LOVE street

There is only one real way to experience the full scope and beauty of the Cotswolds and that is on the open road. While many other places might class “bad transport links” as a disadvantage, it is precisely this lack of easy access that has left this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty dotted with villages seemingly lost in a wonderful time warp. Though the possibilities for driving are endless, the so-called Romantic Road is a great way to navigate many of the quaintest spots – and at a little over 60 miles, one can either complete the circuit in a day or enjoy a more leisurely jaunt.

The Romantic Road begins in the Gloucestershire spa town of Cheltenham, famed for its horse-racing festival and the perfect place to pick up a car if you don’t have one. Exit the city on the B4632 which takes you up and over the county’s highest peak, Cleeve Hill, and on into the first proper Cotswold village on our tour, Winchcombe. Honey-stone terraced houses all butt up against one another, each a slightly different shape and configuration,