Salon Privé has unveiled The White Collection for its 2026 edition, a thoughtfully curated display bringing together 20 of the world's most significant collector cars, united by one defining characteristic: their finish.

Presented throughout the five-day event at Blenheim Palace, the exhibition explores the remarkable breadth of white in automotive design, from soft ivory and eggshell to luminous pearl and contemporary metallic tones. Rather than simply sharing a colour, each car reflects a distinct moment in automotive history, demonstrating how understated finishes have often adorned some of the most celebrated designs ever created.

www.salonpriveconcours.com

Among the highlights are the Lexus LFA, Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Miura and the Aston Martin Valiant Prototype, alongside a carefully selected line-up spanning more than seven decades of automotive excellence, from 1955 through to 2026.

Together, the collection offers a rare opportunity to experience an unusually cohesive group of landmark automobiles. Many have seldom been exhibited publicly, making The White Collection one of the defining installations of this year's Salon Privé.

The first 10 vehicles confirmed for the display have now been announced, offering an early glimpse of a collection that celebrates not only rarity, but the enduring elegance of one of motoring's most quietly sophisticated palettes.

1. Lexus LFA 
One of the greatest Japanese supercars ever built, the 2011 Lexus LFA is renowned for its naturally aspirated V10 engine. Finished in Pearl White, it brings modern performance and precision to the Salon Privé White Collection. 

2. ​Bugatti Veyron 
The 2008 Bugatti Veyron redefined the hypercar with record-breaking performance and engineering. Finished in White and Chrome, its striking two-tone appearance makes it one of the standout cars within the White Collection.

3. Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Widely regarded as one of Ferrari's most beautiful designs, the 1973 Dino 246 GTS combines elegant styling with open-top driving. Finished in Bianco Polo Park, it adds timeless Italian style to the all-white line-up.

4. Lamborghini Miura 
Often credited as the world's first supercar, the Lamborghini Miura changed automotive history with its revolutionary mid-engined layout. Finished in Bianco, this beautifully restored 1968 example is a fitting addition to this unique display.

5. Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster 
One of Porsche's earliest and most desirable sports cars, the 1955 356 Pre-A Speedster helped establish the marque's reputation around the world. Finished in Speedster White, it represents the origins of one of motoring's most celebrated manufacturers.

6. Aston Martin Valiant Prototype 
A rare opportunity to see the 2023 Aston Martin Valiant Prototype, which showcases Aston Martin's latest engineering and track-focused performance. Finished in White, it is set to bring cutting-edge British performance to the Salon Privé White Collection. 

7. Auto Union 1000 SP Roadster 
Nicknamed the 'Baby Thunderbird', this 1963 Auto Union 1000 SP Roadster is one of the most distinctive European sports cars of the early 1960s. Finished in Egg Shell White, it offers a charming contrast to the display’s super and hypercars.

8. Lamborghini Huracán STO 
Developed directly from Lamborghini's motorsport programme, the 2023 Huracán STO delivers race-inspired performance for the road. Finished in Bianco Monocerus, it combines aggressive styling with one of Lamborghini's most recognisable white paint finishes. A must-see!

9. Maserati 3500GT 
The 1961 Maserati 3500GT marked the brand's move into grand touring, combining elegant styling with refined performance. Finished in Bianco Eldorado, the Maserati brings classic Italian sixties sophistication to the line-up. 

10. Radford 62-2 Coupé 
One of the newest cars in the collection, the 2026 Radford 62-2 Coupé blends modern engineering with inspiration drawn from the iconic Lotus Type 62 racers. Finished in White, it provides a contemporary interpretation of British coachbuilding tradition. 

The best way to explore the Cotswolds is through its restaurants.

Not always the obvious choices, nor the places with the biggest Instagram following. These are the places locals quietly recommend when someone asks where they should eat.

So we've mapped out the ultimate summer food journey.

From exceptional breakfasts and seafood lunches to wood-fired cooking and unforgettable dinners, this is our 72-hour guide to eating well across the Cotswolds this summer.
​

Breakfast: The Hive, Stow-on-the-Wold

Breakfast is often treated as little more than a warm-up act for lunch. The Hive makes a convincing argument that it deserves rather more respect than that.

Located in the heart of Stow on the Wold, it has become one of the most dependable breakfast spots in the North Cotswolds. 

The poached eggs and avocado on sourdough with chilli jam is the smart order. The chilli jam adds just enough heat to stop the dish becoming another forgettable avocado-on-toast cliché. However, we would never put you off the Full English. It's generous without becoming ridiculous and manages to feel indulgent without ruining the rest of the day's eating.

www.eatcotswolds.co.uk/the-hive

Also worth considering: 

The Straw Kitchen, Whichford Pottery
 
Part café, part destination in its own right, The Straw Kitchen feels like one of those recommendations that locals are slightly reluctant to share. Excellent coffee, naturally served in a Whichford Pottery mug made at the bottom of the garden, good eggs and bacon and a setting that encourages lingering far longer than intended.

www.whichfordpottery.com/visit/straw-kitchen

Lynwood & Co, Moreton-in-Marsh

A place that makes some of the best sourdough in the Cotswolds is naturally going to find excellent uses for it. The scrambled eggs on toast and breakfast sarnies are both superb.

www.lynwoodandco.com

Broadway Deli, Broadway

A firm favourite of ours. The nduja scrambled eggs are excellent, the baked eggs deserve attention and the deli itself provides plenty of temptation for later in the day.

broadwaydeli.co.uk


Lunch: Zonda at The Halfway, Kineton

A few months ago, nobody was driving to Kineton specifically for pizza.

