And a few stops in between…
This was a little bit of a spur-of-the-moment road trip; both Gary and I had never visited Oxford and only briefly touched on the Cotswolds. So, when we looked at the map and noticed that Stratford-upon-Avon wasn’t too far either, we had a mini road trip in the making.
Looking back at those 5 days, we had a wonderful trip and some great memories.
It all started at Henley-on-Thames after celebrating a friend’s birthday in Marlow.
If you’ve never visited Henley, I suggest you do, I really don’t think there could be a town more quintessentially English if it tried.
So, to hopefully tempt you to embark on your own road trip around the English countryside, here is a taster of what we discovered.
![The Pin image for our post - 'Memories of our Cotswolds, Oxford & Stratford-Upon-Avon Road Trip'](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Memories-of-our-Cotswolds-Oxford-Stratford-Upon-Avon-Road-Trip-Pin6.jpg)
Our Memories
Stratford-upon-Avon
![The 16th/17th-century timber-framed Hall's Croft owned by William Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna & her husband in Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Halls-Croft-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-R2.jpg)
![Little rowing boats moored up on the River Avon, with the Holy Trinity church in the background, in Stratford-upon-Avon](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-river-Avon-with-the-Holy-Trinity-church-in-the-background-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Touring through the Cotswolds
![The view of the church & graveyard at Snowshill in the Cotswolds on a bright sunny day](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Across-the-churchyard-Snowshill-Gloucestershire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Oxford’s beautiful architecture
![Red banners, with the Oriel College logo, flutter in the courtyard in front of the exterior to the main hall.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Oriel-College-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Strolling through the lanes is like stepping back into a different era.
Academics are fluttering by in their gowns, porters standing in doorways in bowler hats and locked wrought iron gates you can only peer through into another world.
![The 18th-century neo-classical domed-circular Radcliffe Camera in the centre of Oxford](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Radcliffe-camera-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
![A close-up view of the Hertford Bridge, also known as the Bridge of Sighs, with the Sheldonian Theatre in the background.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Bridge-of-Sighs-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Visiting Lower Slaughter
![An idyllic Cotswold scene of a very shallow, slow flowing, river in front of a Cotswold home and a water mill with a tall brick built chimney In a village called Lower Slaughter](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/On-the-river-Eye-Lower-Slaughter-Gloucestershire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
![A typical Cotswolds view of a cottage and a well on Malthouse Lane in Lower Slaughter.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-well-on-Malthouse-Lane-Lower-Slaughter-Gloucestershire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Strolling the waterways
![A number of small boats moored up at the Thames Riverside in Henley-on-Thames on a bright summers day.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-waterfront-Henley-on-Thames-visit-oxfordshire-historic-england-cultural-britain-places-to-visit-in-the-uk-V5.jpg)
Let us know?
Magdalen College
![A wood-panelled communal dining hall of Magdalen College, Oxford](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Hall-Magdalen-College-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
![Inside Magdalen college Oxford a view of the cloisters and the tower on a summer's day](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Cloisters-of-Magdalen-College-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Discovering the lesser known Cotswolds villages
![Historic Cotswold stone building in Northleach](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Peter-House-Northleach-Gloucestershire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
I’m certainly not advising you to miss them out; they’re popular for a reason.
However, part of the fun for us was touring around finding some slightly off-the-beaten track or following people’s recommendations.
![Looking down 'The Street' in the picturesque village of Castle Combe in Wiltshire](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-Street-Castle-Combe-visit-wiltshire-historic-england-explore-the-cotswolds-places-to-visit-in-the-uk-V5.jpg)
Out of the eight we visited, three were reasonably quiet they were Northleach, Snowshill and Lower Slaughter.
Castle Combe was also relatively peaceful but may have been as we visited later in the day.
Plan ahead!
Escape for a few days
Are you in search of a tranquil hideaway to relax and unwind in, while you discover the beautiful British countryside?
Browse through the handpicked properties and unique retreats at Holiday Cottages.
“To be, or not to be”
![Shakespeare's house in the centre of Stratford upon Avon. The beige coloured half-timbered Tudor home stands now was a museum to the playwright's legacy.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Shakespeares-Birthplace-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
![A bronze statue to Shakespeare's Prince Hal, holding his crown aloft, in the Bancroft Gardens in Stratford-upon-Avon](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Statue-to-Prince-Hal-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-R2.jpg)
Oh, so English, Henley-upon-Thames
![The Market in Henley on Thames's market with a sign declaring it's 'Local, ethical & sustainable shopping'](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Market-at-Henley-on-Thames-England-V5.jpg)
Musical legend
![Overlooking the Phyllis Court Club from across the river Thames at Henley-on-Thames](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/All-ready-for-rowing-Henley-on-Thames-England-V5.jpg)
Bletchley Park
![An external picture of the late 19th century Bletchley Manor in a mix of Victorian Gothic, Tudor, and Dutch Baroque styles](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Mansion-Bletchley-Park-Buckinghamshire-England-UK-R2.jpg)
![Inside a hut at Bletchley Park, with a holographic wartime codebreaker working on a code on a blackboard.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Codebreaking-Bletchley-Park-Buckinghamshire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Hit the road
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Romeo & Juliet at the RSC
![A wide-beam cnalboat navigating on the River Avon between other boats in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on a beautiful sunny summers day.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Royal-Shakespeare-theatre-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-V5.jpg)
As luck would have it, England was playing in the World Cup that night, so obviously it wasn’t a popular day to go to the theatre.
We managed to get two stall tickets for £25 each rather than £62.50.
![The cover to our program from the RSC's production of Romeo & Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Romeo-and-Juliet-programme-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-R2.jpg)
British Motor Museum
![A front view of a bright red 1960's E-Type Jaguar in the entrance lobby of the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-iconic-E-Type-Jaguar-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Chatting to the locals
![The timber-framed exterior of the historic Garrick Inn, Stratford-upon-Avon](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/The-Garrick-Inn-Stratford-upon-Avon-Warwickshire-England-UK-R2.jpg)
Inspector Morse
![The front of the White Horse pub on Broad Street, with a chalkboard remembering it was a favourite of the fictional Inspector Morse](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-White-Horse-Pub-Oxford-England-UK-V5.jpg)
Where we stayed
Not sure there is...
If you're intrigued by Oxfordshire, a historic UK county, then why not check out "The Little Book of Oxfordshire". Full of facts and obscure information. It's a fun read on the region.
You won't be able to put it down. You can pick it up for your Kindle or in good old paperback.
A family thing
We have a bit of an in-joke in my family, every year since I was little my Dad and I have a bet on the Oxford and Cambridge boat race. The stakes are high, we are now at 50p to win.
My Dad was born in Oxford, so there is no guessing who I have. Actually, he still owes me 50p for 2019’s outcome.
Visiting Oxford's colleges
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So pleased to hear I’m not the only Morsey fan around here. Ms B keeps winding me up about it, and yes, I did insist on us following his foot steps too. Great post. Enjoyed reading it.
Thanks very much, yes Morse was a great series and John Thaw was such a good actor (Gary, just loves The Sweeney). You have to do these things and then when you see them again on the TV, you can say “I’ve been there”.