The Carter Company

Quaint and pretty villages, the unspoilt Chiltern Hills, the charming meadows of the Upper Thames and the historic Thames side towns of Oxford and Henley are all part of this rural idyll. On this tour you will enjoy all these and discover a great deal more. The only question is: where will you choose to stop along the way to quench your thirst? Will you follow your nose or take our hand picked recommendations?

Discover expansive sandy beaches at Studland, tiny country lanes, quaint hamlets, bridleways crossing fords and woodlands, pretty towns full of history at Wareham and Dorchester, and a landscape so evocative that great men from Hardy to Lawrence of Arabia were inspired here. With plenty of opportunities for other activities such as boating, walking, fishing and horse riding this is a terrific get-away in one of our favourite holiday spots.

Set in the 'Garden of England' where farm shops and orchards appear around many corners, the tour takes you to the coast with its famous Whitstable oysters and to the hop country at Faversham where you will find England's oldest brewery. Enjoy the Michelin starred inn The Sportsman - which was recently crowned the UK's Best Restaurant - several iconic tea rooms, a farmers market and a local cheesemaker. If you have any appetite left, fill your panniers with Mount Ephraim cherries, strawberries, plums, pears, apples and cobnuts. The cycling's not bad either!

All are country houses in beautiful settings with tip top service. All have excellent restaurants and a number have spas. In fact you might want to relax for a day or so and leave your bike idle. Tailoring the itinerary and distances for you, this is the perfect way to enjoy the magic of the Cotswolds. If you like to have a knowledgeable local guide to lead you, we will be delighted to provide one. And if you prefer to have a support vehicle, we are very happy to include one. We have no doubt that we can create a really rather special Cotswolds experience just for you.

The itinerary outlines all the hotels we feel fit into this tailor made tour and the sample price given below is illustrative and includes 5 nights accommodation and breakfast at Le Manoir Oxford, Foxhill Manor Broadway, Lords of The Manor Upper Slaughter, Barnsley House Bibury and Whatley Manor Malmesbury, 4 days of self led cycling of your chosen distance with all biking equipment, route notes or GPS, maps and transfers where required, airport transfer at the start of the tour and return to Oxford at the end of the tour, all luggage transfers, host briefing, entrance to Blenheim Palace and grounds, and a guided cycle tour of Oxford.

On this gentle self-guided cycling tour, discover for yourself the details that make this region so beloved by locals and visitors alike. There’s a wonderful variety of scenery, from cultural cities to tiny fishing villages, and gorgeous stretches of countryside in between.

Freewheel along the shores of Loch Ness, stopping as you please en route to catch a glimpse of the elusive Nessie and for a hearty pub lunch at local favourite, The Dores Inn. Immerse yourself in history with a visit to Culloden battlefield, the site of the last full-scale battle to take place on British soil. Learn about the local legends at the castles of Cawdor and Brodie, stuffed to the turrets with antique furniture, paintings and ceramics. Ride through pine forests, past sweeping sandy beaches, under a monumental viaduct, and amidst verdant rolling hills dotted with grazing sheep. Of course, any trip wouldn't be complete without sampling a local whisky at a traditional Scottish distillery en route. It’s all part of the magic of a Highland fling!

This is a remarkable ride through history covering seashore defenses at the Cinque Ports of Deal and Walmer, the forts of ancient coasts, Canterbury's Saxon castle and pilgrim roots with a stay in moated and grand, Leeds Castle as a finale to the tour.

Freewheeling through orchards and across downs, you enjoy leafy back lanes, the fun of fords and grand views. Discover Kent's clapper board villages, seaside cycling, oysters in Whitstable, the medieval gem of Sandwich and several stunning gardens. This is also a land awash with local produce - beers and seafood, soft fruit and vineyards all of which you will have plenty of time to enjoy!

With several days of optional cycling, the itinerary is very relaxed and provides plenty of opportunity for other activities such as walking, fishing, boating and more.

The tour leads through a variety of forests and woods, where you can enjoy some unusually close encounters with animals. Peaceful and traffic free tracks lead to characterful villages and historic small towns that are a delight to explore. The Dorset coastal areas you will visit offer wonderful variety from the charming fishing village and beach at Mudeford to the busy quays where you board two ferries. Enjoy sand spits and beach huts, two piers and beachside and cliff top cycling in Bournemouth. The unspoilt glorious sandy beaches of Studland are part of the route too along with the utterly delightful quay on the river estuary at Wareham and a glimpse of rural Dorset at its best. Add a tank museum or steam trains, a spot of boating or horse riding or simply some time on the beach and it’s quite an escapade!

To these we have added the gardens we love and know others find inspirational. Collectively they show a wide range of styles and we are sure you will leave horticulturally touched.

We have designed the tour with very short cycling distances so that you will have plenty of time to enjoy the gardens and landscapes not to mention the wonderful Cotswold villages where you are staying. With very few slopes and a thoroughly leisurely itinerary, there's plenty of time for dreaming...

Tucked into the peaceful landscape are pretty villages and charming estuaries where maritime history abounds. And just off the coast lies the delightfully English Isle of Wight.

Using awesome gravel tracks through the forest and disused railway lines, much of this tour is free of traffic and leaves plenty of time to explore. Discover: forest life and villages at Burley, Brockenhurst and Beaulieu with its fine estate and Motor Museum, maritime delights at Buckler’s Hard and Lymington, the Isle of Wight experience and the charms of Yarmouth where your ferry arrives. You'll be very tempted to return!

Royalty and history beckon, whilst water meadows, old inns, wildlife and weirs lead you on through your adventures.

The tranquil river path provides the route for much of this trip - we love it because it is flat and traffic free. The itinerary is relaxed and includes several optional river boat trips with bikes aboard. What a great way to discover the sights and smells of quintessential England!