The pub's transformation from a Michelin recommended classic dining pub into a pizza-led dining destination has been one of Cotswold food stories of 2026. Most importantly, it works because the food is genuinely excellent.

Start with the rare breed pork belly bites, courgette fritti and an order of cheesy garlic bread because self-restraint is entirely overrated on a food tour, before ordering the a pizza. Our choice would be the Nduja & hot honey ‘Diablo’, but they are all incredibly good.

The whole operation feels refreshingly free of pretension. Nobody is trying to reinvent dining. They're simply serving food people want to eat. And judging by how busy it has been since opening, they're getting it exactly right.

www.thehalfwayatkineton.com

Also worth considering:

Smiths of Bourton

Some burgers are designed for Instagram, the Béarnaise Bad Boy is designed for eating.

Juicy, unapologetically indulgent and exactly the sort of lunch that reminds you why burgers remain popular despite endless attempts to improve them.

www.smithsofbourton.com


Dinner: The Old Butchers, Stow-on-the-Wold

Ask enough local chefs and serious food lovers where they eat on their day off and The Old Butchers appears more than most.

For years, The Old Butchers has quietly maintained its reputation as one of the most consistently impressive restaurants in the North Cotswolds. 

Seafood, steak and good wine remain a particular strength, yet what makes The Old Butchers so good is its confidence. There is no sense of a restaurant trying to prove itself. It simply knows exactly what it is and exactly what it does well.

www.theoldbutchers.com

Also worth considering:

Moda, Broadway

Recently included in the Michelin Guide, Moda combines ambitious modern cooking with the sort of precision and confidence that marks out serious fine dining.

Led by Head Chef James Wilson, formerly of The Newt in Somerset, it's a restaurant quietly building a serious reputation.

www.houseofgeorge.uk

Pit Kitchen

Summer and cooking over fire feel like natural companions.

Pit Kitchen has built its following around exactly that idea. Expect exceptional flatbreads, smoke, flame and food designed to be shared. Relaxed, informal and packed with flavour, it's one of the most enjoyable summer dining experiences within the North Cotswolds.

www.pitkitchen.co.uk

Breakfast: Eleven, Bibury

Some breakfasts are memorable because they're innovative. Others are memorable because they're executed flawlessly. Eleven belongs firmly in the second category.

Order the Eggs Royale. It's the standout dish and a fair reflection of Eleven itself; elegant without being fussy and indulgent without going overboard. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's influence is evident throughout the interiors, creating a space that feels a little more interesting than the average breakfast stop.

www.elevenbibury.com

Also worth considering:

The Twig, Bibury

Also in Bibury, The Twig offers excellent coffee, excellent pastries and a good excuse to visit the most beautiful village in England (William Morris' words, not mine) before the crowds arrive. 

www.bazfred.com/the-twig

The Kitchen, Calmsden

A beautiful space serving excellent local coffee, quality pastries, decent smoothies and croissants that consistently hit the mark. Perfect if four-legged company is joining the itinerary.


Lunch: New Wave Brasserie, Lechlade

The idea of outstanding seafood in the Cotswolds still surprises some people, and it really shouldn't.

New Wave Brasserie has become one of the best restaurants around, bringing the best of Cornwall, Devon and the Scottish coast to Lechlade. The menu changes according to availability, the fish is exceptional and the cooking has the confidence not to overcomplicate things.

newwavebrasserie.com

Also worth considering:

Lola & Co, Tetbury

I despise the term hidden gem, but Lola & Co is somewhere that needs to be discovered by everyone. Excellent tapas and a wine list to match, and the sort of place where lunch accidentally becomes dinner if you are not careful.

www.lolaandco.co.uk

Jolly Nice, Frampton Mansell

Part farm shop, part cafe, part roadside institution. The burgers remain excellent, the atmosphere refreshingly relaxed and the outdoor seating makes it a particularly strong summer stop.

jollynicefarmshop.com


Dinner: ​Juliet, Stroud

Created by the team behind The Woolpack, Juliet has quickly established itself as one of the best restaurants in the Cotswolds.

It's a calm, confident bistro that feels as if it has quietly decided Europe still knows best. The cooking is seasonal, restrained, and pointedly unfussy, drawing on France and Italy while leaning heavily on British and local produce, including their own Walled Garden at Lypiatt Park. Dishes arrive designed for sharing, moving from small, precise plates to grill-led larger ones, all underpinned by a sense that good ingredients, properly handled, are quite enough.

www.julietrestaurant.co.uk

Also worth considering:

Sam & Jak, Cirencester

For us, Sam & Jak is Cirencester's standout restaurant. The menu takes British food and reworks it with seasonal confidence, rooted firmly in the Cotswolds. The cooking is hearty, refined where it matters, and clearly driven by good sourcing rather than fuss.

www.samandjak.co.uk

Sauce at The Painswick

Elegant without becoming formal and refined without becoming intimidating, the team cook with a clear focus on seasonal, top-quality produce, turning it into a sharing-style menu that’s built for flavour rather than formality. It’s thoughtful cooking, but never fussy, letting the ingredients do the heavy lifting.

thepainswick.co.uk

The Rectory, Crudwell

The Rectory is all about relaxed evening dining: classic dishes given a light contemporary lift, served in an elegant dining room and its striking glasshouse. It feels polished without ever becoming formal with a menu designed for unhurried dining and food that’s straightforward, well-judged, and quietly confident.

therectoryhotel.com

Breakfast: Quince and Clover, Great Tew

Quince and Clover is a relaxed and focusses on breakfast and brunch done properly. Seasonal, straightforward cooking built around good local produce, free-range eggs, sourdough, and the kind of ingredients that don’t need dressing up.

