Bourton-on-the-Water

I’m so excited to talk to you about the BREATHTAKING Bourton-on-the-Water. This charming historic gem nestled away in the Cotswolds, is known for its 18 Century stone cottages and stone bridges dating from between 1654 and 1911. There’s a lot of history in this area, much of it dating back to the Iron Age, Bronze Age and even the Stone Age. The name “Bourton” actually originates from the Saxon word “Burgh” meaning a camp or fort, and “Ton” meaning a settlement or village.

Honey-stone cottages, stone bridges and colourful blossoms adorn the canal and it’s instantly apparent why this quaint little village has been dubbed the “Venice of the Cotswolds”.

The Model Village

We couldn’t visit Bourton-on-the-Water without a trip to see The Model Village.

This impressive Model Village was built by local craftsmen and is Grade II listed. It’s the only model village in the UK to replicate it’s own village in 1/9th scale. The models reflect the life and buildings as they were in the 1930’s when it was first built but you’ll see plenty that look more or less exactly the same to this day. It’s definitely more of a toddler-scale and there was something very sweet about seeing Leo strut through the little streets towering above the buildings. He absolutely loved marching through the little streets and over the mini bridges.

Entry costs £4.50 a ticket for adults, £3.50 for children aged 3-13 and £4.00 for seniors. It’s a further £1 to enter the special exhibition room.

Other must-see attractions which we haven’t personally been to but are in the area include:

Birdland

With raving reviews, Birdland offers 9 acres of gardens and woodland with approx. 500 species of magical birds, from owls to pelicans to rare species such as Waldrapp Ibis (nope, I’ve never heard of it either!) You can also discover the Jurassic Journey, a prehistoric trail with life-size dinosaurs that would’ve once roamed the Cotswolds hiding amongst the flora and above in the tree canopy. And why not have a go at digging for fossils in the Dino Dig?

Tickets:
Adults: £12.95 (£11.95 if booked online in advance)
Children (3-15): £9.50 (£8.95 if booked online in advance)
Seniors (60+) / Students: £11.95 (£10.95 if booked online in advance)
Accompanying carer: £3.00
Under 3s: Free

The Dragonfly Maze

This traditional Yew-tree maze features a twist, requiring you find and solve various clues to make your way to the centre where the golden dragonfly awaits hidden inside the ornate central pavilion. Lots of fun for all the family and recommended for ages 5+. There’s also an additional Village Trail puzzle with more clues to solve around Bourton-on-the-Water - if you get them all you’ll win a “Village Genius” sticker.

Tickets:
Adults: £4.50
4yrs-14yrs: £3.50
Seniors: £4.00
Family ticket (2 Adults + 2 Under 14): £15.00
Under 4s: Free

Eating at Bourton on the Water

Bourton-on-the-Water is certainly wonderful to meander around but it’s also brimming with beautiful little shops and stunning stone eateries. We ate at:

The Croft

This is a restaurant we’d highly recommend although I imagine it gets very busy. Right on the riverbank it’s hard to miss it. The food was delicious and the interior had such a cosy atmosphere. I loved the window seating, giving a gorgeous view of the canal.

The Old New Inn

We also stopped for a drink and later had lunch at The Old New Inn which again we’d recommend. You’ll also get 10% off for the when you visit The Model Village first. (They’re right next to each other which is really handy too) The food was delicious and they were really accommodating when Leo asked for some apple chopped up - one of his favourites at the minute.

Accommodation

This area of the Cotswolds is definitely not short on beautiful accommodation. You’ll find plenty of picturesque hotels, B&B’s, self catering cottages, Airbnbs, glamp sites or campsites, whatever your cup of tea. Even booking very last minute and on a bit of a budget we found a really sweet Airbnb for the night in Foxhill, Guiting Power, that was perfect for a short stay.

Have you visited the Cotswolds? Is this one you’ll be adding to your bucket list?