Bainton Bikes

Begin your day with some culture & history, the tour will take you through the streets of Oxford abundant with University buildings and famous architecture that inspired artists and poets through the ages.

As you ride through the leafy suburbs of the residential part of the city you are heading towards the atmospheric Cherwell Boathouse and riverside restaurant. Here you will enjoy a romantic boat ride along the Thames and experience parts of the University and Town only accessible from the River. There is exquisite riverside dining available at the boathouse restaurant and even a bottle of champagne for the boat if your heart so desires.

We leave the city along one of the tranquil waterways and ambles through villages outside of the city, some of which date back to Saxon times. An afternoon drink or snack can be enjoyed at one of our carefully selected country Inns or whilst visiting the remains of a 1st century Roman Villa.

The final part of the tour takes you through unblemished countryside towards the charming English village of Minster Lovell, where you will find your final destination The Old Swan and Minster Mill. “At the heart of the Old Minster village and with a history going back almost 600 years, The Old Swan and Minster Mill couldn’t be more quintessentially English. The perfect spot to escape the city and explore the Cotswolds. Or just relax, spa and dine”.

Here at the Old Swan & Minster Mill you will enjoy a nights luxurious dinner & accommodation. “The Old Swan and Minster Mill captures the charm of bygone years, throw in a good measure of modern convenience, add to it the laid-back atmosphere of the gastro-pub inspired dining room and log-fired bar and you’ll feel like there’s no place like it. The setting couldn’t be more romantic if it tried”

From magnificent natural views to historic Roman architecture we will cycle our way through the outstanding rural countryside where there will be plenty of time to stop and enjoy the splendour of the unspoilt landscape. Each day has carefully selected lunch and refreshment stops to ensure a wonderful time is had both in and out of the saddle.

This tour is available guided or self-guided and supplied with detailed travel maps. Point of interest documents are also supplied to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

This luxury holiday is available as a guided or self-guided tour and includes hotel bookings and luggage transfers.

Welcome to our tour of Oxford, the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon. Our local friendly and experienced guides will be on hand to escort you through the best of what this wonderful part of England has to offer. From stunning views to historic buildings we will cycle our way through these enchanting sights with stops for lunch and refreshments from delightful country Inns and wonderful local produce.

Known for its beautiful, historic architecture, Oxford still retains the ability to surprise us with its with its waterways, its parks and its hidden streets and gardens.

As well as seeing the university from close up, our Official Oxford Cycle tour shows you parts of the city that most visitors do not see, and travel by bicycle allows us to slip away to visit quiet waterways and meadows with wildlife and views of the city that will remain with you long after leaving.

We begin by cycling amongst dreaming spires, the students’ colleges and university departments before escaping the hustle and bustle of the city centre into the surrounding countryside, riding alongside the River Thames in Port Meadow, and having a glimpse of the daily lives of past and present Oxonians.

The Official Oxford cycle tour has 11 carefully selected stops, tailored to reflect a broad mixture of history, culture and hidden gems.

At each stop our friendly guides will share some insight into our historic city, allowing plenty of time for interaction and photographs.

This tour is a luxury experience, we will take you on a culinary and intellectual journey. Do not think of this as a cycle tour, the bikes are merely a chosen form of transport to wheel you from each wonderful destination through picturesque scenery. This full day tour includes as are your wheels, punting, entrance to university grounds and buildings, and guide with lunch, drinks and afternoon tea recommended additions for this tour.

Our Oxford Experience tour is a full day excursion, lasting approximately six hours. During your Oxford Experience our tour guides will guide you through the streets, suburbs and countryside within Oxford.  Stopping at a number of carefully selected locations where we will share local knowledge and historic information.

During the morning we will explore historic Oxford and its University, visiting both town & gown buildings and grounds. For lunch we will grab a pole and climb aboard a traditional Oxford punt boat and gently punt along the river exploring college grounds only accessible by river.  

Lunch will be available from the wonderful Cherwell Boat House who offer a fine riverside dining experience, or enjoy a picnic lunch whilst floating along the River Cherwell. After lunch we will amble through the leafy suburbs visiting homes of past & present famous Oxonians (including J.R.R. Tolkien), before riding alongside Oxford’s tranquil waterways.

In the afternoon we’ll enjoy a refreshing drink by the riverside in one of Oxford’s 17th century Inns, before making our way towards the city and finishing the day with a great English tradition; Afternoon High Tea & Scones. (optional).

This tour provides a safe, fun and easy route to the nearby town of Woodstock, where the world famous Blenheim Palace is situated and the famous prime minister Winston Churchill was born.

This is a circular route that leaves the lively city of Oxford and heads through a large area of common land given to the freemen of the city by Alfred the Great, Port Meadow and which has the River Thames flowing through it.  

The route joins the waterway path and you ride along the path where Lewis Carrol first began to spin the tale of Alice in Wonderland. After joining the Sustrans approved cycle paths you head onto a traffic free route towards the town of Woodstock, here the world renowned Blenheim Palace is situated. The return journey leaves Woodstock behind and joins the Oxford Canal path providing a relaxing route all the way back into the city.

This route will take you along quiet roads through antiquated villages that surround the city. You will then slowly begin gaining elevation before climbing the hill into the exquisite village of Brill, which with its immaculate windmill and views across the county is a perfect halfway point stop.

The final half of this route brings you back towards the city through active farming villages with plenty of opportunity for pub stops along the way.