Ramblers have recommended a little-known Cotswolds village for its stunning views and "impeccable" pub lunches. Swinbrook is an hour and 20 minutes' drive from Bristol city centre, close to the bustling tourist town of Burford and the popular attraction Cotswold Wildlife Park.
While quieter than some of the busier destinations nearby, visitors say it makes for a beautiful walking spot and is also home to an award-winning pub. Outdoor activity app AllTrails, which maps walking and hiking routes, recommends a 7km circular route which generally takes just under two hours to complete.
Describing the walk, it states: "An easy-going route which is suitable to most abilities, so a wonderful opportunity to get outdoors. Some parts can get rather muddy during wetter months, so best to come prepared with appropriate footwear and layers for full enjoyment.
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"Better to come on quieter days, during the week, as parking is limited and it would then provide for a more peaceful walk. Beautiful views, passing through lovely woodland and some open spaces." It also shares a handy map of the route for walkers to follow on their way around, to avoid getting lost.
One recent rambler to have completed the walk wrote on AllTrails: "Some distance on roads, but little traffic (Sunday afternoon). Lovely stretch through valley just before coming to the small church, on the right, where some of the Mitford sisters are buried."
Another wrote in the review section last summer: "Accurately mapped, with excellent views. At this time of year only a few, short sections of footpath were overgrown with brambles. Better than most walks in the area. Very pretty villages and sweeping views make this pretty easy walk very enjoyable."
Cotswolds Tourism Partnership has an online guide to Swinbrook, which reads: "Swinbrook is a small village on the River Windrush, about two miles east of Burford. Apparently untouched by time, it is the quintessential English village with its stone walls, pretty church, cricket pitch with wooden pavilion, and an old stone pub next to the old stone bridge across the River Windrush.
"St Mary's Church has some fascinating memorials to the Fettiplace family, who owned the manor during the 17C, with six effigies in two triple tiers ‘like passengers on an old-fashioned steamer’. In the 20th century Swinbrook became closely associated with the "Mitford sisters"— the six daughters of David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale, who lived at nearby Asthall Manor."
Several walkers recommend starting off at the Swan Inn, and stopping there for refreshment afterwards. The pub describes itself as offering an "intimate and relaxing ambience providing the perfect backdrop for serving high-quality, seasonal dishes sourced from the local area".
It comes highly-rated on TripAdvisor, with one recent reviewer writing: "Could not fault anything about any part of the meals we had. Presentation, flavour, balance and portion size were all spot on. Service from all staff was impeccable. Could not recommend this place more highly."
An American tourist wrote: "Our personal tour guide suggested this pub to us and we're so happy he did as we couldn't imagine a more stereotypical British pub experience. The location, setting, and the pub itself are of a historic nature and the food was excellent with a wide range of items to select from the menu. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting to experience an old British pub lunch."
Back in 2020 the pub was awarded Dining Pub of the Year by The Good Pub Guide, retaining the title once again in 2021. Dishes on the sample menu include buttermilk chicken schnitzel with Asian slaw, Thai dressing, cashew nuts and skinny chips (£19) and asparagus, pea and broad bean tagliatelle with wild garlic spinach sauce, rocket, sun blushed tomatoes and pecorino (£19.50).
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