Alongside the classics, there’s a strong counter of homemade pastries and cakes if you’re there more for grazing than planning, all served in an easy, unhurried space that suits a slow morning as well as a late brunch.

quinceandclover.co.uk

Also worth considering:

Missing Bean, Charlbury

Opened in 2025, Missing Bean Charlbury brings a welcome outpost of its East Oxford originals to the Cotswolds.

It’s a simple equation done well with excellent coffee, freshly-made pastries, and a relaxed, welcoming space that turns a quick stop into the best possible start to the day.

www.themissingbean.co.uk

Bromley's, Chipping Norton

Bromley’s in Chipping Norton is built around a simple idea: great coffee, fresh local produce, and food made without unnecessary complication. It’s rooted in the Cotswolds and proudly so, working closely with nearby suppliers to keep things local and well sourced.

Excellent coffee sits alongside superb Cacklebean eggs, smoked salmon, and sourdough. A simple combination, executed perfectly.

bromleysofcotswolds.co.uk


Lunch: The Killingworth Castle

The Killingworth Castle is one of the Cotswolds’ standout food pubs with a 3 AA Rosette kitchen and a place in the 2026 Michelin Guide. 

The cooking is confident, seasonal, and rooted in quality produce, with thoughtful organic menus that make the most of wild and local ingredients from the surrounding countryside. It’s proper destination dining, but still feels like a pub; relaxed, welcoming, and entirely unpretentious about how good it is.

www.thekillingworthcastle.com

Also worth considering:

Thyme & Lovage, Burford

This is Burford’s only riverside cafe, where the cooking follows the seasons with quiet precision. Menus are built around what nature is offering at its peak, so every dish feels direct, fresh, and full of flavour.

There’s a clear commitment to local producers too, working closely with small farmers and growers around Burford and beyond. It’s simple, seasonal food in an easy setting.

thymeandlovage.com


Dinner: Wild at Bull Burford

Every great food tour deserves a memorable finale, and Wild delivers one of the most distinctive dining experiences currently available in the Cotswolds.

Wild at The Bull Burford is an intimate open-fire restaurant tucked into a sunken courtyard, where Chef Ben Chamberlain has created an 11-course tasting journey built around flame, smoke, theatre and the simple pleasure of people coming together. 

www.bullburford.com/explore-wild

Also worth considering:

Canteen Cotswolds, Gagingwell

Canteen arrives in the Cotswolds as one of the most exciting pop-ups of the summer; a London favourite brought countryside, without losing its rhythm or confidence.

The cooking is simple, Italian-leaning, and ingredient-led, changing with the week and built for easy, generous summer eating. Fresh pasta, pizza, seasonal plates.

www.canteen310.com/cotswolds

​What makes these three days work is the rhythm of it: driving through some of the most beautiful parts of the Cotswolds, then sitting down to food that feels rooted in where you are, even when the ideas travel further. It’s not about discovery for its own sake, but about eating well in places that feel entirely of their setting.

By the end, it’s less a list of restaurants and more a map of experiences, each one adding something to a picture of the Cotswolds that’s quietly, consistently, eating very well indeed.

After standing empty since 2020, The Tunnel House near Cirencester has finally reopened its doors.

Over the past year, working alongside the Bathurst Estate, the team behind The Bell at Sapperton has been busy restoring one of the most distinctive pub locations in the Cotswolds. Set beside the Coates portal of the Sapperton Tunnel and the Thames & Severn Canal, it has long been a favourite stopping point for locals, walkers and visitors alike.

The aim is straightforward: to bring back a proper pub that serves good food and drink, employs local people and once again becomes a hub for the community.

As the sister pub to The Bell at Sapperton, connected by a wonderful walk through Hailey Wood and across the canal valley, The Tunnel House is ready to take its place among the region's best-loved pubs once again.

Provisional June opening hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 10pm, Friday from 5pm to 11pm, Saturday from 12pm to 11pm and Sunday from 12pm to 10pm. The Tunnel Fire Kitchen will be serving in the garden on Saturdays from 12pm to 8pm and Sundays from 12pm to 6pm.

You can find all the info on their website

www.tunnelhouseinn.co.uk

There are still corners of the Cotswolds where lunch is not an obligation but a lightly dangerous social commitment. The kind that begins with perfectly respectable intentions and ends several hours later with empty wine bottles and rearranged evening plans

Ever since Rivals returned Jilly Cooper’s world of country-house chaos to public life, the idea of the long Cotswolds lunch has felt newly relevant again. Not the polished fantasy sold to weekenders, but the real thing: Bloody Marys before noon, flirtation over oysters, gossip that moves faster than the traffic through Burford, and the growing realisation that nobody has any serious intention of leaving before dark.

This is a landscape of polo, horse racing, expensive divorces and pubs where lunch is rarely just lunch, it's social theatre with side dishes.

​And if the Rivals cast ever escaped the television screen, these are exactly the pubs where you would expect to find them.
​
​

​If the Cotswolds racing world has a headquarters, it is almost certainly The Hollow Bottom.

Tucked away on the edge of Guiting Power, this gloriously unpolished institution functions as the social centre of horse-racing life in the Cotswolds. Trainers, jockeys, owners and stable staff pass through with muddy boots, racing tips and opinions they absolutely did not intend to say out loud quite so publicly.

Breakfast is available every day and will usually begin with a Bloody Mary before anybody has properly decided whether this is wise. Lunch rapidly becomes afternoon drinking. Afternoon drinking somehow becomes dinner.

