10 Reasons to Live in the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, that spans from Bath to Stratford-Upon-Avon, and includes popular towns like Bourton-on-the-Water and Cheltenham.

If you’re seriously thinking of moving here, then don’t underestimate the importance of having the right help on-side. The Cotswold housing market is a competitive place, and working with local solicitors who are established in the area will mean that the entire process can run a lot smoother. So if you are keen on Cheltenham, for example, be sure to find trusted solicitors in Cheltenham to help simplify the relocation process.

Whichever town or village, here are just ten of the best reasons to live in the Cotswolds.

1. There are miles and miles of beautiful walks

From protected woodland to beautifully nurtured historic gardens, open farmland to lakes, streams, challenging hills and light-soaked valleys, the Cotswolds really does have it all for the intrepid explorer.

The area features an expansive network of public footpaths and bridle paths, along with plenty of options for cyclists.

2. The air just smells better

With so much green space and unspoiled woodland, the Cotswolds is one of those places where you’ll forever find yourself taking a big, satisfying lungful of air.

3. It’s cinematic

The Cotswolds have been featured in a long list of films and TV programmes thanks to its quintessentially British villages, sweeping vistas, and incredible history.

Among the most renowned are the Harry Potter films – many of which featured shots of Gloucester Cathedral’s cloisters – Poldark, which features scenes filmed inside Chavenage House near Tetbury, and Pride and Prejudice, which showcased Cheltenham Town Hall.

While you won’t be bumping into camera crews and Hollywood names every other day, you will encounter sights that seem to blend reality with something a little more magical.

4. It’s got plenty of great schools

From the preschool years all the way to sixth form, the Cotswolds are home to some of the best schools in the country. Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Westonbirt School, Beau Desert, Stroud High School and Marling School are just a few of the most popular in the area, along with Wycliffe College, Rednock School, and Cirencester Deer Park School.

5. The foody scene is alive and well

The Cotswolds are serviced by a long list of incredible farms and artisanal food producers. The Stroud Farmers’ Market, which is held every Saturday between 9am and 2pm, is among the most famous in the world and brings the town centre to life each week.

The Cotswolds are also proud to offer a number of Michelin-star restaurants, along with a few more casual eateries with their own little twists. Jolly Nice Farmshop features its own rustic drive-through, while the Weighbridge Inn is the home of the 2in1 pie.

6. You’re never cut-off

While the Cotswolds certainly features its fair share of rural spots, very few of even the most remote villages are entirely isolated. Stroud, Gloucester, Stonehouse, and Cheltenham all feature easy access to Bristol, London, Oxford and Bath by train, and plenty of bus routes ensure Cirencester never feels far away.

7. The stone

If you’ve never paid much attention to the different types of stone native to different towns and counties across the UK, then the Cotswolds may just turn you. A golden, honeyed type of limestone, Cotswold stone is what gives the area its distinctively warm glow – particularly during the sunrise and sunset.

Many a home and business has been built from it and, if you’re looking for that chocolate box cottage, you may just find it in Cotswold stone.

8. There are so many places to visit

From Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire to Cirencester’s Roman Amphitheatre, Bourton-on-the-Water Model Village to the Motoring and Jet Age Museums – along with the Rococo

Gardens, Slimbridge, Woodchester Mansion, and a long list of National Trust locations, the Cotswolds is one of the best areas to frequent if you love history, nature, and art.

9. It’s a haven for book lovers

With plenty of local bookshops – both new and preloved – and the Cheltenham Literary and Poetry Festivals taking place each year, book lovers will find plenty of kindred spirits in the Cotswolds. What’s more, these valleys and woods have played a key role in many acclaimed authors’ works, including Laurie Lee (who walked the Slad Valley for many years), Jilly Cooper, and Jane Austen, who stayed in Adlestrop many times throughout her life and likely drew inspiration from it for her work.

10. There’s always a warm welcome

The Cotswolds is an incredible place to be, whether you’re staying put for life or just passing through. While it has plenty of hustle and bustle in the bigger towns and cities, there are plenty of spaces where a slower, quieter pace of life still lingers. Take a walk through the countryside, hunker down in a warm inn, or join the throngs in the market, and it won’t take long for you to feel a part of the ebb and flow of Cotswold life.