Cotswolds Information & Tourism Guide

If you would like to start the New Year with some sale shopping, why not combine it with a few days away in the Cotswolds?  UK weekend breaks can be ideal just after all the hectic activity which surrounds Christmas and the New Year, and we have a great suggestion for sale shopping as well.

The 10^th January sees the monthly wood sale taking place at the National Arboretum at Westonbirt.  This is located to the south west of Cirencester and it isn’t far from many of the most charming Cotswold villages.  That gives you the perfect excuse to book a holiday cottage for a quick weekend break to start the New Year as you mean to go on.

But what can you expect from the sale itself?  After all, a wood sale doesn’t exactly sound like the most entertaining sale ever, does it?

Don’t be fooled – this sale is about far more than just lengths of wood.  For starters if you are looking for something a bit special you may well find it here.  The wood is taken from some of the trees at Westonbirt and you will find it includes all kinds of species of trees as well.

In addition to this you will find many other items for sale which are made from wood.  You might even find some things to buy with any Christmas money you were given.  How about a brand new bird box for the garden for example?

The other advantage of visiting at this time of year is that the weather will be colder and the surroundings look stunning when there is a little frost around.  Of course you can explore the venue itself as well as attending the sale, so be sure to allocate a few hours to your visit.

And if you happen to miss the event in early January don’t worry – it takes place every month and the following one is actually on Valentine’s Day.  Just look for the second Sunday of the month each time and you will be able to tell when it occurs.

But whenever you visit you will have the chance to buy one or two items for your garden to keep up an interest in it while the weather is not so good.  There is a charge to enter when you arrive so be prepared for it, and check the website for the National Arboretum at Westonbirt to see how much it is.  Prices varied between November and December in 2009 so they may well vary again for early in the New Year as well.

As you can see it is well worth the visit though, and it will give you a way to spend Sunday morning during a UK weekend break to the Cotswolds in 2010.  Even if you visit later in the New Year you will know which weekends to try and book your break for so you can take in this wood sale as well.

Let’s face it, Christmas Day is a day where we all eat and drink too much and then wish we hadn’t.  A lot goes into preparing for this day and it always ends up feeling rather stressful for a lot of people.

So how about coming to the Cotswolds to do something slightly bizarre for a good cause on Boxing Day to make up for it?

We’re talking about the Boxing Day Bibury Duck Race, and as far as strange things to do on Boxing Day go, this has to be one of the strangest!  It does attract a big crowd though, and it certainly beats struggling with the traffic to get to the sales.

Bibury itself is a short distance north east of Cirencester, near the B4425 that links Cirencester with Upton, near Burford.  So if you want to book a late weekend break in the Cotswolds for the Christmas weekend, you can book a Cotswolds cottage that is nice and close to the duck race itself.
So what is it about this duck race that makes it so popular?
Well for starters we’re not talking about real ducks.  That’s right – we’re talking about plastic ones.  One of the most charming parts of Bibury is the River Coln.  And this is where the grand race itself takes place.  The idea is that you buy a plastic duck for ten pounds, and enter it in the race.  This is all in aid of a good cause of course, and the cause is determined by the duck which crosses the finishing line first – or should we say whoever sponsored that duck!

As such it is a great way to liven up your Boxing Day morning and do something for local charities at this festive time of year as well.  You’ll need to be up and about early though – the best time to get there is for eleven o’clock in the morning.  If you don’t want to buy a duck you can just go along for the spectacle itself.  If you aren’t local and you haven’t witnessed it before you’ll certainly love the bizarre nature of it.

You might wonder how this strange but enjoyable Boxing Day event got started in the first place.  But unfortunately it seems the reasons for it have got lost in the mists of time.  However it does go back a good few years and no one seems to mind the lost reason – they just want to have fun every Boxing Day morning when there are local charities to support, ducks to sponsor and mince pies to tuck into!
Mulled wine is another thing to look forward to on the day and it will certainly warm you up if it turns out to be a cold morning.  And then you still have the rest of the day to enjoy no matter where in the Cotswolds you happen to be staying.  The annual race is a good way to enjoy your Christmas, so come along and sponsor a duck of your very own!

If you do, then come along to Cheltenham Racecourse on the 11^th and 12^th December – a Friday and a Saturday – to enjoy the boylesports.com International.

This is an ideal place to come if you are looking at some UK weekend breaks and you want something exciting to do while you are here.  The Cheltenham Racecourse is just north of Cheltenham itself and is easy to reach.  It is just off the A435 and it is well signposted.

What is even better is that charming villages and locations in the Cotswolds such as Bourton on the Water and Moreton in Marsh are just out to the east of the racecourse.  This means you should have plenty of Cotswolds cottages to choose from and stay in during your long weekend away.

To give you an idea of how close you will be to the best that the Cotswolds has to offer, the racecourse is only about half an hour’s drive from Bourton on the Water.  And it is only around ten minutes more to Moreton in Marsh.  What better location could there be to stay in the countryside and yet visit one of the best horse races in the country as well?

So what can you expect from the horse racing itself on the 11^th and 12^th December?  Well, once you have left your Cotswolds holiday cottage you can look forward to seeing plenty of great races on the course at Cheltenham.  For example there is a great hurdling race that takes place on the Saturday, and it is quite something to watch as you witness the horses going round the course.  Both days feature a number of races that are worth seeing though, so you might want to start thinking about which horses to have a flutter on!

There are several restaurants available at the course as well, and if you are quick you might be able to book a complete day out that includes a delicious lunch as well.  If you visit the Cheltenham Racecourse website you should be able to book your places online, and of course there is plenty more information there about the race as well.

This would provide a great centrepiece to a good weekend away in the Cotswolds.  And with plenty more to do in the area you can spend a day at the races and a day exploring one or two of the many charming villages the Cotswolds has to boast of as well.

Don’t forget to book your Cotswolds holiday cottage as well though.  There are plenty of them available and as you can see they are never too far away from Cheltenham itself.  The racecourse is perfectly placed to give you a sensational day out without encroaching on the peace and quiet you want from a UK weekend break.

So why not call up now and see if you can get tickets to one of the best horse racing events in December?  It’s well worth making the trip.