Dogs sleep on a makeshift bed (somebody's coat) beside the fire in winter, local ales named after racehorses line the bar, and the Monday Pie Night (a pie with a pint or glass of wine for £20) has become something close to rural ritual.

Rupert Campbell-Black would absolutely settle in here for dinner after a day at Cheltenham, with one eye on his steak and the other firmly on whichever female that happened to be walking past the table. By pudding, he would almost certainly have been invited to at least two different after-parties and caused three relationship break-ups entirely by accident, and still somehow emerged from the situation looking unfairly charming.

​www.thehollowbottom.com

​With spectacular views across the Oxfordshire countryside, The Feathered Nest has a setting that encourages optimism, poor judgement and another bottle of wine.

The pub has always been a reliable favourite among the local equestrian crowd. Saddles repurposed as bar stools nod to its horsey-country roots, while the terrace outside has witnessed more than its fair share of flirtation disguised as lunch.

The grilled Cornish monkfish deserves something crisp, white and expensive from the extraordinary wine list, which boasts more than 240 bins and has almost certainly contributed to several complicated romances over the years. For those fully embracing the long-lunch spirit, the eight-course tasting menu removes any realistic expectation of productivity long before dessert arrives.

This is exactly where Declan and Maud O’Hara would arrive determined to have a wonderful evening together. And to be fair, for at least the first hour they probably would. A glass of something cold, spectacular food, and perhaps even a brief moment of marital harmony. Then somewhere between the second bottle and dessert, Declan would say something faintly irritating, Maud would refuse to let it pass, and the entire evening would quietly unravel against one of the most beautiful Oxfordshire backdrops.

thefeatherednestinn.co.uk

The Fox at Oddington is where the London crowd arrives on Friday evening in cashmere and oversized sunglasses insisting they are “escaping to the countryside”.

Beautifully done without ever feeling try-hard, this is modern Cotswolds pub glamour at its most seductive for people who are very aware of what they are wearing and why it might be noticed. The odd TV personality will drift through, couples discuss school catchments with alarming seriousness, and the sense of being seen is never entirely absent.

DJ & Pizza Thursdays have become something of an institution, while weekends bring a crowd that understands the importance of very good food, wine and cocktails.

The menu is generous, confident and unapologetically indulgent. Crispy lamb sweetbreads with wild garlic aioli practically demand a martini nearby, while the 10oz Hereford sirloin with triple-cooked chips feels entirely reasonable after several cocktails and a great deal of people-watching.

Lord Tony Baddingham and James Vereker would arrive in a convertible and pretend to discuss television over lunch, while keeping one eye firmly on the room in the hope somebody of the opposite sex was noticing them.

thefoxatoddington.com

Sitting on the edge of Cotchester society but still close enough to remain firmly in the orbit of its chaos, The Potting Shed has mastered the particular art of feeling both smart, unpretentious and entirely relaxed at the same time.

This is exactly the sort of place Freddie Jones and Lizzie Vereker would disappear to for “just lunch” before the combined effects of excellent wine and emotional misjudgement quietly rearranged the rest of their day. Conveniently, the beautiful Rectory hotel sits directly across the road, which after several glasses would begin to feel less like useful planning and considerably more like temptation for the pair.

The food encourages glorious overcommitment. The Twice Baked Double Gloucester Soufflé with spinach and wholegrain mustard is the sort of deeply reassuring dish that immediately justifies ordering another drink, while the Pork & nduja croquettes with parmesan and wild garlic pesto arrive with enough swagger to derail even the most disciplined intentions.

Then comes the sharing 16oz Chateaubriand with grilled tomato, French fries and a choice of sauces, which feels less like lunch and more like a declaration that nobody has any plans for the rest of the day.

www.thepottingshedpub.com

​A few minutes from Beaufort Polo Club and within striking distance of Tetbury and King Charles' Highgrove, The Cat and Custard Pot sits firmly in prime Cotchester country.

It is a pub of two personalities. One side is all traditional comfort with fires, local beer and relaxed conversation. The other introduces a touch of Southern Italy to Gloucestershire society.

Start with the scallops, before moving onto a superb Luckington Farm steak, another bottle of wine and the growing suspicion that lunch may no longer be entirely under control. 

Bas Baddingham and his friends would absolutely occupy a large table near the bar, flirting enthusiastically with almost everyone who walked through the door, whether invited to or not, and enjoying themselves far more loudly than strictly necessary.

catandcustard.co.uk

Just ten minutes from Cirencester Polo Club, The Wild Duck has the sort of easy confidence that comes from knowing everybody already wants to be there.

By late afternoon the pub fills with Royal Ag students, locals, and polo players and locals who appear to have perfected that particular skill of looking slightly dishevelled in a very intentional way. It is lively, unselfconscious and just chaotic enough to feel like something might happen at any moment.

The food is exceptional in a deeply dangerous way. Devilled Crab on Toast and Beef Tartare arrive at tables already crowded with wine glasses, while the Duck Fat Toast has become something close to local currency among regulars. The Wild Boar Pie is rich enough to derail afternoon productivity entirely and, on Fridays, lobster and fries begin appearing across the room as everybody quietly abandons any pretence of moderation.

In one corner, Taggie O’Hara sits with friends, probably pretending not to notice the attention she is attracting from various directions. Or perhaps genuinely not noticing, which somehow makes the situation considerably worse for everybody involved.

www.countrycreatures.com/wild-duck-ewen

Just a few miles from Highgrove, The Rattlebone in Sherston, the sort of old-school village pub charm that makes people accidentally stay all afternoon while insisting they are “just popping in for one”.

