The Cotswolds Ride

Day 1: Arrival and introductory ride

Welcome to the Cotswolds, globetrotters! Today you’ll meet your hosts, guides and fellow guests at the grandiose Tortworth Court at 12pm.

After a warm welcome, you’ll enjoy some casual lunchtime refreshments while your fabulous guide, briefs you on the week ahead. Make sure you’re dressed to ride, because straight afterwards you’re headed to the pretty village of Frampton in Gloucestershire to meet the horses! Your new equine partner will be saddled and waiting to take you out across bridleways and farmland, nudging into the glorious Frampton Court Estate. You’ll all feel well acquainted with your mounts and their tack by the end of the ride.

After a swift half pint on the village green (the largest in England!), you’ll return to Tortworth Court, check into your room and freshen up before a welcome dinner in the incredibly atmospheric Atrium.

Day 2: Minchinhampton Common ride

Waking up in your deluxe bedroom, you’ll descend the grand staircase Downtown Abbey-style for a hearty breakfast. Then you’ll buckle up for a drive through picturesque Gloucestershire countryside, pulling up at Minchinhampton Common. Minchinhampton is a quintessential Cotswold stone village, and the back garden of HRH Princess Anne. She still rides out in this direction from her home turf of Gatcombe Park quite frequently – so sit up straight and heels down! Today’s ride is about ten miles long (approx. 25km) with plenty of trots and canters, and some clip-clopping through quintessential Cotswold villages.

Returning to Tortworth Court, you’ll find a delightful afternoon tea set up on the promenade. High Tea is one of England’s most iconic dining experiences. You’ll find platters stacked with the makings of a children’s dolls party: intricate little cakes and finger sandwiches, feather-light souffles, scones, and confections in spun sugar, all washed down with tea – and since it’s for adults, there’s champagne, too. It shouldn’t be legal…and yet…!

Tonight you’ll head out to see the iconic Giffords Circus, a feast for the senses with fabulous acrobatic and equestrian displays and bohemian splendour worthy of Shakespeare (did we mention he lived in the Cotswolds?). Transfers are included, so you can enjoy a few drinks. Prepare for a captivating late night out, complete with a magical banquet peppered with colourful characters and delectable local produce. It’s your own Midsummer Night’s Dream…

Day 3: Malvern Hill ride

Today you’ll up the ante with a wonderful four-hour ride over the five valleys in the magnificent Malvern Hills. Keep your camera at the ready! Having worked up an appetite, afterwards you’ll head to a fantastic local pub, The Wellington Inn, for a late lunch with sublime views across Ledbury country, and the most famous hunting field hedges known to man. This is the course of the ‘Golden Button Challenge’, which your guides will tell nail-biting stories about over lunch.

This afternoon, you’re free to return to Tortworth Court (an hour’s drive) at your leisure, perhaps taking in Ledbury, a quaint market town with wonderful antique shops, en route. Your hosts will also point out the Jolly Nice Farm Shop (picture a farm shop that’s had the Hermes treatment, with every conceivable edible delight on display – mostly grown, raised and cooked within a 20 mile radius). You’re welcome to pick up tea or dinner here if you need it, at your own expense. There’ll be live music here in the evening, and with no dinner plans thank to that epic lunch, you’re welcome to stick around.

You may also wish to soak away any aches in Totworth Court’s delightful spa, or pick up a book in the library and sit back with a cocktail.

Day 4: Glamorgan Coast ride

Grabbing a quick breakfast and a flask of tea or coffee for the road, an early-morning drive has you leaving Jolly Olde England altogether, driving almost 100 miles west through Wales. You’ll rendezvous with your guides and horses at Ogmore-by-Sea on the stunning Glamorgan Coast. Mounting your noble steed, you’ll enjoy a brilliant ride through the towering coastal dunes and a windswept canter along the beach. Then you’ll make the most of your coastal location with a fabulous beach picnic and, if you’re feeling brave, an ocean swim!

If you’d like to take the scenic route home, drive along the old A48 and through the stunning Wye Valley, perhaps stopping at the iconic Tintern Abbey for a cream tea. Otherwise, you can head straight back to Tortworth House for a complimentary massage to get you feeling limber for tonight’s party! There’s live music at the Atrium this evening and after the dinner plates are cleared, you can dance the night away like the star of some glamorous costume drama.

