Why Springtime in the Cotswolds is unmissable
With blossom trails, royal garden tours and wisteria-covered villages, spring in the Cotswolds is sensational
Spring is the Cotswolds’ best-kept secret. While summer draws the crowds, the weeks between March and May promise are extra special – villages covered in wisteria and blossom, quiet country lanes, and some of the best walking and days out the region has to offer. The weather is warming up, the gardens are starting to bloom, and you can easily get a table in the many pubs, cafés and restaurants.
StayCotswold, which manages almost 300 holiday properties in the region, is seeing growing interest in spring bookings. From traditional stone cottages and shepherds huts to grand country houses, over half of the StayCotswold portfolio is dog-friendly and many properties come with hot tubs, offering the ideal combination for a spring break that offers proper downtime.
Things to do: Spring events worth planning around
Evesham Blossom Trail from mid-March to mid-May
The Vale of Evesham, a short drive from the northern Cotswolds, is one of England’s great fruit-growing areas. When its orchards come into bloom between mid-March and mid-May, you can see miles of trails through apple, pear, plum and cherry blossom, with the Malvern Hills in the background. It’s free, beautiful, and one of those Instagram worthy experiences people come back for year after year.
Garden Tours at Highgrove
Highgrove, the King’s private residence near Tetbury, opens its gardens for guided tours in spring, and they’re well worth booking. The gardens have been developed over more than forty years and spring is one of the best times to visit. Tours sell out fast, so it pays to plan ahead. StayCotswold has many properties near Tetbury and if you’re travelling by train from London, the town is easy to reach in around an hour.
RHS Malvern Spring Festival from 7th – 10th May
Technically just outside the Cotswolds, but conveniently reached from many StayCotswold properties, the RHS Malvern Spring Festival is one of the highlights of the British gardening calendar, and is much less hectic than Chelsea. Set against the backdrop of the Malvern Hills, it brings together show gardens, specialist plant nurseries and hundreds of exhibitors over four days. Well worth building a stay around if you’re a fan of horticulture.
The best spots for spring walks
Wildflowers are appearing in the meadows, bluebells are filling the woodlands and the views from the high ground are superb. Here the experts at StayCotswold pick out the best places to head.
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
One of the great tree collections in the world, Westonbirt near Tetbury is known for its autumn colour, but spring is equally spectacular. The ornamental cherry collection is a highlight, alongside magnolias and a stunning variety of trees. Plan to stay for a few wonderful hours, and the enjoy refreshments at the café.
Batsford Arboretum, near Moreton-in-Marsh
Batsford has one of the finest private tree collections in the country and in spring the magnolias, which are some of the largest in Britain, are in full bloom. The elevated position gives great views over the surrounding countryside, and there’s a great garden centre on site if you’re tempted to take a few plants home.
Woodchester Park, near Stroud
A true hidden gem, Woodchester Park is a National Trust property centred around a unfinished Victorian mansion and a number of lakes. Spring is a brilliant time to walk in this wooded valley, which is carpeted in bluebells and wild garlic, it’s incredibly peaceful and a great place to get away from it all.
Cam Long Down and Cam Peak, near Dursley
These two hills above the small town of Dursley offer some of the best views in the southern Cotswolds and are bursting with wildlife in spring. The grassland is managed as a nature reserve, cowslips and orchids appear from April onwards, and on a clear day you can see across the Severn Valley to the Forest of Dean.
Leckhampton Hill and Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham
Easily reached from Cheltenham, these two stretches of limestone escarpment are spectacular. Leckhampton Hill has the famous Devil’s Chimney rock stack and wildflower-rich grassland that comes alive in spring. Cleeve Hill, at 330 metres, is the highest point in the Cotswolds and gives panoramic views across the Vale of Evesham, which is particularly spectacular when the orchards are in bloom below. Both are accessible from Cheltenham town centre within minutes.
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