For Paul Stratton, Cotchester’s permanently campaigning MP, this is exactly the kind of place where being seen matters. Supporting a much-loved community pub looks excellent politically, though the very good wine and beer probably doesn’t hurt either. 

Sarah, meanwhile, has almost certainly been coming here for years with a tiny hope of trying to catch a young Prince's eye like she did during the early noughties whenever he came to the pub. In fact, large sections of South Cotswolds society spent the early 2000s strategically lingering here on exactly those grounds.

The Honey & chilli glazed local pork belly delivers precisely the sort of rich comfort that encourages another bottle, the roast rump of lamb will make you book again straight away, while the Tuesday Steak Night (two juicy 8oz rump steaks with chips, salad and a bottle of house wine for £68) feels tailor-made for couples who fully intend to leave after dinner and absolutely never actually do.

www.therattlebone.co.uk

And, perhaps that is why Rivals still feels so recognisable beneath all the glamour and spectacularly bad behaviour. Because the real centre of Cotswolds society was never the country house, it was always the pub.

Preferably one with excellent wine, very good food, a full bar and somebody harmless flirting in full view. Because the best Cotswolds pubs have never really been just about eating and drinking, they are where village life happens with gossip, celebrations, old friendships and the sort of afternoons that become the stories everybody is still talking about the following weekend.

And frankly, long may it continue.

There’s a particular moment, about now, when the Cotswolds countryside stops posing for postcards and starts quietly insisting you get involved.

​The hedgerows thicken, the puddles dry out just enough to reveal the potholes they’ve been hiding all winter (mind those... your suspension will thank you), and pub gardens begin to fill in that wonderfully British way with no bookings, no agenda, just people turning up because the sun’s out and it would be rude not to.

So, we recommend you hop in the car and join them. Round up you friends. Jump in the car. Get the roof down if you’ve got one that comes down and it's not raining, windows open if you haven’t, a playlist that makes you feel faintly superior and nothing resembling a plan beyond the vague belief that lunch will happen at some point.

We’ve put together five routes where the pub isn’t a stop along the way. It’s the point. The drive is simply part of the pleasure.
​
One small note of boring-but-important sense. Please don’t drink and drive. Fortunately, every decent pub worth its salt now does very drinkable alcohol-free beer, so you can still have the pint, keep your licence and enjoy the day as much as everyone else. 

​
1. Woolpack to Wild Duck
Valleys, cider houses, and a day that quietly becomes night

You begin in Slad, where the road already feels like it has read Laurie Lee and decided to behave accordingly. The Woolpack is perched above the valley with spectacular views that do most of the work for you. It’s an easy place to lose track of time in the best possible way: lunch becomes afternoon without anyone formally deciding it should.

From there, the road drops gently into Frampton Mansell and The Crown, a 17th-century cider house that feels wonderfully steady, rooted, unbothered by modern life. It’s low-ceilinged, slightly uneven underfoot and doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is, which is a perfect village pub. 

A short drive and you reach The Bell at Sapperton. The garden feels designed for letting afternoons drift off-course, and the wine wall feels slightly smug, but in the right way like it knows you’re going to stay longer than you said you would.

By the time you reach The Wild Duck at Ewen, the structure of the day has already given up pretending. This is where you properly settle in and enjoy dinner on the beautiful terrace if the weather is on your side. This feels less like the final stop and more like the obvious conclusion to a day. 

​
2. Double Red Duke to The Stump
Postcard villages, long lunches, and the slow disappearance of time

You begin at The Double Red Duke, where the garden feels like it was built for exactly this: groups of friends arriving slightly too early, ordering slightly too much, and deciding that the weather warrants some lunch too. It’s the kind of place that encourages the first drink to turn into something longer without ever saying so out loud.

From there the roads tighten and unwind into Langford and The Bell, where if you didn't grab lunch at the Double Red Duke, you probaly should here. The food quietly takes centre stage. Nothing theatrical, nothing over-explained, just plates that arrive with a kind of quiet certainty that this is exactly what you came for, even if you didn’t know it when you set off.

The landscape softens again as you reach The Victoria Inn in Eastleach, where the village itself does most of the work. Stone cottages, a slow-moving river nearby, and a pub that feels less placed in the village than grown out of it. Time behaves differently here. It stretches without apology and it's an ideal spot to walk off some of your lunch.

Further into the valley sits The New Inn at Coln, ivy climbing the walls, light falling softly through the windows, and a perfect stop for a pint that somehow turns into a second without any real negotiation.

Then on to The Village Pub in Barnsley, the penultimate stop on a summer afternoon that is already beginning to ease towards evening. It’s a lovely pub in the most quietly assured sense: oak-beamed ceilings, dimly lit corners made for lingering, and a low, easy hum that suggests nobody here is in any particular rush to be anywhere else.

The day eventually gathers itself at The Stump: pizza, energy, and that easy late afternoon atmosphere where everyone arrives on time and leaves slightly later than they meant to. A place made for settling in properly for the evening with a quiet acceptance that there’s nowhere better to be.

​
​3. Hare to The Bull
Country roads, river bends, and an afternoon well spent

This is a driving route as much as a pub route. The roads matter as much as the stops.

You begin at The Hare in Milton-under-Wychwood, a village pub that doesn’t try to define your day for you. It simply feeds you well, pours a decent pint, and lets you get on with it. That’s more valuable than it sounds. 

From there, the road drops towards water and arrives at The Swan Swinbrook, sitting beside the river in a way that makes time feel optional. The garden draws people in and then quietly discourages them from leaving. It’s the sort of place where “we should head off soon” is said repeatedly without consequence.

