The Best of the Cotswolds

Summary

The Cotswolds was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty back in 1966 and is the second largest protected landscape in England after the Lake District. The boundaries of the Cotswolds are around 25 miles across and 90 miles long and the area includes several counties. Most of the area is within Gloucestershire (the county on which we will be focusing the majority of our time) and Oxfordshire with smaller parts in Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

The Cotswolds' varied habitats will provide views of a host of special butterflies, including the rare Duke of Burgundy, Pearl-bordered and Marsh Fritillary, Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue and the very special Large Blue amongst others. 

Orchids proliferate in the limestone grasslands, abandoned quarries, Beech woodlands and sheltered valleys here, and across our three full days we hope to find a superb array of species and we will know the locations of everything possible and try to see them all during the tour. Such delights as Bee Orchid, Fly Orchid, Greater and Lesser Butterfly Orchid and later in the season, Broad-leaved, Green-flowered, Narrow-lipped and possibly even Violet Helleborine may be found, amongst others. Whenever you chose to visit it is sure to be a most rewarding short break.