West of England Self-Guided Tour (12 Nights)

Tour code: WOESG12

Tour Overview

This itinerary links the Wessex tour seamlessly with the Cotswolds tour to produce a superb 12 night comprehensive West of England itinerary. The tour takes you to the Kennet and Avon Canal, The Deverills, the Wylye Valley, Salisbury Plain, the Vale of Pewsey, the Marlborough Downs and the Cotswolds.

Starting from Bath, the first biking leg follows the Kennet and Avon Canal Cycleway to the historic town of Bradford-on-Avon (home to Moulton folding bicycles if you are interested!). At Bradford you leave the canal and navigate through country lanes to Longleat Estate, where you can visit the magnificent house and gardens of the Marquis of Bath. Close by is Warminster, where you stop for two nights. The loop ride from the town takes you to Stourhead and back via the Deverills. From Warminster you ride south along the pastoral Wylye Valley to Wilton and Salisbury before turning north to visit Stonehenge. North of Amesbury you ride through the wide and beautiful expanse of Salisbury Plain for another two night halt at the market town of Devizes. The loop route takes you to Marlborough and to pre-historic Avebury.

From Devizes you ride to the quaint village of Lacock and then continue north to Tetbury in the Cotswolds. The next leg continues north through beautiful Cotswolds countryside to Stow-on-the-Wold for a two night stopover. The loop ride visits several beautiful and historic villages to the north of Stow. Leaving Stow to the south, you visit Burford and Northleach en route to Cirencester. A circuit from here explores the valley of the River Coln. The final leg back to Bath takes you to Castle Combe and finishes with a marvellous descent down to the Avon Valley.

An alternative (more challenging) option for the first two days allows you to visit Cheddar Gorge and Wells, with its marvellous cathedral. You first cycle west on the Bristol – Bath Rail Trail along the River Avon to Saltford before turning south into the Mendips and the Cheddar Gorge en route to Wells for a two night stopover. From Wells there is a climb to the Somerset-Wiltshire border and a ride through Longleat Estate on the way to Warminster.

For information on the en route scenery and attractions see the Regional Details page.
The itinerary follows routes D, E, F, G, H, J, L, M, N, O and P
The tour is rated B – click here for tour rating description.

Ten highlights

Exploring the wonderful Georgian city of Bath
The Kennet and Avon Canal
Longleat Estate
Stourhead House
Salisbury Cathedral
Stonehenge
Prehistoric Avebury
The many charming towns and villages of the Cotswolds
The valley of the River Coln
Malmesbury Abbey

Gallery

Options

To lengthen the tour, consider spending an extra night or two in Bath at the beginning or end of your riding.
To visit Wells (Wells Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace) and Cheddar Gorge, you can substitute routes A and C for routes D and E. This adds an additional luggage transfer.

Notes

Please consult our recommendations regarding Bath accommodations before booking this tour.

Outline Itinerary

Day	Itinerary	Start	Finish	Route options	En Route
1	arrive at	BATH
2	route D^	Bath	Warminster		Kennet and Avon Canal Path; Bradford-on-Avon; Longleat House; Shearwater
3	route E	Warminster	Warminster		Stourhead; The Deverills; Mere
4	route F^	Warminster	Amesbury		Wylye Valley; Wilton House; Salisbury Cathedral; Woodhenge; Stonehenge
5	route G	Amesbury	Devizes		Salisbury Plain; Vale of Pewsey; Pewsey White Horse
6	route H	Devizes	Devizes		Avebury; Marlborough; Savernake Forest
7	route J	Devizes	Tetbury		Lacock Abbey; Fox Talbot Museum; Westonbirt
8	route L*	Tetbury	Stow		Chavenage House; Bourton-on-the-Water; The Slaughters
9	route M	Stow	Stow		Chipping Norton; Rollright Stones; Moreton-in-Marsh; Chipping Campden; Broadway; Snowshill
10	route N	Stow	Cirencester		Burford; Northleach; Chedworth Roman Villa
11	route O	Cirencester	Cirencester		Coln Valley; Bibury; Arlington Row; Cotswold Wildlife Park
12	route P	Cirencester	Bath		Malmesbury Abbey; Castle Combe; Kennet and Avon Canal
13	depart from	BATH

Tour Costs

Costs in British Pounds (£)
basic cost per person sharing		655
single accommodation supplement (if applicable)		180
Optional Costs
bicycle rental (standard bicycle)		150
luggage transfers	shared charge for group	250
	additional charge per rider	10
airport transfers and miscellaneous costs		see tables

Click here for more details on what's included in the costs above.

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