Then on to The Three Horseshoes in Asthall, a charming village stop and a very good excuse to slow the pace. The garden is the main event here, and one of the best in the Cotswolds for soaking up a bit of sunshine with a drink in hand.

The climb out of the valley brings you to The Farmer’s Dog,  wide views and a confident lack of pretension. It has Clarkson’s name attached to it, but the appeal is more straightforward than that; cold beer, and British grub. It works because it doesn’t try to be clever.

From there, the tone settles again at The Royal Oak Ramsden, a village pub in a beautifully picturesque setting that barely needs introducing. There’s good beer, a grill garden doing proper work outside, and an easy rhythm to the place that makes it feel like the right pause in the day.

The day finishes at The Bull at Charlbury for dinner, a place that understands exactly what an evening should feel like without ever needing to explain it. It’s a great spot to spend a long, unhurried evening with friends, inside, where it’s all low light and easy conversation, or outside where the evening quietly extends itself.

​
​4. Norman Knight to The King's Head
Winding roads, village greens, and a day that refuses to rush

You start at The Norman Knight in Whichford, recently reopened and already acting as though it has always been there. It’s a great place to start the day with a wonderful lunch; unhurried, quietly confident and the sense that it has quietly slipped back into village life as if it never left.

From there, the road takes you to The Red Lion in Long Compton, a near-perfect village pub with a garden that seems designed entirely around the simple pleasure of a pint in the sunshine. Nothing overly complicated, just a decent stop, in exactly the right place, doing exactly what it should.

The route winds down to The Fox at Oddington, where the garden does exactly what a good gardens should by quietly persuading you there’s time for one more, then probably another. It’s an easy place to lose a couple of hours in the sunshine with friends, cocktails coming a little too easily, and conversation drifting on without any need to land anywhere in particular.

Then on to Kingham, where you can park the car and simply walk between the Kingham Plough and the Wild Rabbit, taking a drink at each and letting the village do the rest. Together they give you exactly what you need at that point in the day: no big decisions, just the simple pleasure of moving a short distance for a very good reason to stop again.

From there, the route continues to The King’s Head in Bledington, where everything opens out onto the village green. It’s the sort of place where summer simply takes care of itself, time slips slightly out of view, and that easy sense of having arrived at exactly the right point in the day at one of the Cotswolds' favourite pubs.

​
​5. The Fox to The Hollow Bottom
Picture-perfect villages, timeless pubs, and long evenings over pizza and a final drink

You begin at The Fox Broadwell, overlooking the green, where everything starts gently and has a habit of staying that way longer than it strictly needs to. Nothing pushes you on here, which is precisely the point. Lunch can be a snack from their blackboard or it's just a lovely spot to enjoy a pint, outside the front of the pub watching the world go by.

The road then lifts to The Horse & Groom in Bourton-on-the-Hill. The garden with delightful views across the Evenlode Valley is made for letting the afternoon run on properly, glasses never quite empty, and the food has that quiet competence that doesn’t ask for attention but earns it anyway. 

Then onto the Snowshill Arms which is tucked into one of the Cotswolds’ most chocolate-box villages, where everything feels just a fraction removed from the modern world. It’s an old-world pub in the best sense, no airs and graces, and absolutely no attempt to reinterpret itself for anyone passing through. It simply exists as it always has, which is exactly why it works so well.

Some narrow roads then lead you to The Halfway at Kineton, which is exactly what it says on the tin and exactly where you end up staying longer than intended. The recent new home of Zonda, the incredible pizzas feel designed for sharing in the garden with a drink in hand, conversation loosening as the afternoon slips a little further out of view. 

And finally onto The Hollow Bottom, a pub brought back to its former glory and now comfortably re-established as it should be. It’s the perfect place for a final drink of the night; unforced, welcoming, and made for that last proper pause before heading home. A pint of something local in hand, named after a racehorse you half recognise, and the evening quietly sorts itself out in front of you, without any need for ceremony.

These routes aren’t rules, they’re more a framework and a decent excuse to head out, take the long way through villages you’ve only ever driven past, and stitch together a few pubs you might not have bothered with otherwise.

The journeys between them aren’t long, and that’s exactly the point. Just enough road to build a bit of anticipation, and make that next pint or plate feel properly earned.

If you’re going to do it properly, book ahead. In summer especially, the better places quietly fill with people who had the same idea. And better still, make a night of it. Stay at the final stops, settle in, and let the evening run on without the need to move again.

Then all you have to do is turn the music up, keep the roof down, and let the Cotswolds do what it does best: feed you well and send you home slightly later than intended.

And of course, a brief and entirely unromantic reminder: pick your designated driver early, keep them well supplied with soft drinks and gratitude, and please don’t be tempted at any point to mix driving with anything stronger than common sense.

We are incredibly fortunate in the Cotswolds to have so many brilliant events right on our doorstep as summer arrives in full. From food festivals and flower shows to classic car gatherings, country fairs, circuses, and open-air cinema beneath the stars, the season offers endless excuses to step outside, gather with friends, and make the most of the long days and warm evenings.

​​Here are 25 events to help you make the most of the Cotswolds outdoors this summer.
​

​THE CHURCHILL CAR SHOW
14 JUNE • CHURCHILL VILLAGE GREEN

A delightfully Cotswold affair, the Churchill Car Show returns to the village green of Churchill for a much-loved summer gathering of motoring charm and community spirit. From classic icons to modern supercars and one-off curiosities, the green becomes a living gallery of automotive design, set against the backdrop of an unhurried village day.

Alongside the displays, expect a relaxed atmosphere of food, drink, family entertainment and local fundraising in support of local charities.

