Agriculture

Agricultural land in the Cotswolds covers 85 percent of the region. The main crops grown are winter wheat, oilseed rape and spring barley, with some farms now specialising in cattle and sheep.

There are around 11,500 dairy cows, 10,800 beef cows, 23,000 pigs and 258,500 sheep in the region.

Our visits give an insight into different aspects of agriculture with each visit, encompassing the advantages and challenges of farming in this unique area.

As always with our tours, there will be time given at each visit to ask questions and spend time with our hosts. 

Our Hotel

We stay in the 4* Queens Hotel in Cheltenham for the duration of the tour. The hotel is centrally located within a short walking distance of the town centre, beautiful parks and the affluent boutique shopping district of ‘Montpellier’.

Designed by Robert Jearrad and his brother Charles, who modelled the hotel on the Temple of Jupiter in Rome, Queens Hotel Cheltenham is a stunning example of neo-classical architecture, with its imposing white façade of Roman temple scale, adorned by over 50 Corinthian columns, carved cornices and Georgian windows.

Sightseeing

No visit is complete to this area without a tour of Blenheim Palace, home of the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family, and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchilll. With well over 300 years of history to enjoy, we have a guided tour of the house and gardens, and plenty of time to meander round the shop and enjoy a coffee in the café. 

The palace was built in 1704 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.