (from Bath)

A bus will leave from Bath in the morning or afternoon, and the driver will provide commentary on route with plenty of points of interest along the way.

tour price (per person, including entrance to Stonehenge) – 40 GBP
group pricing (per person)
2 people – 65 GBP
4 people – 40 GBP
6 people – 38 GBP
8 people – 36 GBP
10 people – 34 GBP
12 people – 32 GBP
helmet – 5 GBP per person

What's included

7 nights accommodation
Daily breakfast
Glass of Cava on arrival
Bike rental with collection on the final day (standard or electric)
Luggage transfers between hotels (days two to five)
Welcome pack with detailed tour information, maps, and recommendations for points of interest and restaurants
Entrance to the college grounds
Key locations marked on detailed road maps
Travel pack – waiting in your room on first night’s arrival detailing your holiday
Plotted detailed maps – detailed ordnance survey maps provided
Bike fitting – they set up the bikes for you, adjusting the handlebars and saddles accordingly
Bicycle equipment – pannier bags, rack pack, map holder, water bottle holder, cycle computers, basic tool kits

What's not included

Airport transfers

How to get there

Recommended Airports

LGW

Gatwick Airport

124 km

Transfer not provided

LHR

Heathrow Airport

89 km

Transfer not provided

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 17% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 1 days before arrival.

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