TICKETS & INFO

​THE BLENHEIM PALACE FLOWER SHOW
19–21 JUNE • BLENHEIM PALACE, OXFORDSHIRE

A most elegant herald of the summer season, the Blenheim Palace Flower Show returns to the sweeping grounds of Britain’s grandest palace, where horticulture and heritage meet in suitably magnificent style. Across three days, the parkland is transformed into a world of colour and creativity, from the grandeur of the Floral Pavilion to the artistry of show gardens, specialist growers, and immersive displays that celebrate the very best of British gardening.

TICKETS & INFO

THE CHELTENHAM FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
19–21 JUNE • MONTPELLIER GARDENS, CHELTENHAM

The Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival returns to the elegant surrounds of Montpellier Gardens, where the town’s Georgian grace provides a fitting backdrop for three days devoted to flavour, craft, and indulgence. Across the weekend, acclaimed chefs and local producers gather to present live cookery demonstrations, wine and spirit tastings, and a rich programme of talks and masterclasses, all set within a lively open-air market of artisan food and drink.

From the aromas of street food drifting through the trees to the hum of the Festival Stage and the relaxed pleasure of sampling something new in good company, it is a celebration of the region’s culinary talent in its most generous form.

TICKETS & INFO

CHARLBURY BEER FESTIVAL
27 JUNE • CHARLBURY CRICKET CLUB

The Charlbury Beer Festival returns on Saturday 27th June 2026, transforming the grounds of Charlbury Cricket Club into a cheerful celebration of great drink, good music, and local tradition. Expect 60 cask ales, 20+ craft beers, plus ciders, perries, wine, gin and Pimm’s, alongside excellent food (including veggie and vegan options). Run entirely by volunteers, the festival proudly raises funds for local and overseas causes, with live entertainment and the ever-popular World Aunt Sally Singles Championship adding a wonderfully English flourish to the day.

TICKETS + INFO

TOM JONES
​28 JUNE  •  KINGHOLM STADIUM

A voice that has long since become part of the British summer fabric returns to Gloucester as Sir Tom Jones takes to Kingsholm Stadium for a headline evening of unmistakable charm and enduring showmanship. As part of the Kingsholm Summer Series, the Welsh icon brings a catalogue spanning more than six decades — from early rhythm and blues to the unmistakable hits that have defined generations.

TICKETS & INFO

​GIFFORDS CIRCUS
JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER • VARIOUS COTSWOLDS LOCATIONS

A travelling celebration of old-fashioned wonder and handcrafted spectacle, Giffords Circus brings its 2026 show Waterfield to the fields and parklands of England from spring through to early autumn. Under the big top you’ll find a blend of acrobats, jugglers, equestrian artistry, live music and comedy, all presented with a wonderfully English, village-green charm that feels both timeless and joyously alive. Founded on the idea of “a miniature village green circus” bursting with magic, character and warmth, this season’s tour pitches up in various locations around the Cotswolds this summer. 

TICKETS + INFO

​THE COTSWOLD SHOW & FOOD FESTIVAL
4–5 JULY • CIRENCESTER PARK

A fine Cotswold summer fixture, the Cotswold Show & Food Festival returns to the stately grounds of Cirencester Park for a weekend that blends rural tradition with a distinctly modern flourish. Expect a lively mix of arena spectacle, from country pursuits and livestock displays to high-octane entertainment, alongside a bustling food hall and artisan village showcasing the very best of local produce and craft. It is, in essence, the countryside on full display.

TICKETS + INFO

​2000 TREES
8 - 11 JULY • WITHINGTON, NR CHELTENHAM

2000 Trees returns this July, with Upcote Farm once again playing host to one of the UK’s most revered independent music celebrations; a weekend of raw energy, brilliant bands and unforgettable summer days and nights with friends. The 2026 line‑up is stacked with heavyweight names for fans of punk, indie and alternative rock, including Alkaline Trio, Pup, Superheaven, Glassjaw and Lambrini Girls, alongside raucous favourites like Cancer Bats, Bad Nerves, High Vis and Dinosaur Pile‑Up — plus a host of rising acts across multiple stages that make Trees a perfect showcase for both established and underground talent.

TICKETS & INFO

​THE RHS BADMINTON FLOWER SHOW
8–12 JULY • BADMINTON ESTATE

A striking new arrival on the horticultural calendar, the RHS Badminton Flower Show unfolds across the sweeping parkland of the Badminton Estate, where South Gloucestershire becomes, for a brief midsummer spell, a showcase of gardening at its most refined. From show gardens of real ambition to the immersive Floral Marquee, expect a procession of extraordinary planting, rare specimens, and designers and growers at the very top of their craft.

Beyond the blooms, the show takes on the character of a great country gathering with talks from leading horticultural voices, artisan food, and a sense of gentle discovery at every turn. 

TICKETS + INFO

THE CHARLBURY RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL
19–20 JULY • MILL FIELD, CHARLBURY

A rather splendid outpouring of community spirit, the Charlbury Riverside Festival returns to the Mill Field on the banks of the Evenlode, where for one summer weekend the watermeadows become a stage for music, mischief, and open-air merriment. Widely regarded as Oxfordshire’s largest free festival, it draws a lively mix of families, locals and wanderers for two days of live bands, multiple stages, and a distinctly easygoing charm.

Alongside the music, expect a generous spread of food stalls, a well-stocked beer tent, children’s entertainment, and the kind of unforced, riverside atmosphere that only Charlbury seems to do with such ease, all set just a short stroll from the station.