Day 5: Non-riding day or x-country schooling (optional extra)

Today the horses (and riders!) get a rest as you take in the best of the British summer. Transport is provided today so that you can sit back and relax. Depending on your ride dates, you could be visiting a county show, a game fair, a local festival, a horsey event like a point-to-point or a polo match… but wherever you end up, you can expect tweed, pony club ties, the smell of fried onions and sunscreen, misbehaving native ponies, hound displays, and 2-tonne bulls being led by the nostrils by young children in flat caps. The arena displays are often jaw-dropping – think jousting, parachuting, daredevil stunt-riding, or re-training of racehorses. You’ll be grinning ear to ear.

If you’d rather maximise your saddle time, a morning of cross country schooling can be organised for an additional cost (this must be arranged at least 2 weeks prior and is priced between £280 to £320 GBP per person depending on numbers), after which you can make your own way to the show, or lounge around at Tortworth House. You’ll have a fresh horse for the cross country so that your regular mount still gets a full day off.
Come evening, you’ll dine together at a local establishment. For anyone feeling youthful, there are some nearby cocktail bars with great vibes.

Day 6: Cirencester Park

After a big, leisurely breakfast, you’ll mount up at around 11am for your last ride in the Cotswolds. The route takes you around the woodland, bridleways, manicured turf and rolling hills of Cirencester Park, home of the horse-loving Bathurst family for around 300 years. Cirencester Park hosts the UK endurance riding championships, with its vast parklands facilitating courses of up to 160 kilometres (99 miles)! It’s a great honour to compete here, and it will be your honour to glide around on a glossy hunter for the morning, passing strings of polo ponies cantering for fitness, dog walkers, and the occasional lucky trail rider. Lunch, if you need it, is on you; Cirencester Park has some super cafes and snack stops, as well as a delightful gift shop.

You’ll be home in time for a spa session, should you fancy it, and from 4 to 7pm, you and your fellow globetrotters are booked in for massages.

This evening you’ll all stay in for one last group dinner and toast to an unforgettable week.

Day 7: Departure

Waking up to the realisation that you’ve just experienced quite possibly the ULTIMATE English riding holiday, you’ll meet everyone downstairs for breakfast, then check out of your room and head off on your merry way.

Badminton Horse Trials

The May departure of The Cotswolds Ride is designed around one of Britain’s most famous Eventing competitions: Badminton Horse Trials. On this departure, the itinerary will be redesigned to maximise your time spectating at the Trials, and include an extra night, making the entire holiday 7 days and 7 nights long. VIP tickets are also included, so you’ll have special access. For a full itinerary, scroll to the end of this page and download the Fact Sheet.

Badminton needs no introduction, being one of the world’s biggest and toughest 5-star Eventing competitions. Horse nuts and general sports fans will all have an equally wonderful time. Spectators flock to Badminton not just for the competition, but for the shopping, hospitality, people spotting, and partying. Our exclusive Globetrotting package includes a course walk with a Badminton veteran.

Non-Rider information

The Cotswolds are quite rightly regarded as one of the jewels in the crown of English tourism. Non-riders are spoilt for choice in how to spend their week if they are joining a riding friend or partner. Tortworth Court have produced their own fabulous local guide which can be downloaded HERE, and in addition, there’s ample fishing, cycling, hiking, incredible heritage cities like Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham, historic homes, estates and grounds like Dyrham Park or Lacock Abbey…outdoor fun, high culture, village life and city life all right on the doorstep.  The tendency will be to over-do it because there is just so much great stuff to do, so we’d recommend blocking off a couple of days for indolence and recharging the batteries – the village of Tortworth and the grounds of the hotel are themselves worthy of some leisurely exploring…chess on the lawn, anyone?!’

NB: The non-rider price includes all breakfasts, 5x dinners (no lunches are included) plus transfers and admission to Giffords Circus and day 5 excursion transfers. Date coinciding with Badminton Horse Trials includes event admission & celebrity course walk.