TICKETS & INFO

FOOL’S DELIGHT CIRCUS
23 JULY – 2 AUGUST • HAM COURT HOUSE, OXFORDSHIRE

A most curious and captivating summer interlude, Fool’s Delight Circus returns with its latest creation, Tyger, transforming the grounds of Ham Court House into a world of imagination, dining, and daring performance. Inspired by William Blake’s famous poem, this year’s show explores the “fearful symmetry” of the human condition through a series of spellbinding circus duos, where acrobatics and aerial artistry become a meditation on beauty, tension, and duality.

Alongside the main production, guests are invited to a refined three-course communal feast, with the season also expanding into daytime entertainments, including solo shows from legendary clown Tweedy, family-focused performances, and even two evenings of opera from Wild Arts beneath the Big Top. It is, in every sense, a richly layered cultural escape — part circus, part supper, part summer reverie.

TICKETS + INFO

​THE GUITING MUSIC FESTIVAL
24 JULY – 2 AUGUST • GUITING POWER

A quietly glorious fixture of the Cotswold summer, the Guiting Music Festival returns for ten days of intimate, world-class performance in the unspoilt village of Guiting Power. Set beneath canvas and open skies alike, the programme moves effortlessly from classical refinement to jazz and blues, drawing acclaimed musicians from across the UK and beyond into a setting that feels both personal and timeless. This year, you will find Mica Paris and Lindisfarne on the line-up.

TICKETS & INFO

WILDERNESS
30 JULY - 2 AUGUST • ​CORNBURY PARK

Wilderness returns to the magical parkland of Cornbury Park, inviting music lovers to lose themselves in a weekend of brilliant live performances, world‑class food experiences and the festival’s signature blend of creativity and culture. The 2026 line‑up features electrifying headline sets from iconic pop‑dance outfit Scissor Sisters, genre‑bending innovators The Last Dinner Party and legendary DJ‑producer Carl Cox, alongside acclaimed electronic duo Soulwax, indie favourite Saint Etienne and cult‑cool songwriter Baxter Dury, with dancefloor heat from Groove Armada and a host of eclectic acts across the stages.

Feasting is taken seriously too, with celebrated culinary names and creative food offerings ensuring that long afternoons are as delicious as they are musical, while talks, comedy and immersive arts experiences add extra colour to four unforgettable summer days under the trees.

TICKETS & INFO

OUTDOOR CINEMA AT WESTONBIRT
31 JULY – 2 AUGUST • WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM

A rather enchanting escape, the Westonbirt Outdoor Cinema transforms the heart of the arboretum into a woodland theatre beneath the stars, where film and nature share the same gentle spotlight. Set among thousands of rare trees in one of Britain’s most beautiful botanical landscapes, guests are invited to settle with blankets and picnics as the sun slips through the canopy and the screen comes to life. Films include Dirty Dancing, Jurassic Park and a Sing-A-Long showing of Encanto for the younger viewers.

TICKETS & INFO

​CHELTENHAM CRICKET FESTIVAL
8 - 24 AUGUST • CHELTENHAM COLLEGE

A pillar of the English summer sporting calendar, the Cheltenham Cricket Festival returns to the elegant surrounds of Cheltenham College between Saturday 8th August to Friday 24 August, where it has been staged for generations on one of the country’s most historic cricket grounds. Dating back to 1872, it remains the oldest festival of its kind, pairing top-tier Gloucestershire cricket with a distinctly genteel sense of occasion.

Across the festival, expect a sunlit mix of County Championship and limited-overs fixtures, framed by traditional hospitality, lively marquees, and that unmistakable festival atmosphere where the boundary rope feels close enough to touch. 

TICKETS + INFO

THE BIG FEASTIVAL
28 - 30 AUGUST • KINGHAM

With the 2026 Big Feastival line-up now live, yet another unforgettable long weekend of music, food and fun awaits us on Alex James’ idyllic Cotswolds farm during the August Bank Holiday weekend. Across three days you’ll be treated to headline sets from dance-pioneers Basement Jaxx, UK rap-poet favourite The Streets and indie-pop hitmakers Bastille, alongside an eclectic mix of artists including RUDIM3NTAL, Perrie, Doves, White Lies, Freya Ridings, Mimi Webb and The Coral, ensuring there’s something for every musical taste.

But Big Feastival isn’t just about the beats, it’s a true celebration of flavour too, with acclaimed chefs and food experiences that have become just as legendary as the music. Expect chef demos, incredible street food and inventive culinary showcases that make grazing around the festival one of the highlights of the weekend.

Comedy lovers are also well-served, with live sets from names like Joel Dommett, Ivo Graham and Suzi Ruffell adding laughter to sun-soaked afternoons and balmy evenings

TICKETS & INFO

MORETON SHOW
5 SEPTEMBER • MORETON-IN-MARSH

A cornerstone of the Cotswold rural calendar, the Moreton Show returns for its celebrated one-day gathering in the heart of Moreton-in-Marsh, where the fields once again become a grand stage for British agriculture at its finest. Since 1949, it has championed the very best of farming, equestrian skill, and countryside tradition, drawing together livestock classes, arena displays, and over 300 trade stands in a lively yet unmistakably traditional spectacle.

From champion livestock parades to the thunder of arena attractions and the gentle bustle of the Home & Garden marquees, it is a day that distils the countryside into its purest form. For many, it remains the definitive late-summer gathering of rural England.

TICKETS & INFO

​BLENHEIM PALACE INTERNATIONAL HORSE TRIALS
17 - 20 SEPTEMBER • BLENHEIM PALACE

Get ready for an unforgettable experience this year at Blenheim Palace! Experience four days of exhilarating eventing, including Dressage, Cross Country, and Showjumping, set against the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Palace – one of Britain’s most beautiful and historic venues.

TICKETS + INFO